With a morning and evening daily and a heavily illustrated weekly to publish the business was running out of space and in May 1873 Samuel purchased 188 Pitt Street, the adjoining lot on the northern side, for £2,700. The 2-storey façade of 190 was replicated and another storey added, surmounted by an arched pediment containing a sculpture of Caxton’s press in high relief.
The office as it appears in recent times
At some point Pitt Street was renumbered; 188 Pitt Street became 148 Pitt Street. Below are photos taken showing recent demolition and reconstruction of the two buildings.
Fire
Fire was a constant risk for these buildings, with the interiors largely constructed of wood and the buildings lit by gaslight. Steam engines and the chemicals used in printing added to the risk in newspaper offices. And, with the city buildings cheek to jowl, the risk of a fire to adjoining buildings was high.
The inevitable happened about 9pm on Monday 13 December. Fire bells sounded the alarm and the fire engines, from both Insurance and voluntary brigades, arrived quickly; Luckily, the fire was largely confined to the rear of the old building where the printing and composing rooms for the Evening News were located and there being only a light breeze, the fire did not spread. Water was “applied lavishly” with hoses run through the building and through adjoining buildings on Pitt and King Streets. The fire was extinguished in little more than an hour and damage was estimated at about £6-7,000, fully covered by insurance. In the new building, the printing machines and the composing room of the Town and Country Journal were largely undamaged and the publication of the papers was not interrupted. Containment of the fire was largely attributed to the brick dividing wall, running the full length between the new and old buildings.
A total of 5 engines (with steam driven pumps) attended the blaze and in recognition of the sterling service rendered by the 3 voluntary brigades that attended, Samuel gave generous cash donations.
