BY ROBYN PARKES
Twenty business places were destroyed in the 1904 fire at Collingwood including both hotels - Prussing’s Post Office Hotel and Pinkerton’s Collingwood Hotel which had only just been leased by Mr T. Mortimer.
The fire next spread to the Collingwood Post and Telegraph Office, G. H Allan’s Golden Argus newspaper office and dwelling, N. Allan’s store and house, L. Rait’s general store and house, E. T Rait’s general store, J. Kirks saddlery shop, T. A Miles’ boot shop and house, Stallard’s boarding house and bakery, Hargreaves butcher shop and house, H. Ellis’ dwelling and shop, Collingwood Public Hall, G. W Riley’s boarding house of 20 rooms, only just completed and destroyed in around 10 minutes, J. M Davis’ boarding house, Prussing’s cottage and sample room, T. Riley’s shop, Shaw and Stevens’ carpenter’s shop and sheds, which contained sashes, doors, glass, dry timber, oils, paint, all of which was destroyed.
Many other outbuildings, stables, and storerooms were also lost.
W. C. Riley’s store escaped destruction through the successful efforts of a band of willing helpers who plied buckets of water and saturated blankets on the front of the building.
Mr F. West’s residence at the south end of Tasman St was saved but was badly scorched.
The reflection of the fire was seen in many parts of the district some ten miles away.
In true pioneer spirit, Mr P. Hunter, the postmaster, who had managed to save a couple of telephones from the office, at once set to work to restore temporary communication, carrying the wires from the nearest intact position to the Courthouse, from where the line was opened early in the afternoon.
The two hotel proprietors resumed business in old buildings left standing, using stock salvaged from the fire to refresh the dozens of men who wandered aimlessly about.
The Golden Bay Argus newspaper, which was totally destroyed, in the true fashion of ‘the news must get out’ was able to produce a scant edition within one week of losing everything.
This was made possible by the generosity of fellow journalists. The proprietor of the Golden Bay News, Mr S. Fittall, offered the use of his office and plant and the proprietors of the Evening Mail and Colonist assisted with other support.
An enquiry into the cause of the outbreak of the fire was held at the Courthouse before Mr Davidson (Coroner) and a jury.
Sergeant Dougan represented the Police, and Mr Arthur Maginnity appeared for the insurance companies interested.
After hearing evidence, the jury returned a verdict that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated, but residents were criticised for not having a proper water supply.
Two months after the fire the township still presented with a desolate appearance, twisted sheet iron, empty tanks, and large quantities of bricks lying scattered about on the vacant sections and broken chimneys still remaining.
However, plans to rebuild were afoot.
E Riley had rebuilt a store, two storeys high, on the site of the old one, but with the exception of Cottier’s billiard room, it is the only permanent building that had been erected since the fire.
Stallard planned to build a boarding house and Mr Galbraith secured a tender for the Collingwood Hotel with 20 rooms.
Mr Prussing, owner of the old the Post Office Hotel, intended building an hotel to contain forty rooms, and that Mr R. N. Allan was to build a store.
By July 1905 almost every businessman had rebuilt.
