HOTEL DESTROYED

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 85, 13 May 1929, Page 8

HOTEL DESTROYED

Per Press Association.

OLD WELLINGTON LANDMARK BURNED. I RAriD I'LAME.S CAUSE HURRIED ; EXITS.

WELLINGTON, Saturday. I Ono of Wellington' s oldesb land- \ marks, the Railway Hotel on Tliorndon j Quay, owned by 5Ir James Dcaly, was destroyed by a fire wliich broke out. soon after balf past one tbis after- i IlOOll. I he building was on old wooden ono | and tlie flames spread witli great rajiiditv, and despitc tlie elforts of thc fire! brigade, wliich was on tlio scene a few lninutcs after tlie outbrcak eommcnced, it was iinpossiblc to savc ihe building. The fire is tliouglit to have origin-j ated iu tbe vnshhouse In a llasli tlie' flames had penetratcd to tlie front ot , the building. giving tlio.-e in thc liotel , 110 time to eseape witli any more than tbe elothcs they wero wearing. Tlie . cook, Miss Campbcll. liad to be rescued from her bcd. to wliich she was con- ; fined on account of reccnt illness. Oue' of Mr Dealv's son made liis way to lier room as soon as ihe fire. was discovered. but by tbe time ho reached ! lier liis means of cxit liad been cut off j and it was necessary I'or him to carrv j Miss Campbcll down tlio tiro cscapc in j thc front of tlio building. Two girls cmployed in tlio liotol had! to be assisted from thc rcar of tlio building wlicre tliey wero cngaged in thoir duties. There was no timo to remove any raluables from tbe building. It is tindcrstood tliat there was a considcrable amount of money iu the safe and it is known tbat tliore wero many valuable papers. There were fairiy large stocks of becr and spirituous liquors in tbe hotel building and in thc j vault below*. The Railway Hotel was oue of tbe oldest licensed bou.ses in Mellington and was a wcll-known laiidmark. 5fr James Dealv lias beld tlie license ever ; since tbe building was erected, and be I beld ihe froehold of tbe land and tbe | building. Only a few weeks ago tbe j bofel was painted and renovated gonerallv. Insuranc'OS 011 tbe building and stoc'ic are not yet available.