FIRE DEVASTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 28 August 1914, Page 3

FIRE DEVASTATION.

. . DISASTER IX RUSSIA. FLIGHT OF PAXIC-SfRICKEX JXHABITAXTS. St. Petersburg, July 11. •For hall a centjiij; _tlH'ii'..lias not been I such a continuous spell of extreme heat ' as is '!?,"' experienced over the i greater,..part-'of. Russia? same I tale comes from all points of the com-pass--forests in flames, peat moors burning, villages, destroyed,- inhabitants fleeing in panic. ' .Happily'there seems to have been little loss of life, if any, but the general effect of the drought on this year's crops is inspiring, lie gravest anxiety.

Wonster tin's have occurred in ' tyc outskirts of St. Petersburg. Moscow and other big cities, which' for the past week have been overhung by smoke in. a greater or lesser degi'ei'. The sun has been completely .obscured- by smokeclouds in many provincial towns., Even at night-tiim; tbe temperature, , in/Sfc. Petersburg lias seldom fallen below' 100 degree Fahrenheit.- .- ..... For twentv-fotir'hmfts S«hHiesselburg, which is situated at the issue of Lake 1-adoga into, the Neva, was threatened with total destruction! ."'The .Schl.ueßselburg Dynapite. and Gunpowder Factory tK'cupies several acres, anrf is surrounded on nearly every side by .peat, land. Fire broke, out in the peat, and the flames advanced,, towards the- factory, where.there nere '.several.hundred;poods of dynamite .and other explosives in stor? age. .-.. ~ ;;, •. ■-. , :■-:.--.: ■ " ;.

Local resoprce.s ■ were -nnavailing to stay the conflagration; and appeals for help wore.; telephoned to the military camp at Ust I}ora. half-war between SeWtiessethurg and .St. Petersburg. Ttvo of sappers WeYe despatched in a pa-tsengcr steamer. "They were, assisted by lOf'.O peasants and workmen employed at 'the'powder -factory. For. a whole day and night the factory buildings were drciiehefl with witter. treiic-hr-„ -were dug in every direction, while liquijl nnid'ahd'sa'rid were employ-' ed to stifle tlii) .riiging flames. Early this mortiihe: tltc'dlhvtion'of the wind chang«l. The flames Aged as furiduslv. asever, but the jtowij.er factory Was safe.