The Worst Fire in the City's History.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12003, 22 October 1906, Page 5

The Worst Fire in the City's History.

Flames Fanned by Strong Nor'-wester. Water Only Rises a Few Feet (By Telegraph. — Special to Herald.) WELLINGTON, October 22. It is safe to say that never in the hiitory of Wellington has such a . disastrous fire taken place, from a financial point of view, as that which occurred this morning. Dawn was just breaking when a constable noticed smoke puffing lazily above the roof of the Wellington Auctioneering Company 'B premises in Lambton Quay, directly opposite Grey Street. He communicated with the Central Fire Station, and the Brigade turned out promptly. The building in which the fire originated was an old and dilapidated, onestorey, wooden structure, that should have been pensioned off years ago. It fed the flames like tinder, but as the walls of the Trocadero private hotel rose sheer above it, four storeys high, and Batkin's tobacconist shop made a similarly high wall on the other side, the odds were that the Brigade would have a comparatively easy task. The water was turned on to three leads of hose with all speed. By the time the firemen commenced to play them on the building the flames were hissing and roaring in a fresh nor'-wester. It soon appeared that something was the matter with the water supply. "What's wrong with the water? More water!" excitedly demanded the by-standers. It was a fact that thg water, which at all times gives » magnificent pressure, seemed to dribble out of the nozzles, and did not rise more than a dozen feet. Then the disquieting news was whispered round that the mains from Wainui-o-mata had burst at Nghauranga ten minutes before the fire was reported. The Brigade was then forced to fall back on the Karori supply, which is only an auxiliary to the principal souroe of supply at Wainui, and they worked like fiends against what were plainly almost insurmountable difficulties.