GREAT FIRE AT WANGANUI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2785, 16 January 1869, Page 3

GREAT FIRE AT WANGANUI.

A fire of a calamitous character, and involving great destruction of property, occurred here on the afternoou of yesterday (Christmas day). It will take more time than we have yet had to learn the full particulars, but a general statement can be given. The fire originated, so far as has yet been ascertained, between 12 and 1 o'clock, in the Bowling Saloon in Ridgway-street, one of the buildings attached to but at some distance from the Rutland Hotel, which occupied the central angle where Ridgway-street intersects Victoria Avenue. From the Bowling Saloon the fire spread rapidly both up and down Ridgway-street, consuming in its upward sweep a blacksmith's workshop and the premises of Mr Harding, tailor. Here there is a vacant space, but the Odd Fellows' Hall which is the next building, had a narrow escape, having been on fire more than once, and but for a change in the wind must certainly have perished with the others, in spite of every effort to save it. Downward again the fire caught a store, occupied some time ago by Mr Webb, and used at the present time for storing flour (a large quantity of which, we regret to say, has been destroyed), then came the Rutland Hotel itself, one of the finest buildings in the town, which is now a smouldering mass of ruins. But the destruction did not stop here. The wind blowing obliquely across Ridgwaystreet, sparks were carried to the other side, and ere long the building belonging to Mr

1 Burnett, occupied just now as an hospital for 1 wounded men from the front, was found to be on 6re. The first care was to get the poor men snfoly away, and those of them who could not walk, of course were carried, to another place of shelter. From the hospital tho fire progressed up that side of the street, destroying the house and shop of Mr Robinson, watchmaker, and then the premises occupied by Mr Gower. The next building, used as a restaurant, was pulled down, and this had the effect of arresting the progress of the flames and saving the premises of Mr Liddell. When the spread of the fire from the hospital to Victoria Avenue seemed imminent, the premises of Mr Blake were also pulled down as a precautionary measure. How the fine house and shop occupied by Mr Burnett himself, which stand upon the corner site opposite the Rutland Hotel, were saved is a marvel. A number of people exerted themselves for this purpose, and something is owing to the fact that the Hotel being coated over did not in burning shoot up so vigorously as if it had been simply weatherboarded ; something is also owing to the roof of Mr Burnett's house beingzinc instead of shingles; at all events tbe premises remain intact, although sadly gashed and gutted. la the anxiety to save household property and shop goods things were thrown out, very much knocked about, and destroyed. From this statement it will be seen that the destruction of property in one of the best ) parts of the town is very great. The Rutland Hotel itself was a valuable property. We are unable to speak with accuracy of the insurance upon the various buildings, and therefore speak with caution, but we presume the most, if not all of them were insured to a greater or less extent. The Rutland Hotel was the property of Messrs Taylor and Watt, and the lease of the late tenant had just been purchased by Mr Chavannes, who suddenly finds himself without a house and whose loss in stock, furniture, and improvements, we fear, must be serious. Mr Burnett, who owned the properties occupied by Mr Robinson and Mr Blake, and the one used as an hospital, we know, is insured, although not to the full amount, but Mr Blake will be a loser, his stock not being burned but destroyed in the confusion. Mr Robinson, we regret to say, will be a heavy loser ; his stock was not insured, and very little has been saved from the wreck. It is perhaps too soon to speak of it, but Mr Robinson's is a case in which the public may well interest themselves. He has always been amongst the foremost and most active in attempting to extinguish fires in the town, and his anxiety to do so on this occasion led him, we believe, to set aside his own concerns in order to help others. An affecting incident also occurred to him. He was told, inaccurately as it turned out, that one of his children was still in the burning house. He rushed in among the smoke and flames but after a few paces fell in a perfect faint. He had to be carried out. The child was safe some time before. Mr Harding and Mr Gower must also be sufferers — the latter with his wife and family specially so. Such a calamity as this would have been serious at any time ; it is doubly serious in our present depressed and unfortunate circumstances. Misfortunes never come single, and Wanganui is just now an illustration of the adage. The origin of the fire is a mystery ; strange rumors, as generally happen in all such cases, are afloat, but an official enquiry will furnish, us with something certain. Too much praise cannot be given to the officers and men of the 18th Regiment for the prompt assistance they rendered. The engine from the barracks was also early on the ground, but the want of water was the great drawback to anything effective being done. We think it is not too much to say that with a good supply of water the fire of yesterday might have been confined to the Bowling Saloon in which it originated. The members of the Fire Brigade and many others also exerted themselves laudably on the occasion. The following, as nearly as we have been able to ascertain, is the loss sustained. We will not vouch for its correctness, as the sufferers do not yet know their actual losses, but believe it to be a fair approximate estimate. The London, Liverpool, and Globe Company will be the heaviest losers, viz, £3500; N.Z. Company, £1250; Victoria Company, £500. The houses destroyed are Rutland Hotel, burnt ; stock and furniture, •partially destroyed (Masonic parapernalia all saved) ; supposed loss. £4000 ; John Howe, tobacconist, stock and building partly destroyed, loss, £150 ; Gordon, Bros., blacksmiths, building and slock destroyed, £200 ; Dare, bowling saloon destroyed, £200 ; Finnimore's stores, stock and building destroyed, £1500 ; Harding, tailor, building destroyed, store and furniture, partially £1000; Burnett, building injured, stock and furniture partly destroyed in removal, £200 ; hospital, dostroyed, £300; Robinson, watchmaker, building destroyed, stock and furniture partially, £4.00; Gower, chemist, building destroyed, stock and furniture partially, £400; Blake, saddler, house pulled down, £300 ; K. Hurley, bootmaker, stock injured, £100; Liddell, ironmonger, stock injured, £100 ; Allen, fruiterer, house pulled down, stock partly destroyed, £150. Other losses arising from property injured in removal, say £500; or, in round numbers, £9500.