GREAT PLANTATION BLAZE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 962, 1 November 1910, Page 6

GREAT PLANTATION BLAZE.

NEW BRIGHTON IN DANGER.

k DEVASTATING WALL ®F FLAIL

PATHETIC SCENES.

FIRE-FIGHTINB EXTRAORDINARY.

(By Telegraph.—Press Assocta.tion.l Christchurch, October 81. One of the largest plantation fires in the history of Canterbury occurred today. It has swept in a south-easterly course from North New Brighton near the racecourse to the rear of New Brighton, which is threatened by the advancing flames. ' It is impossible to say at present how many houses have been destroyed or damaged during the onward rush of the fire, but it seems certain that a number hare been obliterated, and people have been driven from their; houses, carrying with them such little trinkets as could be easily taken away. AN ELECTRIC IMPULSE. The origin of the fire, as is tho case with most bush fires, is unknown. People in North New Brighton bitterly ascribe it to careless campers. It started somewhere' about half a mile north-east of Hi\ Allan Hopkins's residence, "Soltaire," on the 'Racecourse Eoad." It is believed that it "commenced its progress yesterday, and burned slowly all night. The vehement nor'-wester which sprang up this'morning gave it an electric impulse, and it simply swept down in its course, destroying everything in its track. Strenuous and sometimes successful battles with tho flames are recorded, but it seems certain that some houses are burnt down. I Tho first place threatened was Mr. Allan Hopkins's residence. The fire, advancing with frightful rapidity, swept around tho outbuildings, demolishing a fernery and destroying a large number of trees. It was within fifty feet of tho house, and if that had caught nothing would have saved the place. Mr. Hopkins got about fifty volunteers to work, and by the most strenuous labours managed to beat the firo on its advance. At 9.45 a.m. tho fight was at its height, and the roof was covered with burning embers. The fire then veered off in a semi-circle round the house, and . attacked Mr. Marriott's place. Here was another strenuous fight, in which fate again helped the fighters. The house was saved, and the fire swept on- in its destructive way. AWE-INSPIRING SPECTACLE. A tremendous column of smoke, red, sulphur, and green coloured, marked the course of tho fire. It was an awe-inspir-ing spectacle. The fire threatened houses on Park Eoad occupied by Mrs.. Carter, Mrs. Eump, and Mrs. Findlay. The j houses wero. for the time in the gravest danger, but the ladies, armed with fireshovels, •■; and', assisted by a number of men, shovelled loose soil and sand on the blaze, and extinguished tho flames. They saved their : hearths and homes at tho cost of much labour and exertion, "thanks to the' Now Brighton Fire Brigade," they said. The fire seemed to. concentrate'its efforts on Bowhill Eoad, where there were a number of small houses. This Bowhill Eoad is on tho tram Hue, which is just being excavated for construction. On the road there were some pathetic scenes. Women leading little children were fleeing from the flames which- threatened their lives and homes, and away from the suffocating smoke which threatened to stifle them. Then the houses were emptied, the little household goods being spread over the road. Above all was the vari-coloured pall of smoke and the dull roar of the fire. , . . The houses in most danger were those occupied by Mrs. Torry, Mrs. Faulkner, and Mrs. Winkler. On the other side of the line was Mr. Duff's house, which was burned down. i The state of the atmosphere precluded an investigation being mad© by a reporter. Mrs. Eobertson had to leave her homo, which is in tho same locality. Mrs. Frank Needham, with several - young children, also said farewell to her home. Whether the houses havo escaped or not remains to be seen. THE THING MOST DREADED. The fire rushed towards New Brighton, entering the Domain. This was the thing which was most dreaded, as it was feared that once the trees and undergrowth in the Domain caught nothing could save the town from damage.. A message was sent in to Superintendent Erck, and ho sent out some of his plant to be ready for the expected emergency. The whole town was enveloped in a stinging, suffocating smoke, ichich, driven low by a nor'-wester, choked one's throat and blinded one's eyes in a most painful fashion. The heat made the atmosphere particularly hard to''breathe. Mew Brighton residents took the alarm early, as well they might. A unmher of residents whose houses were near the Domain started to get their homes cleared of furniture. The rood in the vicinity was littered with boxes, 'sofas, pianos, and other articles of household furniture. Some poor women alons in their houses simply came to their gates and stared at the smoke.and flame with blank dismay and helpless despair. The New Brighton Fire Brigade—tho men helmeted but not uniformed—worked like Trojans all day. The circumstances and the maenitudo of the firo were enough to be discouraging to anyone, but everywhere, and more particularly where there was work to be done the helmets gleamed in the forefront. If was the "day of days" for the fire brigade. The chances of New Brighton emerging scathless are small. As this was being written'the- firo was within measurable distance of the' populous part near the Domain and the nor'-wester was as violent as ever. Tho smoke still enfolded the township. There was not a line of promise in the whole cataloguo of circumstances. Tho method of fire-fighting in the plantations was interesting to observe. If the fire had not too strong a hold a gang of men would work at it with shovels pitching sand on it and endeavouring to suffocate the flames. A reporter saw a fire in a fence extinguished in this way by a couple of men and several women, tho ladies being armed with ordinary fireshovels. Grimy with smoke and dust and perspiring with tho vigour of their exertions they worked with a fierce energy in defenco of their hearths and homes.

BRAVE WOMEN. It was pathetic to see tho exodus of ■women and children whose late homes in the plantations may now bo nothing more than a memory to them. They tmdged along, women leading tho children and all carrying some precious little household god with them, something which must have had more sentimental than intrinsic value. There were no hysterics or tears about the women. They had stout hearts and the faculty of being able to contemplate burning out with BOinc equanimity. Occasionally one would encounter a vehicle carrying husband, wife, and children, and all that had beon saved from tho apparently doomed homes. In tho plantation a host of fire-fighters struggled valiantly to subdue the flames, but apparently with little success. At two o clock along the shoreward side au

THE LUPINS.

area of some acres undoubtedly saved a number of houses and a number of men were busily engaged in an attempt to suppress the flames. A. howling nor'wester rendered all efforts at fire-fight-ing puny in the extreme, and a thick pall of smoke made the work dangerous, as well as difficult. A walk through the plantation with the flanws licking the undergrowth on either sikle of the track revealed the fire here and there blazing mercilessly and leaving nothing but the gaunt smoking skeletons of tho trees in the track. The position hourly grew worse and the rapidity with which the conflagration spread rendered it dangerous to venture far beyond the safety line. At 2.30 p.m. the conditions were, if anything, becoming worse, and the inferno was driving the fire fighters before it in its wild career towards the township. In Lonsdale and other streets adjacent to the plantation, the tenants of houses, realising their danger, were carrying out their furniture, and preparing for the worst. EXTENT OF THE DEVASTATION. Later reports are to 1 the effect that houses in North New Brighton, owned by Messrs. Griffin, Brooks, and Duff, have been destroyed. It is understood that Mr. Hopkins's house was saved with difficulty, although several of his outhouses were burned. A good deal of machinery owned by another resident in the same locality has' also been destroyed. The flames had swept across the plantation till they were close tp Park Boad, the southern boundary of the Domain. As long as tho fire kept low down among the Tinkergrowth- and the spindles from the pines there was hope of keeping it in check by smothering the incipient names with sand, and digging up the ground in front of their advance, but the fact that there were a number of dead pines in the plantation which had become as dry and inflammable as matchwood enabled tho flames to run up some of the trees, and thus spread from patch to patch.

ADVANCING WALL OF'FIRE. At ono time there was an advancing wall of. fire between three and four chains wide, and its wild, swift, onward rush reminded one forcibly of the sweep of the prairie fires of America. Once started on their course, the flames spurted upward and onward with a sound like the swish of falling rain. driven before a gale. What gave hope that tho houses in Lonsdale Street that were on tho same side as the plantation would escape • destruction was the fact that the conflagration appeared to advance in patches, and then burn itself out for a brief space before it gathered fresh strength from the howling nor'-wester. Residents of Lonsdale Street living on the side of the road on which the Domain was situated provided against calamity as well as they could by removing their furnituro to the far side of the street or to a more remote spot. The unfortunate property-owners and householders residing in this neighbourhood were praying fervently for a cessation of the gale, since their danger arose from the near approach of the fire, added to.the sparks that would be blown on to the houses from, the burning trees. At 2.45 p.m. there was. still a long stretch of plantation between Lonsdale Street and the flames, and the anxious residents seemed fairly safe for a while at least. At 4 p.m. tho reporter made another tour through the Domain and North New Brighton, when tho fire was under control, and there was little further danger of it spreading. The only prospect of any danger will be if the wind changes to the south-west. If such' a change should unfortunately.happen, the consequences may be very serious. The city fire brigade early received'a request for assistance, and the. steamer was sent down. Later in the day a further. 400 feet of hose was sent down, that being all the brigade could reasonably spare. .

A SCHOOL IN DANGER. A . fire sprang up at Marshlands at midday, and the local fire brigade received a request for assistance, as . the State' School was in danger. As, however, .the brigade had Bent all tho material it could sparo to New Brighton, the request could not be complied with..

THE LATEST. ESTIMATED DAMAGE. Later. A tour of the area between Bowhill Eoad and Jubilee Avenue showed that the destruction of and damage to property was considerable. Mr. Bay Blank's i whare narrowly escaped destruction. The fire got in through a closed window and I damaged the contents considerably. The whare was.saved by members of an adjoining camp. Behind, these places, and adjoining the boundary of the plantation, originally stood Mr. H. C. Duff's two whares, which were completely destroyed. One wharo was insured for £'50 in the Atlas office. The furniture, valued at £150, was also insured in the same office. - The plantation has been practically destroyed, the fire having swept through it at a terrific rate, as was evidenced by the fact that a rabbit, roasted brown, was found on the ground. On the northern boupdary of the plantation and fronting the Jubilee Avenue, a .number of camps were destroyed. Mr. J. J. Cornwall's whare was destroyed, the value of which is estimated at between £50 and £75. It was not insured. The whare of Mr. Herbert Griffith adjoinim; was also destroyed. It is valued at £100. Mrs. Clifford's whare of four or five rooms, valued at £150, and Mr. C. S. Brookes's hut, which with its contents is valued at £25, were also totally destroyed. With the exception of Messrs. Duff's and Brookes's cases the estimated values given is that of the buildings only. No estimate was obtainable of the value of the contents destroyed. Probably the damage dono in the area mentioned, as far as was ascertainable, totals close upon £500. In area affected further north Mr. Allan Hopkins estimates his loss at £200, and Mr. Marriott at £50.

THEIR USE AND BEAUTY. The lupins—"green among the grey of sands"—aTe a picturesque and characteristic feature of the level shore for miles to the north and south of New Brighton. They, cover the sandhills and sandy soil alongside the beach in a belt which nrobably averages a quarter of a mile in" width. Their utilitarian purpose is to stop, the sand-drift, a function in which they are very effective. As they have been' growing many years, there is much dead wood amongst them, which would burn very rapidly. The fire would be a serious danger to a number of houses, cottages, and "week-enders'" whares, some of which are quite surrounded by the lupins. The pine plantations form another wide belt on tho landward side of the lupins, and • their cooling shades have long been a favourite picnic resort in the hot weather. Without its nines and lupins, New Brighton would lose much of its distinctive charm, and tho menace of the drifting sand would cause grave anxiety to the little borough and the owners of the adjacent pasture lands.