The Recent Bush Fires

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 99, 30 January 1886, Page 2

The Recent Bush Fires

The bush fires in the Valley road, Taonui, were very destructive. Last Sunday night about seven o'clock Mr Manson's felled bush caught on fire, and made a good burn of it, Mr Goldfiinch's standing bush, however, was ignited, and the fire ran through i doing a good deal of harm. The flames approached so near Mr Allerby's house that he had two of his sons stationed on the roof all night, pouring water on the shingles. Several times the smoke was so thick that they were driven down to avoid being suffocated. Mr Bush had 200 sleepers burnt, and the man employed by him, Louis Poison, had his swag, blankets, in fact everything he owned burnt, except a flannel shirt, a coat, and a fair of trousers, which he had on at the time. The swag, &c, had been stowed away under a culvert for safety, and by great bad luck, this was the only one touched on the road. The big bridge over the Mangaone was on fire, but was saved by Frank, the third son of Mr Allerby, who thus prevented what would have been a serious loss to the county. There are a few planks destroyed, and some stringers have been charred, but a few shillings will make it good again. The young fellow deserves great credit for his good sense and pluck.