FROM FIRES TO FLOODS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8270, 25 October 1906, Page 5

FROM FIRES TO FLOODS.

DELUGE IN A WELLINGTON FACTORY.

damage about £d,ooo

"II; never ralua but it pours." This somewhat hackneyed expression was brought home very forcibly to Mr Kobert Hannah, when he visited the big boot factory of Messrs R. Hannah and Co., Lambton Quay, Wellington, about 7 o'clock, yesterday morning, to attend to some neoessai'y work before leaving for t the Carterton show. Monday morning's break in the Wainui water mains had been mainly responsible for the destruction of much valuable property by Are, and here again it was causing in another way thousands of pounds worth of damage to a great stock. On opening the factory door—the five-storied building stands immediately at the rear of the business premises on the quay, not far from the seat of the big conflagration—Mr Hannah was astounded 10 see the ground floor five or six inohes deep ia water, while from the floor above in all directions, water literally poured on to the bulk goods stacked in cases. Down the stairs was rushing a young cataract. Ip two days the city had benn crying loudly for water, and here were thousands of gallons ruuuing to waste, do.'ng thousands pounds' worth of damage. Mr Hannah lost no time in musing, but at once realising the oause of the trouble, rushed up <he staircase to the topmost floor, and there in the furthest oorner saw a tap of an inoh diameter turned on to its utmost discharging capacity, pouting water right over the top of the sma'l hand basin underneath i on to the floor four or Sve feet in front, Quicker than it t.akea to write it that tap was turned off; but it had had a twelve hours inn- : ings. How it came to be left on is , very easily understood, and doubt- i lees many ether premises in thefj town underwent aim War experiences | on a a mailer soak*. One or mows

of the mef& went to the tap—wMtfb 'happens to be lacker than usual,'as it is intended for Are prevention required—to wash jnat before leaving work She previous evading, %nt turning it'ten produced nothing more than a gurgle. Th6ta I he or they went away leaving t!he tap turned on, When the rfaterteupply entered : fcbe <tiity mains occe more afcocfc seven iu the evening,'the tap of course resumed ita uawniTiUuations and the inundation cortusaencad.

'"lt* is sat© to calculate," said Mr IHnonah, to a Post reporter, "that where'the *water has g©'t properly at itbagoods it bas takeia o& about 50 <per cant of their lvalue." Hia estimate of the damage done is between "JSC,OOO and ¥6,'000 at the, 'lowest. As is this tinsel of the y«ar the stock in the factory: particularly heavy, and is value! *at £55,'<300.

: TiajJ ECONOMIC FARES SIMILARLY.

I Fpots ' precigferV the same m?®se the'fiteewomic's ' Ststnbton Quay 'premiseff suffered EitriHa'rly during Ttseaday night. in tho lavaffc r ry on the top floor had been 'left turned on since Monday, so tbaH the •flow of water wotild apprise tlrase in ' the vtemifcy that the Bupply was again available, but tbafc ' flow dita not t&ke pace untri'l'fthe evening, when there was no one' to apprise. Tbe oonsecfuenise was) another delage from' tiie hop' feu - the ground floor, and 'damage tothe extent of about £SOO was done., The damage was chi&fiiy to the Mstaobester. and linen deparfawnUs.—Post:.