SASTROUS BUSH FIRES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3708, 12 January 1891, Page 2

SASTROUS BUSH FIRES.

1 Fivo Houses Destroys 4. (3 COG2S of DevastationA. more disastrous fire tlum tli . wbicli occurred on the Upper PI:: n and Manaia on Saturday la>t has ::-jt been recorded in the history ot Masterton. Early ?n the morning of that day the grass in the vicinity of Messrs Cade and Harrison's sawmill on the Tipper Plain mysteriously -became ignited, and the flames, fanned by the strong westerly wind which.K'as blowing, spread in an alarming manner. By noon tho fire bad travailed for nearly a mile through the bush at the rear of the properties of Messrs Meredith, Ilessey and others, all fences and vegetation being swept clean before it. In the afternoon the force of the wind became greatly increased, and about two o'clock it blew a hurricane. Considerable anxiety then existed, not only amongst those whose houses and property were in a direct line with the fast Approaching fire, but by the inhabitants' of MasVerton, who fully realised that should the wind veer round the whole town would be in imminent danger. About three o'clock THE ALARM was sounded on th& local tirebells, and hundreds of willing hands proceeded to render what assistance they could ; but so extensive had tho conflagration by thi* time become that they were almost suffocated by the immense volumes of smoke which were arising from the burning timber. It was of course useless to attempt to impede or obstruct the progress of the fiery clement, which spread with such rapidity that it was momentarily expected house after house in the neighborhood would be consumed. The

REMOVAL OF FURNITURE from several of the dwellings was undertaken with as great despatch as possible, and householders devoted themselves principally to watching their residences. Despite all efforts, however, no less than FIVE HOUSES WERE DESTROYED in quick succession. The first to

take tire was the five-roomed cottage of Mr Brzoska, which is situated about half a mile from the Knripuni railway station. This was iu a very few moments reduced to ashes, nothing beyond a few chairs being saved. The next to <SO was the 'louse adjoining, owned by Mr H., litmus. This also contained five rooms, anil was, with the whole of the furniture, totally destroyed. Then followed a tour-rooined cottage, occupied by Mr J. E. Pond. Fortunately Mr Pond bad, early in the afternoon, taken in the situation, and removed his furniture, so that his loss is not so great as it otherwise would have been. The flames then swept in a southerly direction and caught the two-roomed cottage of Mr Hoffman, which, with its contents, wore destroyed almost in the twinkling of an eye. Shortly after 8 o'clock in the evening a spark lodged under the seven-roomed house of Mr lioyse, whijh was some distance away, and this also was consiimed. The furniture, however, had been removed in the afternoon. Many other places were

IN" DANGER. The houses oE Mp Yaughan and another, directly opposite that of Mr Koyse, had narrow ekcapes. The fire had, meanwhile, spread into the Sohvay estate, snd tie residetue of Mr Donald Donald danger. Had the Municipal iire Brigade "net been on the spot with a good flow of water, it is extiemely prokatls that this building would also jmve been a victim to the flames. "'The Volunteer Fire Brigade worked hard in Short Street, and prevented any of the residences in that part bein" destroyed. Besides the destruction of tho fi*e buildings referred to, Otiiee Damage,

jf an equally serious nature, was done, Fences for fully two uiiles were destroyed, together with most of the stock in the various enclosures. In ane place could be seen oows and calves roasted alive, and in anothei swine burnt to cinders. All domestic tanimals were of course consumed ir heir turn Not only were hundreds of acres of grass burned, but_S£vera) hundred coids of fire wo? J were alsc completely destroyed. Of this a lav«t quantity had been cut for Messrs Chamberlain Brothers. A field ol wheat near the Waingawa, belou<nnr to Mr Griffiths, was also consumed* The strong wind, which was carrying the flames onward at a terrific pace abated shortly uftar 8 o'clock, am the fire, which had spread to theniair road on the Manaia, did very little ot her damage, its course of destruction being stopped by a heavy shower ol rain which nhortly afterwards full The scene is now one of the completest desolation. For miles not t hlade of grass can be seen, nothing bui burning stumps and logs and ruins-o: buildings meeting the gaze, The fin is still raging and canuot be subduei for some weeks at least. There 1: also a danger of its spreading in tin direction of Musterton, as the grasi in t lie surrounding country is exceed' ingly dry, but by the adoption o; ordinary precautions snoh a disaster a that of Saturday need not again befal the community. It is computed tba the damage already caused by the fir will amount to several thousam pounds, and a number of «mall settler will be left almost destitute. The KNOWN InsuraN^J—are as follows Royse's louse, L2O( in the New Zealand Firo Insuranci Co.; Brzoska's, L 125 in th& Standard Timms, LlOOiu the NfPv £sealanc on the house, and LSO on/ the fnrni. tare, in the North ilitigh anc Mercantile • Hoffman's, iho on th< dwelling, £25 on the]furniture and £25 on the shed in 'foe Nortli British. The house by Mr Pond was. we liiitisured OtHEI! Firks. 1 Whilst the firo above re'erred tc was ragiug, a spark from tlk stump. 1 which caught some weeksj a go al Kuripuni was carried into thell )8 l) fte ai the fish ponds, and here the tbolo o' the vegetation was consuripd and considerable (lanugo done. vj I 0 j|,. ( bells rang out an alarm, aud tJ|. three brigades were quickly on tho s/.t, and preventeil the flames tc adjoining property. The Acclj \itisation Society has sustained a'leav} loss by the destruction of thii"j) US h, which was being greatly improve! bv Mr Ayson, the curator. ! We hear that the bush (ire yhicli had been raging at the Tauei't for some days also placed that townslij, in danger, and it was only by- the adoption of prompt measures jthaj the destruction of a nurabei 0 i houses was prevented.