Fires.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4715, 11 June 1883, Page 3

Fires.

A serious fire occurred in Colombo street, near Cathedral square, early on Sunday morning. Two men named Cooke and Conway were passing down the right-of-way between the Timet office and the Central Hotel about 580 am, when they noticed smoke issuing from the roof at the rear of Mr Jacobs' draper's shop, fronting on Colombo street. Constable Allen, who was on duty at the time, also observed the fire. The alarm was taken to the Chester street station. Tbe bells were rung, and the brigade promptly responded to the call. When Superintendent Turton reaohed the spot, he found the fire breaking through the root at the back of Jacobs' shop, and the flames were also issuing from the front of the premises. The steamer Extinguisher was stationed at the river, and the Deluge at the Cathedral square tank. A portion of the machinery of the former broke almost as soon as the engine w&a got to work, and no water could be obtained from this source. Two lengths ot hose were run off from the Deluge, and Sir Turton directed the efforts of the Brigade to save the Central Hotel close adjoining the burning buildiog to the north, towards whioh the fire was driven by a smart south-west breeze blowing at the time. The ohemical engine was first in action, and the stream from it did much to keaptbe fire from getting a hold upon tbe small buildings at the back. A branchman from the Deluge mounted the Central Hotel roof, and amidst a shower of flakes of fire directed a stream of water on to Mr Stewart's fruiterer's shop next to Jaoobs' premises} while another jet was thrown on the fire from the back of the burning building. The flames soon spread to Mr Fountain Barber's bookseller's shop at the corner of Colombo . street and Cathedral Square in the same building. Tbe plaoe was. broken opea and a large quantity of the stock removed to the opposite side of the street. Above Fountain Barber's were the rooms of the Y.M.O. Association, and close adjoining, faoing the square, was Mr Glaston's hairdresser's shop. All these, with Mr Jacobs' shop, were in Hobbs' buildings, and were soon gutted by the flames. But the efforts of the Brigade, who worked with their usual enthusiasm, soon told in the direotion of the Central Hotel, and in twenty minutes from their arrival it was apparent that Mr Wallace's premises had been saved. The Deluge was kept in action till 9.50 a.m., leaving the tank after it was pumped dry and drawing water from the river so long as any of the embers were glowing. The whole corner block (Hobbs' buildings) is destroyed, some of the outer walls only being left standing.

The total insurance on the buildings is stated to be £1100 in the New Zealand Insurance Company (half this amount being re-insured with the Scottish Imperial) divided as follows : —On the building occupied by Mr F. Barber, Mr Glasson, and the Y.M.O. Aesoei&tion rooms, £600; en Mr Jacobs' shop, £400; on Mr Stewart's front shop, £6o, and a brick store at the rear, £50. Mr Jacobs' stock was insured for £1600 in the Australian Mercantile Union Company, £1200 of which is re-insured in sums of £400. each in the Australian Alliance, the Australian Mutual, and the Fire Insurance Aesooiation respectively. Mr Jacobs estimates his loss at £300 abova the ineuranco. Mr Fountain Barber (bookeeller) was insured for £300 in the Liverpool and London, and Globe Office, and he considers he has lost £7CO above that amount. Mr Glasson (hairdresser) had hiß stock insured for £80 in the United Insurance Company ; his lobs we have not ascertained. Mr Btewart (fruiterer) was uninsured, and estimates his lobi at £50. One of the firemen— Branohman Winslow — had his hand badly out by some falling plate glass. The effects of the Young Men's Christian Association, which were completely destroyed, were insured in the Norwich Union office for £180, of which sum £40 was on an American organ, and the remainder on the library. This consisted of 500 volumes, and was worth considerably more than the amount of the insurance. The book case in which they were contained was valued at £4), while the organ is laid to have cost £75. It will thus be seen that the Association are heavy losers. In addition to the above, a good deal of valuable property belonging to members, and lent for the use of the Astoriation, was destroyed. The Bey J. Crewes hsd some £50 worth of books and a magio lantern burned, nothing of which is insured, while Mr J. M. Hey wood and others have lost various articles of value. The members of the Association intend, in consequence of the destruction of their old premises, to make a vigorous effort to push on the erection of the proposed new building on their section on Cambridge terrace. The estimated cost of this is £1000, about half of which is either in hand or promised.

Mr F. Hobbs, the lessee of the block, whose lease has some 40 years to run, purposea replacing the premises burned with a handsome struoture of more substantial and imposing 1 character, plans for which are to be prepared as soon as possible. _ To-day a number of men were eet to work to clear away the debris from tho footpaths, and to lake down mch portions of lbs building as were dangerous to passerß-by. i The Lichfleld street fire-bell rang out again at 3 p.m. yesterday. This wbb occasioned by an unintentional alarm being sent from one of the electrio boxes which was being repaired. On Saturday evening a chimney in Misß M'Haffio's dressmaking establishment, near St Paul's Ohurcb, took fire. An alarm was sounded, and the engines were taken out. It may be mentioned that during the past eight days the Fire Brigade has turned out no less than six times. Early on Saturday morning, one of (ha outer-walls of a house, in the occupation of Mr Simpson, at Willowbank, Sydenham,*wa9 discovered to be on fire. A portion of the wall, 6ft by 3ft, was burnt, before the fire was extinguished, 'ihero appears to ba no reason to suppose that the fire could have originated anywhere but from the outside, and incendiarism is suspected. The outside of the walls close to the fire were found to bo saturated with kerosene. The lioubo was insured for £150 in the Norwich Union olfioe, and was owned by Mies Woraley. The occupants were not insured. NEW PLYMOUTH, June 11. The Bridge Hotel, at Waitara, was burnt down between two and three o'clock this morning. In connection with the Waitara fire, Tutty, the proprietor, had recently sold hie lease to Mr Prosser, late of Hawera, and was to have handed over the premises to day. Tutty had, however, moved out of the house \ with his family on Saturday ; and Prosser \ was in the house. The only insurance it £300 in tho New Zealand office on the building, whioh is owned by Mr Brooking. Nothing was saved. INVEBOARGILL, June 11. A barn and stable on the farm of John Baird, Antre Bueb, were burned dowp on Saturday night. Three horses perished in the flames, and a large quantity of seed was destroyed, as well as some harness. The building was insured for £300, but there was nothing on tho contents ; and tho loss ib estimated at 1 £600 above the insurance. There is no clue as to the origin of the fire.