Bush Fires at Campbelltown.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 February 1892, Page 2

Bush Fires at Campbelltown.

Considerable damage has been caused in Campbelltown, through the bush fires spreading into tba grass paddocks. Towards the end of last week some logs were set on fire in Mrs Makey's property, Jones' line, Campbelltown. It burned for a day or two without showing any dangerous symptoms, but on Monday the grass which was very plentiful and dry got ignited, and with marvellous rapidity the flames travelled over the place : Mr Costal senr's. farm has its boundary along the rear of Mrs Makey's, and here the greatest damage has been caused. On Tuesday morning the flames encroached on the premises near the orchard, and before anything could be done to divert them, they were advancing by leaps and bounds amidst fruifc-trees heavily laden. There being a splendid crop of cocksfoot in the orchard, it was not long before a clean sweep wa9 made of the lower half of the orchard. It was due to the indefatigble exertions of Mr Costal, his two daughters, and Mr Makey, who all worked like Trojans, beating the edges of the fire with wet sacks, and otherwise preventing the spread, that the stockyards and fence and out buildings were saved. The scene, as the flames leaped to the topmost boughs of the fruit trees, fed from beneath by the plenti ful supply of grass, was one of grandeur. The garden at present has the appearance of having been diagonally divided, for one half, from corner to corner, is almost uninjured. The other half presents a peculiar spectacle. The trees are bereft of foliage, and laden with apples in every stage of preparation for the table. At the top of the trees they 'ere almost uninjured, but t^ey gradually assume a more roasted oondition, until at the bottom the process is oomplete. From the garden the fire spread to the standing bush, and was not ohecked until the road which formed an insurmountable barrier, was reached In addition to Mr CostaU'B loss, considerable damage has been done to the grass on Mr Anderson's property, which is next to Mrs Makey's and on the corner. Mr Anderson has not got great cause to complain, however, as a quantity of bush and rubbish has been thereby removed. The grass on Mr Fred Costall's farm, on the other side of the place where the fire originated, is also slightly damaged. Throughout the whole of yesterday a man was kept on the road in front of Costall's bush, to prevent any damage, by flying sparks being done to the farm opposite whicir belongs to the estate of the late Mr F. Rich. The fire in the bush is still burning, but there is not much fear of any more harm being done. The grass around the residence of Mr Jarvis became ignited yesterday afternoon, and it was with the greatest difficulty that the house was saved. A ffre from Mr Greenway's spread into Mr Bauson*, ftad h»a got «

„ ""- ■"■'ft »ood hold of the swamp, which is of \ — : i very peaty nature. w The portion of the Carnarvon mills tramway which was burned was part of the line which runs from the bash to the mill. The place is in a very awkward position just no«r. As the wind at present is, it is driving the fire on to them. Should the wind shift round to the opposite direction they are threatened with even worse danger from a fire burning on their opposite quarter. On account of the smoke it is impossible for the men to work in the bush. ♦ The fire burned from the sawmill also into Mr Blondin's farm and the night before last the men employed at the mill spent the whole night combatting it in order to prevent it from burning down Mr Blondin's house. A fire also travelled from a neighbour's place into Mr W. Anderson's farm, burning down one of his outhouses and destroying a large amount, of grass, and Mr Muchanan whose farm adjoins the last one, calculates his loss of grass from the same cause to be quite 55 acres. A great deal of feed has also been destroyed in Mr Milo Kew's land, and in Messrs Thompson's, Davis', Ransom's and others, much damage has resulted. — Advocate.