Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

FIRE AT THE OLD WHARF.
About 8 o'clock on Saturday night the hay sheds
situated to the rear of Messrs John Murdoch and
Son's grain atoms, Old Wharf, caught fire, and
before 10 o'clock were burnt to the ground. The
fire was first seen by some of the residents in
Wilcox lane, who at once gave the alarm, and
before many minutes had elapsed the east bank
of the Hobart Rivulet, from Macquarie-street to the
rifle range, was crowded, the number of people present
being about 5,000. Many persons who took up
a position in Webster's and Murdoch's lands. On
arriving at the scene it was found that the fire had
caught a shed running along the bank of the rivulet
from Wilcox'sstore to the rear of Webster's grain and
wool stores. The sheds were the property of Messrs
James and Hugh Murdoch, known as the firm of
Messrs. John Murdoch and Son ; but the hay with
which the sheds were packed belonged to Mr.
Webster and others, being stored at the risk of Mr.
Webster. A second shed, running at right angles to
the large shed to within a few yards of the entrance to
Murdoch's lane, also caught fire. In this were stored
about 60 tons of bonedust and salt manure, besides
three reaping and binding machines, the property
of Mr. Webster, and a large quantity of crushed
bones and bonedust, the property of Messrs Murdoch,
Willing hands were soon at work, rendering
as mu el assistance as they could. It was seen that
to touch the large 'shed would be useless until the
fire brigade arrived, and the attention of the
workers was turned to preventing the flames spread-
ing to the rear of Mr. Webster's wool shed and to
the row of houses in Water-lane. Bales of hay
were rolled out and taken beyond the reach of the
Il lines, and then a rope was put round ; the empty
shed and the whole pulled down, When the
fire reels of the brigades arrived-the Derwent
and Tamar being first on the scene a great
deal of time was spent in finding out a second
fire plug. The hose of the Derwent and Tamar
brigade was speedily attached to a plug in
front of Mr. Webster's office, but the supply
of water was so small as to be a disgrace to
the smallest township in the colony. When the
Tasmanian brigade arrived, they searched for a plug
between Mr Webster's and Macquarie-street, but
could not find one for some time. After digging
away in different parts of Hunter-street, Old Wharf,
they found a plug which the corporation labourers
hail, in their wisdom, and doubtless under the supervision
of an intelligent overseer, covered with road
metal, When the hose was fixed, at about 20min.
past 9, it was found that when the two hoses were
attached to the main, the water merely dribbled out
of the nozzles Besides this, the those of the Tasmanian
was short, as Mr. Maher had ordered his men to
take the hose to Macquarie-street. There he found
a pill.; opposite Me Pherson's coach factory, and
having affixed the hose to it, ran it down the side
of the creek. Another length of hose was obtained
and attached, but as soon as the water was turned
on the pressure from this main being very great
the hose burst. When Mr. Mahon unscrewed the
hose to see what was the matter, he found a water
worn stone, as large as a pigeon's egg, fixed in the
nozzle This stone must have been cut ned in the main
and down the house all the way from the reservoir.
A long length of canvas Iiojo was then obtained ,
from this office, and was attached to the Tasmanian
brigade's hose, which was thus made long enough
to reach the fire, It must be mentioned, to show
how things are managed in Hobart, that the
plugs in Hunter-street had not been inspected for
over six mouths, it being the duty of the brigades to
inspect them every month. Besides, every member
of the brigade, [or, at least firemen, if there are
such, should know the position of every ping in the
city, Why not paint on the wall opposite the plug,
as in other towns, "F.P., 24ft. N.W.," or what,
over indication to tell the locality thereof is required
Inojnarqucnco of these mishaps, it was 9
o'clock, 01 an hour after the bell rang before Mr.
Maher got his hose to play on the fire. All
this time Mr, Hedberg's has had been dribbling on
to the fire, merely preventing it from spreading
to a house occupied by a man named Cox, a carter,
whose stables (rented from Messrs. Murdoch had
already been burnt down. The residents in Wilcox
plane had left their houses, women and children,
many of them in a semi-nude state, being carried to
the houses or stores of people in Hunter-street.
The furniture was dragged out and piled upon the
Old Wharf. The buckets had been procured from
the brigade stations, and strings of men and police
handed them along filled with water to be
thrown on buildings that were in danger.
A party of men, headed by Mr. Pitfield, kept
drenching the roof of Mr. Wilcox's store, which,
being within a fewfeetof the flames, was in imminent
danger. Apothor body of men, led by Mr. Finlay
(of Messrs. Finlay and Watchorn), kept pouring
water from the case on to the fire, at the end
next Mr. Webster's store, and kept it from spread-
ing in that direction. They were greatly assisted
by a lad named Pretty and others, who, having
taken up a position in a punt in the creek,
handed the water up in buckets to the amateur
firemen. By 1945 the fire was completely in
check, it having been prevented from spreading
to the end of the shed in which the bone manure
was stored by the exertions of a number of sailors
from the Japanese warship, who pulled down a
portion of the shed. There was a large body, of
police present under Mr. Superintendent Pedder
and Sub-inspector Connor, who rendered valuable
assistance, and helped to keep the crowd in order.
The fire smouldered all night, though the flames
were got under shortly after 11 o'clock. Yesterday
afternoon it was still smouldering, one
hose being kept playing on the debris. About an
hour after the fire broke out a manual engine arrived
from the Government quarry, Park-street, and
rendered valuable service. Many questions were
asked by spectators as to why the manuals belonging
to the brigades were not brought down and
made use of.' There was plenty of' water in the
truck, andnith the two good force-pump, a manual
belonging to the brigades, and a strong body
of men, much good could have been done.
r Only one narrow escape is recorded. A' police
a man was walking in the shed when it was
pulled down, and the burning timber knocked him
about a good deal, and singed his hair and whiskers.
The hay, which was valued at about £000, was only
partially insured ; Mr. Webster's property, which
was destroyed, being altogether only insured for
£300 in the Cornwall Insurance Co. The buildings,
which were the property of Messrs. Murdoch
and Son, were uninsured. Strange to say, for
over 20 years the buildings have been minted,
but it being the intention of the proprietors
shortly to build more substantial premises, the in
"surance had been allowed to run out a few months
ago. The manure, the property of Messrs.
Murdoch and Son, and which was partially saved,
was insured. The piles and timber work on the
western bank of the rivulet were slightly damaged.
The origin of the fire is unknown. It is to
be hoped that some steps will instantly be
taken to bring about an investigation into the
working of the fire brigades. in their present state
it is almost useless to call them out to quench a fire.
Had a stiff breeze been blowing from the southeast
on Saturday night the whole of the
block of buildings from Mr. Webster's to Mao.
Quarry-street must have been burnt. The members
of the brigade seemed to work with
out any system, and many of them did not
seem to know what to do. The hose was too short ;
the fireplugs had not been looked to the manuals
were not used and in fact, the fire on Saturday
night showed that the system was a sham. A
thoroughly strict and impartial investigation should
at once be made into the whole matter, What is
wanted is a brigade of active young man, who will
practice with hose and engine, say, once a month,
and place themselves under intelligent officers,
The services of such a body would be invaluable,
$