THE NELSON OUTBREAKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 96, 16 January 1908, Page 8

THE NELSON OUTBREAKS.

L • HEAVY DAMAGE TO STOCK ANDPROPERTY;- ' ■' ,- FIRE TRAVELS FOR MILES. • •'News-was received.in Nelson on Monday that bush : and grass fires'' were raging at Tadmor,-Wangapeka,.Shorry,Motupiso/and other places m'the vicinity ,■ and that; immense damage was .being'dono'to stock,foncing,, and grass ' while one sawmill and dwelling', had been destroyed, and. settlers" homes wero threatened. ;. Thousands of acres between Belgrove and - Brook had been swept by. fire, but ho serious.damage was . reported, although much fencing had been destroyod. ' - At Rainy River, btish and grass fires were extending for miles, and a number of settlers were stated to be •in . imminent danger .of being .burned oat.' ..There -will, be a-great loss j by,the destruction of stock and\fencing in ' this' district, as, -in some-places, ~thb. .fires, spread to h'Vidth'of'some miles. ' .At Tadmor.the fires woro reported to have extended over a distanco of ten miles in 0110 direction. , So far there had been littlo loss' ; of live stock in this district, but tho damago - ; to fences 'was, hesTy.' - ■ Tho most serious reports camo from tho : Sherry- and Wangapoka districts, whero the firo travelled for-miles'through fallen timber and undcrscrub, causing , heavy losses of > . stock, and destroying miles of fencing.' At Wangapeka Mr. Drew was among the heaviest sufferers, his sawmill and plant, dwelling, sheds and contents weretotallyde- ; stroyed, together with; much 'livo stock. Nothing was saved, and Mr; Drew was driven to the river for .safety. In,the; same "'district Messrs. Roskie's and. Chandler's "properties iwere swept by the. fires, the former losing' 500 sheep, and Mr.-'Chandler about : 3oo.; ' •j A .-^ otupiko0tupiko v side tho fires did conBiderable damage to a large arta of country. , Mr. F. J. Coleman's propertv was swept, ; fencing burned,■ and dbout fifty sheen'. db- : stroyed. The whole country for- miles'round Ilve '.°P c 'd smoke, nnd tho fires'wero : ' still burning. . • ... Telephone messages .stated that tho fires wero spreading in the "Sherry and Stanley ' Brook districts, and that, the settlers had mustered their flecks for- safety. It was re- ; ported that the fire was travelling between Goodall s and Fawcett's in tho Tadmor,' and lo sheep rM ' Stanley Br o° k . 'M lost