Bush Fires in the Sandon District.

Manawatu Herald, 1 March 1894, Page 3

Bush Fires in the Sandon District.

SERIOUS LOSS: . . Sandon, in the vicinity of Freck4ingtQn'.fl line, on Sunday, .was the icaneofa most disastrous fire.- - It originated back in the bush of Messrs IMlery's or.Doughty's properties, and spread. right through to the road, iyftyeraing ' the farms' of Messrs MaiferSj Natzke, Gust, A McDonell Jkn^, Reckling ton, sen., and laying •liiam waste. The road made a very 'ineffectual bar to the flames' pro*tr'eßs;"fend soon reached the farms : 'opposite. Messrs J.. Frecklington's, ■' *^WB 3 S%l*^ <> A* e y/ s W<i Harris' Jams alTiroffered to a greater or less -extent,.. . The fire .travelled right ■'Inrgujrfi''; the block," and invaded a spwnaidjorcbard on IVIr Eglington's f^ffllT^Chls was completely destroyed."' The fire reached the edge of a lately/ cut field of oats, - and in ■wbic]ttT ? t|reshing bperations , were jtojnflr on. It was, however, preJyemea making, auy. farther headway •h^jihfc \igQrous efforts of : those en"g^^» on the threshing mill and .plftpr'iiands employed. The whole of thfi^.laqd on Frecklington's line jjgKiibouta mile and a half on both •idciS'is completely devastated. ' Not 4rtfe6e of grass is to be seen, and hftrjily. a.whole fence remains- The woolshed at Mr Frecklington's, Mi* Gusts-" Hays tack and Messrs J. ; Freoklirigton's and Simpson's houses ,^rjq|kH, on Saturday, iti imminent *4a||ger,r,the flames raging around them, and they were only saved from after , many hoqrs of arduous wprfc., v Mr J... Frecklington lo£kanumber of sheep. In one Mfcp 1 "EcT'counted 23 dead, whilst softtterad. singly^ and- in twos : and, yfifefflt h#rft iwere jaauy more wiiich Wtrjhriiin killed by- the - firo- and smoke»> All the stock tebcfat : a^o

the flocks of the several owners will be a difficult one. Miles of fencing have been destroyed, and this, coupled with the destruction of the grass, means an enormous loss to the farmers affected. The district presents a pitiable sight. Desolation and waste being manifest on every side. The County Council have not escaped entirely, for several of the bridges have been damaged, and one on Taylor's line, near its junction with Frecklington's line, has been completely burned out. Many of the private bridges over the road drains to the farms have also been- destroyed. The rain on Sunday has, of course, checked the fire, but yesterday (Monday), it was still burning very strongly in the logs, and it is quite evident that a strict watch will have to be maintained. On Friday a , fire which had been burning in the" bush at the Carvarvon Estate property, at the back of Bo we and Sons' mill, spread in the direction of the mill. It advanced very rapidly, and before long caught the timber and fence near the sawdust heap- The mill hands, and also a batch of men from the Carnarvon Estate, headed by the manager (Mr Hunter), were kept hard at work till midnight, by which time they had the mill in comparative safety. About 20 chains of the bush tramway were destroyed, and also a large track of grass, In several other localities in the district anxious times were experienced by the farmers, owing to their houses being threatened by fires, which were burning in all directions. Never before have such disastrous fires occurred in this district, and it will 4)© a considerable time before the losß sustained will be recouped.- — A4poceUe.

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