Palace Hotel (previously Zeehan Coffee Palace), Zeehan

Cnr Hurst Street & Main Street (about here)

1897-99 Edward Lynch. Palace Hotel, Zeehan
1899-03 John Lawler, Palace Hotel, Zeehan

Zeehan Coffer Palace.—The Zeehan Coffee Palace will be opened about January 1.
Tasmanian News, 27 December 1890

The fourth quarterly meeting of the Licensing Beach for the above district was
held yesterday, when Messrs E. L. Hall and B, A. Dunns disposed of the following applications:
Mr. Lynch applied for a licence for the building known as the Zeehan Coffee Palace,
and was represented by Mr A. G. Omant.
Mr Keen appeared for Mr James Kerrigan, who, on behalf of the licensed Victuallers Association, objected to the granting of the transfer. Mr Kean explained that the objection was lodged by Mr Kerrigan not individually bat as the representative of an association. and no one bad turned up to support it.
Application was granted, and Mr Omant, on behalf of his client, asked the bench to allow’ costs, as the objection might be termed vexatious since no evidence had been tendered to support it.
The bench agreed that the objection was vexatious and unwarranted, as no witnesses
were present to support it, and allowed £1.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald, 2 November 1897

WESTERN NEWS.
ZEEHAN, Thursday.
Mr. Edward Lynch, proprietor of the
Palace Hotel for the past two years, leaves almost immediately for the new township near the Magnet mine. Before coming to Zeehan Mr. Lynch owned an hotel at Whyte River, where the mines failing caused his prosperity to wane. He intends removing the hotel from the Whyte River to his new abode, he being largely interested in the Magnet mining ventures.. Mr. Lynch is very popular here, and his services will be missed from the Town Board. Arrangements are in progress for a suitable send-off.
Launceston Examiner, 21 April 1899

DISASTROUS FIRE AT ZEEHAN.
KITTSON’S HOTEL AND LAWLER’S PALACE HOTEL DESTROYED,
TOTAL LOSS ESTIMATED AT £7000.
NO LIVES LOST.
HEROIC EFFORTS OF THE FIRE BRIGADE,
(By Wire)
[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Zeehan, Monday
A disastrous fire occurred this morning about 1 o’clock, commencing at Kittson’ Zeehan Hotel, Main street, and in a considerably short space of time this hotel, of 65 rooms; Lawler’s Palace Hotel of 85 rooms and three smaller business places were entirely demolished.
It seems hard to form an estimate of the damage done, but roughly the total loss will range from £7000 upwards, while the owners and occupiers are only partly covered by insurance.
Up to the present the names of the offices interested have not been obtainable, bat it is believed that the New Zealand Company will be the heaviest loser.
The inmates of Kittson’s Hotel lost almost everything. Many of these were boarders; and it is most fortunate that no lives were list.
The sight when the huge pile was burning fiercely was magnificent in the extreme. Hitherto the Fire Brigade have been ridiculed for poor work, owing to the absence of a good water supply, but this morning it was chiefly through their efforts, aided by the bucket brigades formed by the citizens that many other premises were saved. Had it been a windy morning, there is no knowing where the fire would have stopped.
. . .
H. E. Kitson states the cause of the fire was carelessness on the part of a casual lodger named J. ?. Burke. At a late hour he asked for a bed, and was given a light and conducted to his room.
Kittson then visited the room of border named Cody, who ? ?, and returning found the room occupied by Burke in flames. He got Burke out, practically stupefied by the smoke, and then tried to extinguish the flames, but they had got too strong a hold.
Kittson at once turned his attention to arousing the inmates, all of whom made hurried escapes, and were heavy losers(?), as by this time the interior of the premised were filled with smoke.
Charlie(?) Murphy, nightman, passed Kittson’s Hotel, and about eight minutes afterwards heard a cry of fire from Lawler’s premises, where he was engaged with his duties. He at one rung the fire bell, and a large number of citizens were responsible for splendid work in fighting the flames. Foremost amongst these have been mentioned Ensign Weisbach and R. and W. Lowe, of the Salvation Army ; Revs Ebb and W. B. Stone, Church of England; W. Calder, F. Kastells, James Crossin, W. H Pettit, and Hugh Morgan, members of the Fire Brigade, and many others.
The Zeehan Hotel was owned by E. G. Clarke, of Ulverstone, and cost £4000 to erect. It is believed to have been insured for £2000.
The Palace Hotel was owned by E. G. James, and it is believed was uninsured.
Kittson’s furniture and stock, estimated at a value of £2000, was insured for
£500.
All the premises destroyed were weatherboard.
Tasmanian News, 16 November 1903

ZEEHAN
Zeehan, Monday. — The Licensing Bench to day granted all the applications for licenses at Zeehan excepting those of H. E. Kittson, Zeehan Hotel ; J. A. Lawler, Palace Hotel, and S. Smith, Madame Melba Hotel ; these houses were burnt down recently, and the bench held the applications over until next Monday, lending further information.
North Western Advocate, 8 December 1903