SPECIAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9941, 21 January 1898, Page 5

SPECIAL NEWS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) J

(By Telegraph from W_juugtoj*.) TERRIBLE IsUSH FIRES. MELBOURNE, January 14. Tuesday this week .was the hottest day of the season in the city, the glass going up to 109 in the shade. The heat lasted throughout the night and up to mid-day on Wednesday. At noon on that day the reading was 105. Within a quarter of an hour the wind had changed to the south, and the glass had gone down to 77; but there was no rain with the change, and there has been none since except small thunderstorms/ in one or two localities. Under these circumstances the bush fires, which began on Tuesday, have continued since, and never in the history of the colony has so much damage been done. Black Thursday has been repeated, with the addition that settlement is now much more dense, and thus the actual loss of property has been greater. Though many portions of the colony have been attacked, Gippaland has borne the gteatest brunt of the damage, and the whole of south and central Gippaland has been devastated. Wednesday was the most dreadful day. The experiences of two or three places are a fair sample of the universal state of affairs. From Traralgon the report says :—To-day has been the most extraordinary in the memory of the present generation. The fierce heat showed no signs of abatement up to noon, when the air became more dense and sultry with the smoke from surrounding bush fires. At three o'clock the atmosphere suddenly became overcharged with volumes of smoke until the houses could not be seen thirty yards distant. A startling phenomenon then occurred. The darkness became so deep that lamps had to be lighted, while the air was filled with a lurid light from the obscured sun. The smoke and sky had a blood-like tinge. People thronged out of their homes in terror, and the oldest inhabitants say that "Black Thursday," forty-seven years ago, was not so terrible. Stratford reports as follows :— To-day the experience of the people has been terrible, and heavy bush fires have been blazing in close proximity to the town. The smoke was so dense that the shire offices and business establishments had to be lit up at three o'clock. The birds and fowls, deceived by the phenomenon, went to roost at that hour. A most peculiar magenta light was cast over everything, and one could barely see across the streets. The thermometer registered 106deg at the hottest time. From Yarrain the report was —The scene at midday baffled description. The whole district was in semi-darkness, except for a peculiar red glow, presenting a weird picture. As the sea of fire advanced, the flames mounting several feet high, the roaring of the fire, the crackling of the timber, and the falling of lofty trees, combined to make the scene memorable. It was appalling with grandeur. How the town escaped total destruction is a marvel. At one time it was literally surrounded by walls of fire. At other places lamps had to be lit, fowls went to roost, and the cocks commenced crowing. The Mirboo train hadj* thrilling experience on the way from Morvell to Mirboo. At Yinnar the smoke was so dense that the lamp on tha engine had to be lit, and the stationmaster advised those in charge to proceed no further, as it was unsafe. However, the train went on and reached Boolara all right; but between that place and Tarlinmrla the smoke and heat were terrible. The driver could not see half the length of the train for the smoke, which was blinding and suffocating. Part of the time the train was rushing through flames. Amongst the districts that have suffered most are Thorjpdale and Neerim. The Thorpdale report states that what was a couple of days ago a prosperous district, bedecked with luxuriant crops, orchards, and peaceful homesteads, is now a scene of complete ruin and devastation which, to be properly imagined, must be sejsn, ac comparison is beyond the moat graphic description. Up to midday to-day thirty-three farmers were burnt completely out, having lost absolutely everything, while innumerable others have lost fencing, grass, &c, but have been fortunate enough to save their homesteads. At Neerim the entire township was destroyed. The fire first took hold of the Coffee Palace and devoured it as it might have done a match box.' The building consisted of from ten to fifteen spacious rooms, and was valued at about £760. The Mechanics' Institute was situated a few chains distant and, notwithstanding the efforts made to save it, the fire again asserted its superiority and consumed the structure and its contents. The stores, butchers' shop, and residences all went. As these scenes were progressing words cannot picture the despair of the inhabitants, aud of the women particularly, who cried loudly in the streets. At Toora tho worst case was the total destruction of Benjamin Richards's large dairying plant near Toora. Richards was the largest individual dairyman in Victoria, milking nearly 400 cows. The cowsheds, yards, outhouses of all kinds, engines, separators, vats, &c, have been totally destroyed. The dwelling-house miraculously escaped, mainly through the strenuovs efforts of the employees. The damage is considerably over £2000. There were any number of cases in which men had terrible. experiences in the burning bush. One swagnian had the blanket* burnt oft* his back. An .advance agent for a theatrical troupe, travelling with a bicycle, rode through the fire and had half of his coat burnt off. The coach from Walhalla had to gallop through, the flames coming nnder the horses' legs. In one residence that was burnt was the corpse of a little child awaiting burial, and it was destroyed with everything else. How quickly the flames travelled may bo imagined from the fact that in one district they overtook kan-. garoos and horses and roasted them alive. Two men on horseback, travelling in Gippaland, had a dreadful experience. They were hemmed in by fire on a narrow track. The flaming bark fell about them in terrifying profusion, and as their clothes took fire time after time they were kept constantly occupied in saving each other from being burnt to death. Frequently the track was blocked by blazing logs. It was impossible, however, to turn from the path without running further risk of being roasted alive, and, therefore, the horses were put to the burning logs and made to leap through the flames. The experience continued for nearly twelve miles. When the two men arrived at Yarragon they were so weak and hysterical that they burst into tears. The horses were in a pitiable plight. The hair was burnt off their tails and also off their legs and sides.