DISASTROUS FIRE.

West Coast Times, Issue 355, 12 November 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

DISASTROUS FIRE.

(^DM THj3 MESS.) One of the most disastrous fires that has occurred iv Chrislchurch took place oi Tuesday morniag in the block of bv : ld : lgs which formerly s.ojd at the corner of Armagh and Colombo sLreels. The alarm was given shortly after one o'clock by one of Mr Hadfield's men, who observed smoke issuing from the back of Mr Roach's store, in Colombo s':-eet. The premises were used as a fancy sto*e, and at the back was erected a billiard-room, and in this room, from aU we can learn, the fire originated. From the very late hour very few persons were collected during the first quarier-of-an hour, and it was some time before the fire-bell was rung and the Brigade turned out. It was, however, fuUy thrce-quarters-of-an-hour before the Brigade had the steam fire engine in working order, aud by that lime the fire had a full hold on the prenvses of Mr Roach ; immediately at the back of which were the long line of stables belonging to the Golden Fleece Hotel, aad by these becoming igaited there was no hope of saving the woodeu houses situated on the block as far as the corner of Armagh street. Long before the engines wee in play, the flames, fanned by a gentle westerly breeze, had taken hold of the premises adjoining Mr Roach's, which were, we believe, at the time unoccupied, and from these quickly spread in a northerly direction, to Mr Trealeaven's Styx Mill store, Bayloe's city grocery store, Campion's Golden Fleece Hotel, and the unoccupied shops adjoining ia Armagh street. To the south of the premises in which the fire was discovered was the substantial brick building belonging to Mi- Lewis, and kaown as Cookhamhouse ; at the back of which was a large warehouse, also of brick, containing a very large stock of goods, consisting principally of d apery and boots atid shoes. The latter buildings we : -e considered fire-proof, and at fi st very little attention was paid to them. Between these bu : ld ; ngs and the store of Mr. J. P. Jameson there is a right-of-way of about six feet, and immediately on the steam-engine getting into work it was directed to break off the five at this point, which it luckly was successful in doing. The fire was allowed to consume the buildings up to the cornci* of the street, it being very evident that from, the inflammable materials of which -hey were constructed notlrng could save ihem. At oae time Messrs Cook and Ross's and Mr Leakc's store, on the opposite side of Colombo street, were in great danger, the heat being so gveat that it was almost impossible for any one to stand on that side of the road ; and No. 2, the hand-engine, played upon these build-u^s. So great was the heat that the whole of the plate gins 3 in the former building was cracked, and the shutters of Mr Leake's shop, as well as the* roof were times nearly igoited. On the opposite side of Armagh street is the large auction mart of Mr Alport, built entirely of wood, and this — at the time Campion's Hotel, a large double-storey wooden one, extending for some distance dowji Armagh street, was in a blaze — was in great danger, but No. 2 engine did good service in this instance as well as in the case of Cook and Ross's store. The fire, which commenced at a quarter-past one, had nearly burnt itself out by three o'clock', when all danger of its spreading was over. The greatest loss will be Cookhamhouse, with its warehouse at the back. The lower storey of the front building was used as a drapery and boot and shoe store, over which were the offices of the Provincial Investment and Loan Association, and two or three other public companies. The pape s, however, were all saved by Mr George Gould, and conveyed to a place of safety. Some of the goods were saved, but of course much damaged ; from the back store very little was get out, and the loss in, it alone will amount to several thousand pounds. Mr Roach's stock consisted chiefly of small articles, many of which were saved. The next store burnt, Treleavan's, contained produce, the greater part of which was saved. From Baylee's city grocery a portion of the stock was removed, but as it consisted in many instances of unpacked goods, the greater part was destroyed. From the hotel seemingly little was taken beside some bottles of wine and spirits, most of which were broken in their speedy removal from the burning building. From many of the buildings below the fire, furniture aud stock was also removed, and much loss must consequently arise. The street iv front of the burning buildings presented an indescribable mass of confusion through the want of any organisation, although the police, under Mr Inspector Pender, were quickly on the spot. In the very hurried description given of the fire on Tuesday, we computed the damages at L 20,00 0; this sum, however, falls far within the mark. From enquiries made on Wednesday, we find that 1 the following insurances had been effected : — Cookham-house — Liverpool and London Insurance Company, L 2500 ; Northern, L 2500 ; Imperial, L 250 0; New Zealand Company, L 250 0; London and Lancashire, L 200 0; aud North British, L 200 0; total, L 14,000. Mr Roach was insured in the Royal — stock LSOO and premises L7OO. Mr Trcleaven was uninsured. Mr Baylee was'insured in the Phoenix Company for LSOO 5 and Mr Campion,

of the Golden Fleece Hotel, for LIOO in the Victoria Company, the premises were also insured for LI6OO. The losses above the amount insured, we are informed, are on Cook-ham-house and warehouse, about Ll 2,000; Mr Treleavan, L 80 0; Mr Bailee, LSOO ; and Mr Campion, L 40 0; besides which may be added Lhc uninsured shops in Armagh-street and the buildings at the back, making a total of about L 35,000. The steam fire engine was kept playing on the debris to nearly noon ou Tuesday and so late as leu o'clock that evening the fire was still smouldering in parts of the ruins. From the back warehouse of Cookham-house several cases of boots and shoes, and some of drapery, were got out on Tuesday in tolerably fair condition, and conveyed lo Mr Alport's store. Theo r igin of the fire is still a mystery ; it certainly commenced in the back part of the premises occupied by Mr Roach, but from what cause is not knowi. The billiard room was closed at the usual hour, and due precaution seems to have been taken in putting out the lights. A report was cuivent in town on Tuesday that a man had perished in the flames, but we are happy to siate that there is no foundation for such a rumor. Mr Campion, the landlord of the Golden Fleece Ho. el, ia whose house the occurrence was said to have taken pl.ice, awoke the whole of the lodgers at ihe time ihe first alarm was given, but one of them had barely time to escape by means of a ladder placed at a wi idow of one of the bedrooms of ihe hoiel. No accident of any se_ious nature occurred, although some slight bruises were inflicted on several member* of tho Fire Brigade by Ihe fall'ng debris. Duriug the whole of Tuesday men weve employed in clearing away the re "use f-'omCookliam-uouse,the wa lJ s of which a.-c but I','le iijuved, and the rebuilding of which is to be imnvjdL.uely comi menced. Tenders are also inviled. for the erection of a building on the old site of the Golden Fleece Hotel. We omitted to mention ihat the Voluitee.s rendered efficient aid in keeping order as well as iv saving property.