Dwelling House Burned.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 413, 6 February 1890, Page 3

Dwelling House Burned.

Ths following report was unavoidably crowded out of our last issue :— At about 8.30p.m. on Saturday a fire occurred in Kahutia street, Waikanae, the house of Mrs J. Bailey being burnt down. The glare of fire was observed in Gladstone road and the alarm was soon after rung out on both bells, the lower one being very feebly tolled while there was much vigor in the handling of the upper bell. But the house being a wooden one (tour rooms and a lean to) there was no hope of quenching the flames, and little could be done in the way ot saving the contents. The Brigade had water on in splendid time after the alarm (considering the distance), but they were powerless so far as the seat ot the fire was concerned, and though a strong wind was blowing it was fortunately in a direction that made the neighboring cottages safe. The house (the property 0/ Mrs Bailev) was insured in the Equitable office for £l5O, but there was no insurance on the furniture or other effects. Mr Bailey states that he had only about ten minutes previous to the outbreak gone down town, leaving Mrs Bailey washing the children. There were five children, the elder being IS, but two were out, the oldest child in the house being seven years. Two were in bed in the back part of the hou:a, and Mrs Bailey was bathing the other child in the kitchen. She had lighted the lamp in the front bed room preparatory to taking the younger child in. She then had the child on the table fondling with it, and heard a strange roaring noise in the front room; rushing towards the door she found the room in flames, Seizing the child she ran out screaming and the alarm brought to her assistance a youth named Dick, living next door, and Mr Anderson. The two other children, who were asleep at the time, were got out safely, butthough an attempt was made to save the furniture the interior ot the house soon became suffocat ing with the smoke, and the flames had burst out in the front, the Are soon having a complete mastery of the wooden structure. Nearly everything, Mr Bailey says, was Jost, the few things saved being almost valueless. He estimates the loss, above the insurance, at £l6O. All the wearing apparel, except the old clothe) which they stood in, were destroyed, together with Mrs Bailey’s gold watch and chain, sewing machine, and other valuable effects. Mrs Bailey and the ohildren were indebted to the kindness of friends for the loan of clothes, and they were treated most kindly in other ways. Mr Bailey's first knowledge of the fire was on noticing the rush made in the street and then the glare, and joining in the rush he was astonished when he got a view of the place to find that it was his own house, but by that time the flames had got a certain hold and the smoke in the back ot the building was too dense for anyone to try and eave anything valuable. Mr) Bailey says the only way she can account for the fire Is by the supposition that the lamp burst.