DISASTROUS FIRES AT WAGGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11855, 6 January 1902, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRES AT WAGGA.

GREAT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. Wagga Wagga, December 29. The grave fears entertained by pastoraiists and farmers in the Wagga district regarding the outbreak of bush fires found ample justification 011 Friday morning, when a fire started on liunonyhareenyha station at a point distant about 12 miles from town. It tvas fully recognised that the greatest difficulty would be experienced in ooping with any outbreak which - onoe assumed anything like large dimensions, owing to the very heavy growth of grass, particularly on the river flats. The danger has this year been 'accentuated _ by the , fact that few, if any, of the holdings are stocked up to 1 their carrying capacity, whilst in some cases, as a result of the recent dry seasons, only half the usual number of stock remain. Consequently Iho utmost caution has been insisted on by pro-perty-owners.• to guard ' against . fire. Despite the extreme vigilance , exercised, however, several fires broke out in different localities 111 the district, most. of which were fortunately subdued before any considerable damage was done. But tho good fortune which attended the efforts of the fireboaters in the neighbourhood of Wagga seems to have deserted them in the fire which took place 011 Friday, for it proved to bo one ot . the most disastrous which has occurred in this district for. many; years, and one which baffled all efforts to block it in its early stages. Grass, , fences, and sheds were greedily devoured by the flames, and in some instances homesteads were onlv saved by superhuman efforts. r It is difficult to form an m, mate as yet of the stock lost. : Ihe fire started in what is known as tho Big- v\ heel Paddock on Eunonyhareenyha, the wind at the time being from the northwest. The origin of the fire is, as usual, surrounded m mystery. ■ ' -ft was soon discovered that no hope existed of blocking the fire, and alb efforts were then directed to prevent it spreading further in on the run. The head of the fire meanwhile was burning fiercely in a southerly direction sweeping all before it. Fortunately all stock had been removed as , soon as . the tire broke out and none were lost on -Eunonyhareenyha. By midnight on Friday the fire was out of the run, after having destroyed about 5000 acres of grass. Carried by the breeze, which had veered round to the north, the fire spread on to Kurrajong and Oura stations, where it appears to have junctioncd with another fire burning district™ 1 " Wantaba dgery, in the Gundagai district. . , ~

All through Friday night the fire continued its course, although more slowly, the wind having dropped off considerably. Hopes were ; entertained that it would be checked on .Saturday morning, but unfortunately the wind got round to north-west and started to blow a hurricane. It now became a question of saving homesteads, and this was only effected in several instances after desperate struggles. By > noon on Saturday all the holdings - on Kurrajong, only a few ' miles from Wagga, were swept by the flames, which jumped the main Gundagai road in four places, leaving nothing in its track but charred and blackened ruins.

Oura station was the next property to suffer. This holding. has an area of 25,000 acres,. and at the time stated was running about 30,000 sheep of high ; class. It is a fair estimate to say 3000 acres of grass were saved, but it is impossible to say how the sheep fared until a muster is made. Fanned by a north-west hurricane fiercer than has been experienced hero for many years, miles and miles of country were soon laid waste It unfortunately has to be stated that the Horambola fire was attended with loss of life From reports to hand it appears that Mr ,T A. Gunn. manager of Borambola, with his brother, Norman Gunn. and three station hands, were .watching the river for the anticipated crossing of the flames. About four p.m. the grass took fire at a point close by them. An attempt, was immediately made to suppress the outbreak, and for a time it appeared as if their efforts would be successful. The wind • suddenly changed, and the men were trapped. Mr. Gunn shouted to the others to follow ■ him, and dashed through the flames. It was a frightful experience, and those few awful moments are not likely to be forgotten by the unfortunate . men who thus suddenly found themselves faced by the danger of .1 horrible death. v All with the exception of a. voting man named Frank Curley reached the break, but it appears Curley tried to avoid the flames by making a detour, and in doint* so met a horrible death. ; His charred body was discovered some time afterwards. The deceased was well- known in this district, where his people have resided for years, and much sympathy is felt for his wife and young family.

'Of the other members of the party Mr. Barnes fared worst, having his head, legs, and arms bndly burnt. Mr. .T. A. Gunn, the manager, also had his hands • rather severely burnt. Dr. Stoeker was summoned ■by;;, telephone from Wagga and pronounced Barnes' .case as being very serious. A futile effort was made ,to save their horses, which - had been tied up, but three were roasted to death, and the other three had eventually to be destroyed.

By a lucky chance' the wind carried. the flames off tho valuable homstead buildings and sent them racing in the direction of Tarcutta, 25 miles from Wagga. The area of country traversed by the. fire is over 100,000 acres. .; , -

EXCITING FIRES AT LAWSON. IjAwson, December 28. Saturday, was the worst, day experienced here for many years. From early morn the town was enveloped , in smoke, and ; about midday a bush fire swept across from the west. .. fanned i b 4 a . strong breeze. - , It threatened to carry all before; it, and the residences of Messrs. 7 Pearson,"' Banks, and , Aitken, and the Rev. Mr. Austin , would all -liavo been consumed had it not been for the exertions o£ many willing workers in

~ .■ ... '. § beating back' the flames; The magazine cca. „■' | tainiiip S nearly ' three ? tons of 'explosives;, was again in danger, as, the fire burnt all round it, "Dp the ;• line : " >' mile ioii so a navvies* v boardinghouse was burnt out, and also seva- "s ral of the navvies' tents, and 'the'belongings >:„■ of Lloyd's gang, 4 the $ men ? being * away on ; holiday. A woman named Connolly- had a ' narrow escape. She was pulled out of her - tent just in time as the flames swept'round-i v it. ' ' ' ' 14 Down ' Hazelbrook ' way fires ; were - raging • j all round, and all the visitors cleared' Out; : » by the early trains, as their houses were threatened. .Much praise 1 is due to the visi- ,-*< tors, fettlers, navvies, and police for the heroic way in which they worked m saving : Pr Gen\le showers are now falling which will ; I jut out all the fires.