Extensive Fire in Masterton.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1743, 7 October 1885, Page 2

Extensive Fire in Masterton.

DESTRUCTION OP CCBB A CO.’S AND THE CLUB STABLES.

A conflagration that created intense excitement in Masterton fsays the Star), broke out on Monday, a few minutes after 2 o’clock. About 2.15 the sudden tolling of the firebell caused general consternation. Then there was a rush to the rear of the Club Hotel, whence a cloud of smoke big enough for twenty ohimtsies was seen ascending. The fi:e broke out in tiro back of the stable on tire south of Bannister street belonging to James Macara but which at the time was leased byMessrs Hood and Shaw and occupied by them. Mr Hood is of opinion that the stable caught fire from the outside opposite the hay and chaff house. A piece of weatherboard bad become detached alongside the footpath and the strong probability is that a smoker caused the mischief by lighting Lis pipe and carelessly throwing away the vesta without extinguishing it. The hay and fodder caused thick clouds of smoke so dense as to darken the sunlit atmosphere These were followed by masses of flame, roaring and surging to a height of thiity to forty feet. Then followed the crackling of timber as the flames caught along the stalls and roof of the stables. An active crowd quickly gathered and dispersed themselves in various directions. While the horses were being dragged from the stables and buggies and vehicles removed, the Fire Brigade got their engines at work, but some time elapsed before the connection between the creek in the neighborhood and the hose could be established, and then the water force was sadly inefficient. At one time Kibblewhite’s forge was seriously threatened, owing to the wind, which was from the south, blowing the flames in the direction of Queenstreet. Had the fire spread iu this direction, nothing could have saved one of the principal blocks in Masterton from destruction. Fortunately, through '.he well-directed efforts of tbo Brigade, the smithy, with Duncan and Sons’ coiner store, were saved, and danger from this direction was avoided. la the meantime the fire spread across Bannisterstreet to tire Club stables (Hood aud Shaw's) and a new and aggravated source of danger was disclosed. In a few minutes these extensive premises, with Mr Elkin’s fowl houses, keunels aud various out-houses, were in the condition of a furnace. So intense was the heat that the spectators were unable to reach the back of the Club Hotel. The efforts of everyone were now directed towards saving the hotel, which was seriously menaced at the back. Willing bauds appeared on the roof, whence buckets of water, aud baud grenades were freely used. At a very critical time, blankets were suspended fiom the roof over the gabel of the building. At this juncture it was believed that nothing could save the hotel and other adjacent premises. Under a beat that almost scorched the hair from their heads, the men on the roof worked heroically, throwing the water from buckets over tbe roasting timber, where it was immediately converted into steam. Fortunately at this moment the wind began to veer round to tho westward, doing far more good by backing eff the flames than all the water power could effect. The stables soon disappeared, but the coach house belonging to Mr James Boss's smithy aud coach factory now caught, together with several outhouses, including the Club sample room, a new building only completed on Saturday. The sample room fortunately was of iron, lined with timber, and it was quickly gutted of its liuing by a party, including some of our loading drapers. The buildings were on lire about the ends ami r of, but thanks to tho steady action of the hose ami a plentiful supply of baud grenades tho fire at this spot was stayed after the premises which had caught had been about half consumed. Just as the danger was over at the Club Hotel an alarm spread from the Empire Hotel to the north which had a remarkably narrow escape, one of the sparks lighting on the roof, aud setting lire to the auiugles. Luckily the fire was noticed, and the shingles were extinguished after they ban been slightly chaired. Besides the stables a small cottage belonging to Mr Jas, Macara, and occupied by Mis Amoor was gutted. The insurances are ns follows Club Hotel ; Northern £louo, National £IOOO, New Zealand £IOOO, and another office £IOOO. Cobb and Co’s stables ; North British £3OO on stables, £25 on office, £2OO on fodder and £SO on cottage. We regret to learn that Messrs Hood aud JSliaw, of the Club Lively Stables, have lost heavily, a great deal of harness and traps Ac,, being destroyed, and they are totally uninsured. About ten doceu of the Hand Grenades wen used at the hie. A cumber |

were broken into a bucket and duti'-i <"i Ross's coacli house and the (•tli'T outh ■iiaos and this wc an.'informed wu.s tiic means of mastering the llaun s. As nu illustration of promptitude and Phoenix raising frovr. hi* ashes we may state that Messrs Barker and Williams'have aheady received orders from Mr James Macam to rebuild Cobb and Go's stables. The trees and shrubs near the eretk formed a splendid wall between Ihe names i-.iid Mr Elliius' residence sit the back. It was at Mr Ross' paint bhop and wheelwright shop Ihurt'ae tire wns Hopped. These buiidinps were of iron, lined with wood imide. Although the sheets of iron were shrivelled up nod partly consumed with the heat, and the wood at the ends was reduced inside to charcotd, the flamei) were dashed out by the water from the creek as fast as they broke out. Among those who rendered no little aid bv attending to tLo wants of the firemen and those who were working the engine, we shouid mention Mrs Bennington. Equal to the occasion she supplied the workers with fresh energy by r< pairing their loss of sweat with tea by the bucketful Mr It. Homblow has had his boots and hat roasted beyond r<cognition, but Mr Win Kiddle, ofTenui, lias been the greatest J ersonal sufft rer. After the Are he hnd simply to piucliase a new outfit. Working with the Club hose, the nozzle of which was out of order, and needed his attention to stop the leakage he stood bitwien the burning stable and back of the hotel, plajiog the water on the latter, till the clothes wtie roasted off his back, the backs of his hands in huge blisters, and his whiskers were partly singed from his face. He carries with him undelible remarks of true heroism—of an ordeal which few men would care to undergo even to save many thousands of pounds worth of property.