DANNEVIRKE DISASTER 1917

DANNEVIRKE DISASTER HEART OF TOWN GONE FIRE'S DAMAGE £200,000,

Per Press ASSOCIATION. Dannevirke, October 22

Dannovirke will have Rood cause to long remember Labour Day of 1917, a most disastrous fire devastating the heart of the commercial area, which is now a scene of desolation, only brick walls and gaunt chimney stacks indicating where the business places did a flourishing business. Tho blow to the town is most disastrous, as, apart from the structures and stock destroyed, hundreds of employees will lie out of work and great dislocation in business must ensue before the loss can be made good. Andrew's Hotel, an immense old wooden structure, was one of the relics of tho days when coaches played a part in the through trip to Wellington. The westerly gale blowing fanned the flames from the rear of the hotel. Within three minutes the whole of the upper portion was wrapped in flames licking up greedily everything in their path. The occupants of the place barely had time to make their exit, and some housemaids had to be rescued from balconies.

Though the brigade was early at work, the primitive appliances and the gigantic nature of the conflagration, made their efforts appear puny. Within a few minutes the whole place was a holocaust, and the flames jumped the-wide street to the Dannevirke Co-op. Association's big storehouse opposite. and soon this was a roaring inferno endangering also the Club Hotel, facing the railway station. Fortunatly the wind was blowing away from this, and though the building was in grave danger for a time, it escaped. Not so tbe Masonic Hotel, another ancient wooden landmark on the east side of High street. This caught as the flames from Miller's shop spread south, and soon both sides of the main thoroughfare were being demolished.

With incredible rapidity and respite the efforts of tho firefighters the flames spread east and north and south. The Dannevirke Gas Company's gasometers on a section to the rear of the Masonic Hotel were right within the danger zone the fences all around being destroyed but the flames were kept back from the gasometers. The fire started shortly after 2 o'clock. It was well on toward 5 o'clock before it could be said that the Dannevirko and Woodville brigade had got the upper hard. Even then the danger was not all over, huge masses of burning debris bring visible in all directions. There was no loss of life and no serious accidents. Places not far from the scene of the conflaguration were salvaged by hundreds of onlookers, and it was tho busiest Labour Day the helpers ever put in. Furniture, drapery, crockery, in fuel, an unimaginable collection of articles of all descriptions littered the thoroughfares, highways and byways within half a mile from the blaze..

Dannevirke has undoubtedly received a terrific blow commercially, and an estimate of tlie loas is absolutely impossible at present, but will run probably within the vicinity of £200,000, if not more. The places destroyed are all practically a total loss, and as follows: Andrews' Hotel, Harris and South livery stable. John Englebretsen's drapery, Theodore's drapery. Wysocke. tailor; Richard Roake, auctioneer; Lee Wong; laundry, Dannevirke Co-op. Association; Arthur H. Hill, tobacconist - Peter J. Nyniand, jeweller; R&oso, tailor; T. J. Fylnn, bootmaker; B. Thompson, hairdresser ; Edward E. Prior, chemist; James Neagle. motor importer; Rose. Ltd.'s. building: John P. Dodds. music store: Lucy Miller, conftctioner; Lionel P Bartlett bootmaker; Drummond Hodder and Co ironmonger, L Bartlett, hairdresser and tobacconist, C Hoopet, hairdresser and tobacconist; Arthur C Webber book keeper; George A Charman,restauranteur; Malcolm McCullum, watchmaker; Masonic Hotel; Kuing Kee and Co fruiterer;Armstrong and Morrison, drapers; Dannevirke Herbert Coaching Co; Collett and sons, ironfoundry

In addition to these the sample rooms and outbuildings of all descriptions were added to the flames and even the roadway took fire. The Dannevirke Co op Association were probably the biggest loser.The stock valued at present prices was probably worth £5,000, while the whole insurance totalled £25,000. This firm employed 70 hands.

Andrew's hotel is owned by Messrs Andrew and Mrs Lavelle and was insured but the amount is not available. The Masonic Hotel was owned by the Alladice Estate and was also insured, but the details unknown Most of the other pleaces are insured also the stocks, the policies running into many thousands Practically ala theinsurance companies are heavily hit. while the loss is many thousands in excess of the insurances.

Two out of four hotels were burned, ihree out of four tobacconists, and practicallv only one grocery business of any size are left. Business must be greatly dislocated. The losses are doubly big on account of ihe shops being heavily stocked in view of the Christmas trade. Some of the sufferers will be financially ruined. Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3379, 23 October 1917, Page 4