About four o'clock this morning (the 20th Dec.,) the settlement was again awakened by an alarm of fire, and as there was a fresh north-westerly breeze blowing, coupled with the fact that the flames were observed to leap up from a portion of the town noted for its flimsily constructed buildings, it was soon apparent that the conflagration was going to be extensive.
The fire originated in the dwelling house of Mr. Andrew Jaffray, of the Golden Gate Livery Stables, who was on shooting ex cur. sion in the country, but how, is a problem not easily solved. These problems never are solved in Yokohama.
'A very fow minutes after the alarm was given Mr. Jaffray's house was fairly gutted; the flames swept across Homura-road anc within the space of half an hour had consumed nearly the whole of the block known as lots 106 and 107, chiefly inhabited by well-to-do Japanese store-keepers, Chinese carpenters, upholsterers, etc., who in the short space of half an' hour found theiselvos reduced to comparative destitution, for, as a matter of course, they were wholly uninsured. For moment it seemed asit the flames would now be overcome, But this was a delusion, for the fire, getting rong hold of Mr. Jaflray's stables, burut with the utmost fury against the wind. Mr. McKenzie's Star Tavern and bath: houses were soon reduced to ashes; then followed several other public-houses on the same block; and the flames, erossing the road, burnt that ugly building known as the Hotel de!'Univers, when they were fortunately stayed in that direction, but continued to burn towards the swamp until all the buildings on lots 123, 136, 124, 135 and 134 were reduced toa smouldering mass of embers, including the drayage company's premises." All the fire-engines in the neighbourhood were now at work where water was to be obtained, and the wind rolling somewhat, the fire burnt more slowly. All the buildings, however, being composed of the lightest' material, fears were still entertained that the flames would communicate with Mr. P. Bohm's coal stock, but the prompt pulling down of a fow wooden sheds prevented them extending #0 far, and by six o'clock the fire was under control. Large flakes of fire wore taken by the wind over the Bluff past the General Hospital, and it is surprising that the little village in the valley was not destroyed. Team that a large godown on lot No. 104, in the occupation of the China and Japan Trading Ca. took fire, and that the contents are very seriously injured. This property is covered by. insurance in the Hongkong, Commercial Union, and Northern Insurance Companies to the extent of $70,000. Mr. Jaffray, we hear, was only insured for $4,000, in the London and Staffordshire Fire Insurance Company, in which case he must be a heavy loser, for though the ponies and most of the carriages were saved, a very largo quantity of harness, &¢., belonging to a livery stable was consumed. here appears to be no doubt as to the fire having originated in Mr. Jaffray's house, as the first flames seen were observed by several Japanese and foreigners coming out of the windows in the upper story, and, as usual, it is said to have been the work of an incendiary, for the building was entirely unoccupied. A thief may have broken in and after
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.