IMPROVEMENTS IN DUKE-STREET, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3153, 8 September 1892, Page 2

IMPROVEMENTS IN DUKE-STREET, CAMBRIDGE.

When the disastrous fire that occurred in 1 March, 1889, swept the one-half of Duke--1 street away, many foretold that the street would never regain its former importance as the leading business t!><>r mglifare of the town ; but those prognostications have proved fallacious, for it is to-day the best business site in the Bor-nigh, and we venture to predict that ere long it will have regained its former standing a< to the number of business premises it contains, and that they will be much better structures than those it forirterly boasterl. Several .if those who were burnt out in ISS9 did not even then desert. J. S. Bond and G. .J.Neal. They " chummed " together in Houghton's old store for a time (kindly placed at their disposal by the lessee, Mr T. Well.-), ami then Mr Bond rebuilt his store on the old site. Mr N e;l ' remaining in one part cf Iloughtons, Mr Wells occupied the other part. Mr Neal, who is agent for the well-known firm •>f Eil. Webb and Son*, of Wordsley, England, seedsmen, and Kempthnrne, Pros-er and Co., of Auckland, mtifiuial manure manufacturers, found his trade increasing so fast, that he was greatly pushed for storage room, when luckily the premises he was occupying came into tho market. Of course he quickly closed with the vendor, and then began altering and re-building to suit his requirements. In addition to the two agencies mentioned above, Mr Neal runs a laive bakery business on his own account, and also >leUs in nil sorts »f fanning requisites. He is likewise neent for Messrs Booth, Macdonald and Co., the well-known implement manufacturers of Christehiirch, and keeps duplicate parts of their machinery in stock. The first alteration Mr Neal made was the converting of a large stable into a bakehouse, with a room attached for the use of the baker. He entrusted the building of the oven to Mr C. S. Mitchell, of Cambridge West, and has no cause to regret having done so, for it is a splendid piece of work r.nd answeradmirably. The oven is the largest in the district—probably in the Waikato—for it will bake at one time considerably over 300 loaves, and Mr Neal informs us that the consumption of fuel is only about half what it took to heat tho small oven at the old bakehouse in Victoria-street. This shows what a diirerence eood and bad work can make. Mr Neal next bought a house that, stoud at the bottom of the street, and moved it into his yard, where he converted it into a manure store, and it may now be with the name of Kompthorne, Pro.-ser and Co. painted the front—a grand adveitiseinent. In addition to this Mr Neal has a store for fencing wire, another f"i' grain and farm produce, and a good stable. Adjoining his general store is a shop, and in this Mr Neal has put a new window in which he exhibits Messrs Webbs' seeds. The upper portion of this window has been decorated in quite a new and artistic style. The work was executed by Mr Wilkinson, and it certainly is an advertisement that should draw attention to Messrs Webbs' seeds. There is no doubt Mr Neal laacquired a grand property, and he evidently means to do a big trade and knows how to command it. _ Next to Mr Neal's property, Mr De Blois is erecting a shop in front of his billiard room. When finished thi; will be a hair-dressing saloon and tobacco shop. On the other side of Mr Neals property Mr T. Wells has purchased a portion of land that will give him a good road round to the back of his store, and also admit of agricul- 1 tural implements being exhibitod on either 1 side of the road. Mr Wells intends buildings several stori rooms at ttye back of hiß premises, and this road will allow ofdrav, waggons, etc., coining out direct into l>ul;e- ( street, instead of via Brewery-street as > formerly. On the other side of the street, t Messrs Bond and Hally have greatly improved their properties, and when we state ; that not a single stoie in the street is now ] unoccupied it will be readily understood o that Dukc-stroet is dccidedly looking up. 6