Garden Palace Fire, 1882

81/1841 Registrar General
15 Mar14 March 1881
81/200

For Space in the Garden Palace for Census Office.

Sir, I have the honour to request that the Hon: the Colonial Secretary be invited to approve of certain space in the Garden Palace – as agreed to by myself and one of the Colonial Architect’s Officials – being appropriated for the use of the Compiler and his staff of Tabulators of the forthcoming Census, and that the same may be fitted up and furnished with as little delay as possible.

I have the honour to be
Sir
Your Most Ob Sert
[SIGNATURE]
EG Ward
Registrar General

6 10 82

My dear Walker

I send you some

papers in reference to the

Garden Palace. Sir

John had them in connection

with a recent debate in

the House. I think

they properly belong to

the Col Secretarys Dept

Yours faithfully

Charles Oliver

Critchett Walker Esquire
The Colonial Architect to the Principal Under Secretary reporting destruction of the Garden Palace by Fire

82/6815 Department of Public Works

25 Sept Colonial Architects Office

Sydney 23rd September 1882

Read

23.9.82

Sir,

It is my painful duty

to report that on yesterday

morning at about twenty

minutes to six oclock, a

fire broke out in the Garden

Palace, resulting in the

total destruction of that

building and its contents

the fire spreading with such

rapidity

The Principal

Under Secretary
rapidity that in forty minute,

from its commencement nothing

remained but a mass of

smouldering ruins.

2. In reporting this calamitous

event, I do myself the honor

to give the particulars of the

occurrence as furnished by F.

Kirchen, the night watch man

and J. Mcknight the caretaker

to my officer, Mr Simpson

employed in attending to

works required in and about

the building.

Kirchen the night watchman

stated that he went on duty

the previous evening at 5.45

and remained on duty the

whole

whole of the night, during which

time he was visited three times

by Police Constables McVane and

Day – the last visit being at

5.15am, the constables named

were in the building as far

as the fountain – they remained

two or three minutes, and then

walked towards the West entrance

and left about 5.30am – the

constables had only left him

two or three minutes, when he

had to let Mcknight the caretaker

in at the gates – this was about

25 minutes to 6 oclock – they both

went towards the western Entrance

and while doing so, observed smoke

issuing from the building – they

then ran towards the fire cocks

in

in the west transept, connected

the hose and applied the

water to where the smoke was

coming up the well hole of the

fountain in dense masses – they

as well connected a second

length of hose a(nd) turned to get

down the staircase of the

dome, but were driven back,

and had to abandon the hose

and branch director, the fire

was so great – they then ran

to the Telephone, and at the same

time commenced ringing the

large Bell at the west entrance

by this time they were driven

out of the building, and nothing

could save it – Kirchen also

states that he was in the

basement four times during

the night, the last time

about
about a quarter to five oclock

and returned from the basement

by the north tower staircase

without noticing any smell of

fire, or anything to cause

alarm – he then went along

the north nave, and west

transept, to the west door to

let in the two constables, and

did not detect anything to

excite his curiosity during the

night, he added that assistance

came in about a quarter of

an hour from the time the

fire was first noticed, but

assistance was of no avail

The particulars given by

Mcknight the Caretaker respecting

relieving the night watchman

when
when the fire was first noticed

and what was done by both

are similar to those given by

Kirchen the night watchman

I may state that I was

at the scene of the fire before

seven oclock, but the building

was at that time in ruins.

All information that can

be obtained as to the origin

of the fire will no doubt be

elicited at the enquiry

that will be made by the

Coroner.

I have the honor to be

Sir

Your Obedient Servant

James Barnet

Col Archt

Occupation of Lands Branch

Temporary Offices secured in Gresham St. Fresh Registers have been opened & with the help of the records relating to Runs in other Departments and the assistance which will be afforded by Lessees and their agents as well as by the appraisers it is believed the principal entries can be reproduced. The Drafting Staff of the Branch is employed in making tracings from copies of surveys of Run boundaries lodged in the Surveyor General’s Office, the whole force of the staff is engaged upon the work of re-establishing the records destroyed.

Geological Survey Branch

The Geological Surveyor and his staff are engaged in the reception and arrangement of minerals for the Australian Exhibition, and for the formation of a new collection for the Mining Museum towards which several valuable contributions have already been secured. It is hoped many valuable specimens will be saved from the debris of the Garden Palace.

Diamond Drill Branch

From a survey of the site lately occupied by this Branch it is thought many of the Drill connections stored in the Garden Palace will be recovered in a state fit for use.

Forest Branch

It is thought that sufficient information can be obtained from other Departments and from the Forest Rangers to re-establish the records of this Branch and every exertion is being made in that direction.

All the Branches except the occupation Branch are temporarily accommodated in the old Land Office.

[PAGE 1]

82/1325 Department of Public Works Railway branch, Engineer-in-Chief’s Office, Sydney 25th Septr 1882 Minute Paper Subject:- Forwarding copy of the Engineer- in-charge of Trial Surveys’ Report on destruction of Railway Plan, etc, by fire at the Garden Palace, 22nd inst. I have the honour to forward for the information of the Minister for Public Works a copy of Mr Herbert Palmer’s report relative to the destruction by fire of Railway Plans, Sections, etc, etc, at the Garden Palace on the 22nd instant. John ??

[PAGE 2] COPY September 22, 1882 The Engineer-in-Chief for railways Sir, I have the honour to report that the following Plans & Sections, and Field Books, and all other documents (as far as I can recollect) connected with the various extensions of the Railway, have been destroyed thought the burning of the Garden Palace. All Working Plans, Sections, Filed, and Level Books, Proclaimed Plans as far as plotted, Cross Sections, and all other data con- nected with the final surveys of the following Extensions: Homebush to Waratah Orange to near Parkes Cootamundra to Gundagai Blaney to Carcoar, & towards Cooma Bungendore towards Cooma From 24th Mile on Illawarra Railway towards Kiama Young towards Cowra. Also, the whole of the Plans and Sections, and Field Books, etc, of all the Trial (?) Surveys that have been made since I took charge of the Trial Survey branch in 1874. The Working Plans and Sections of the Narrandera and Jerilderie

[PAGE 3]

Jerilderie Extension were in the Public Works Offices, and have consequently been saved, and there are Lithographs of the Working Plans and Sections of the following Contracts Glen Innes to Tenterfield Goulburn to Bungendore Murrumburrah to Young Macdonaldtown to 24th Mile (Illawarra line) The proclaimed Plans of the list above, with the exception of the Murrumburrah and Young Extension, have been de- stroyed but copies of the Glen Innes and Tenterfield, Murrumburrah and Young, and Illawarra line, have been deposited in the various District Police Offices. The List attached shews the different Plans, etc, which are usually kept in your office, but which at the time of the fire were in use in my office, and were destroyed. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Herbert Palmer

[FOLLOWS A LIST PLANS AND SECTIONS WHICH WERE AT THE GARDEN PALACE – NOT TRANSCRIBED]

Legislative Assembly

Wednesday, 2nd September, 1882

82/1327

[TYPE WRITTEN QUESTIONS]

6. Mr. William Forster to ask The Colonial Secretary, –

(1.) Do the Government intend, and if so how soon, to lay before Parliament an estimate of the probable loss and damage of public property caused by the burning of the Exhibition Buildings?

(2.) Can they state in round numbers, or approximately, how many pastoral runs, leases, or holdings will have, in consequence of the fire, to be to any considerable extent or entirely re-surveyed or re-adjusted?

(3.) In how many cases will any considerable delay in the construction or commencement of Rail- way Lines be caused thereby?

(4.) What time, in such cases, is likely to elapse before the several plans, sections, and other necessary preliminaries will be equally available, as before the fire?

(5.) In how many cases have such plans, sections, and other records been so destroyed as to render it necessary to have all the work done over again?

(6.) In particular, how will the Railway between Gundagai and Cootamundra be affected thereby, or will the Government still be able to fulfil their promise of inviting tenders for this Line on certain day?

(7.) Is it a fact that the Government have been frequently requested by officers of the several Departments, or any other persons, to remove public records or other valuable public property from the Exhibition Buildings, or to secure such records or property by safes or other expedients?

(8.) In how many and what particular instances have such requests been made and not attended to?

(9.) Can the Government state approximately the total amount of loss or damage done?

[END OF TYPE WRITTEN QUESTIONS]

Answer:

(3) Some delay will occur in the construction of the lines from Homebush to Waratah, Orange to near Forbes, Cootamundra to Gundagai, Bungendore to Cooma, Young to Balyney, and from 24 Miles

– on the Illawarra Line to Kiama.

(4) Probably from six to eigth months

(5) In no case will it be necessary to

have all the work done over again.

Nearly all the lines are permanently

staked, and in the case of the line

from Homebush to Waratah (93 miles

in length) the Working Plans and

Sections of 63 miles only have been

destroyed.

PAGE (2)

(6) Tenders for the construction

of the line from Cootamundra

to Gundagai cannot be in-

vited on the date promised,

as a new Working Plan and

Section will have to be perpared.

(7) Only on one occasion, as far

as the Railway Survey branch

is concerned.

Vide M.P. 82/1246 with

Under Secretary of Works.

[INITIALS] 27/9/82