A TOWN DESTROYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1888, Page 5

A TOWN DESTROYED.

NORSEWOOD IN FLAMES,

CONFLAGRATION AND STORM,

MANY FAMILIES HOMELESS.

(by telegraph—press association. )

Napier, Sunday. On Friday afternoon a fire broke out at Norsewood and burned all day and far into the night, destroying nearly the whole township. Owing to the wires being down full information has only just been received. About ten o'clock a furious gale rose and brought sparks from some clearings some distanceaw.,y. The winds prevailing on theprevious day had dried everything to tinder, and the sparks set the grass and logs on tire, and soon spreading, the fire was racing over the country towards Norsewood village. Unfortunately, there were very few men at home, the majority being away at work, many of them at considerable distances. The women and the few men in the settlement were powerless to check the spread of the fire, and it is doubtful if all had been at home whether they could have been more successful, as sparks were living on the wings of the gale as thick as hail. By dint of almost superhuman efforts a few places were saved by draping them with blankets kept continually wet. This was an arduous, task, as the smoke was suffocating and the heat intolerable, aggravated by trie terrific force of the wind, which had now become'a hurricane.

It was soon seen that to stay in the village was impossible, and the women and children began to hurry away by the roads stiil left open. Of course the people could take nothing with them, and .he lire was left to work its will. The children wero, as usual, at school in the afternoon, and news coining of the disaster the school was dismissed, but as some of the children essayed the task of returning home, and were driven back by the smoke and names, the schoolmaster, with commendable discretion, reassembled them, and marched them to the Te Wbiti clearing, about a mile away from the school, towards Kopua. Here they and several families remained till the rain came on in the night, when they sought for shelter in the hotel building, which was crowded with women and children, now without house or home, or a change of raiment. It is impossible to detail the progress of the fire, for it seemed to break out simultaneously in all parts of the township, and many places were burned after the people left. The following places are known to have been totally destroyed : — Public buildings, Lutheran Church (a fine building), Wcslcyan Church, public school and master's residence, tlie Club and Scandinavian Library, Temperance Hall. Shops : — Hearn's bakery, Petersen's backsmith's shop, Hegh's store, Thomassen's saddlery, Westlako's store. Dwellings:—Small store (occupied by Mr J. B. Dunn), Sanders, 0. Olsen, Bowerman, Magnussen, Mortensen'- accommodation house, Rev. Rees, Rev.C.tinstoilbisen,Rev. Neilson, Ole Christoffersen, Carl Johannsen, Nicoli Hansen, Tokelsen, N. Hansen, Hansen Tokelsen, Inglebredtsen, D. Swondson, Joseph Moran, Mrs Ingwaldsen, Olson and Wols-onholme.- Besides these, many barns, outhouses, stacks, and miles of fences were destroyed, and it is feared that news of further disaster from the surrounding clearings will yet be received.

Ormondville was next threatened, and an important county bridge . was destroyed. The church at Ormondville seemed doomed, when a heavy downpour of rain set in and saved it. At the Mangurangiora, the lire reached to tho railway line, and a strong party of men were act to watch the big trestle bridge, which was in some danger. The new county bridge at Paparatu was threatened, and was also anxiously watched. The bush on both sides of the line at Kopua was all ablaze, and furnished a grand sight to the passengers by the late trains.

At Ashley Clinton the settlers were threatened with a devastating fire, and two dwellings were destroyed, those of William Cook (insured) and Christian Jensen. A stack of hay was blowu completely over during the gale, and was afterwards do stroyed by the rain. The thunderstorm at this point was truly awful, and the residents of the Ashley Clinton district had but little sleep through the long wild night. Great as the disaster was, it certainly would have been greatly magnified but for the providential occurrence of one of the most terrific thunderstorms ever experienced in the district. The rain literally poured down in torrents. The whole country was almost incessantly lit up with vivid lightning flashes, while the thunder crashed immediately overhead with awe-inspiring violence. All night long the storm raged in fury, and the rain obliterated the last smouldering embers. Dozens of poor settlers with large families have been made homeless, or have suffered severe losses, and public subscriptions are already being raised to alleviate the distress. The insurances are not known, but are not large considering the magnitude of the fire.