DISASTROUS BUSH AND GRASS FIRES

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 27

DISASTROUS BUSH AND GRASS FIRES

- CHECKED BY RAIN. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE. ADDITIONAL DETAILS. ASSISTING THE SUFFERERS. LIMITED ASSISTANCE REQUIRED. MELBOURNE, January 4. The rain, which has become general throughout this State, has quenched the bush fires. January 5. The fcush fires at Bethangra destroyed 2G,000 acres of grass. At Yea over 1000 sheep were burned, and at Rushworth several dwellings. Around Tallangatta and -Glenrowan large areas were swept. 'Two persona were severely burnt. The rain has extinguished the fires. ' . Twenty-. five per- cent.- of. the raisin crop of Milduxa lias Seen destroyed by &c. •i _ , -. . - _ -, January 6. "At-" Adelong the , Greenhills ' Station lost •11 its grass, and- wool, shed, besides about 4000 sfieep^i The , homestead was also burned. Ellerslie and. other large- stations ■were swept of grass and miles of fencing, much stock, outbuildings, and machinery. Mr Ireweek lost 600 sheep. An old man named Dowdell perished ■while trying to/ save his- hut, and two others were badly burned while fighting the flames. They have been taken to the hospital.. It is estimated that the damage in the •Albury district will exceed £200,000. At Cooma, Montgomery's was destroyed.January 9. The temperature, to-day was 104deg, but it is now cool. A bush fire is raging in the Warrnambool district. SYDNEY, January 3. A drizzling rain has commenced in the city, and in some districts towards the VictoriaiTborders the fall is heavy, and is checking- the- bush, fires. - The* temperatures- at many places inland are- still very high. Yesterday at Bourke the thermometer registered 117deg. It is estimated that the fire in the Car- ., coar- district destroyed 200,000 acres ■of grass, irrespective of much crop: At Katoomba; Megalong Station lost 800 sheep. 2 r . One lire which started at Gundagai swept 150 miles square, frpm Kiandra to, Wagga on. the one side., and to Murxumburrah and Yass on the other. , i ■ . Not a culvert "nor a chain of fencing has !>een left between Giindagai and Wagga. The- damage 'at Kimo Station, where a bush fire was started by two swagmen, is .estimatedat £10,000. Around Wagga many thousands of acres of wheat have, been burned. ThT big. stations - suffered severely, several homesteadsj wool sheds, and valuable machinery being destroyed. "The whole country, from Wagga to Germanton, was ablaze yesterday. Albury reports that two more men have been burned to death. .Another victim is Mr Stell, a farmer at •Brocklesbury. The fires are -more general, and destructive than for many -years past." Many' harrowing details are given by those suffering losses, as well as narrow escapes by women and children, who saved themselves by lying in tanks, in water holes, and in the livers, while their menfolk fought the flames. The. bush fires, after aoing much damage, have been checked' by the, rain. A fund for the relief of sufferers by the bush_ fires has been started in Sydney. The Lord Mayor donated 100 guineas. Smoke" along the coast from the fires is considerably interfering with shipping. It is showery in the city, and more rain* is ' threatening. The astronomer predicts general rain during the next few days. So far it has been chiefly confined to the southern half of the State, and light in most places, and a few places along the border heavy. The rain from thunderstorms -checked the fires somewhat, though an many districts, especially in the north, they. are still raging. The weather in the interior's still very hot,"" and numerous deaths from heat apoplexy are reported. < The farmers in the Corowa are very serious losers. -Besides several residences, many have lost their standing crops of wheat and grass and fencing and much stock and implements. On one station 500 sheep were lost. The brothers Knight s each lost 1500 bags of- wheat, Nixon 600, and Goodwin 120. At Tumut the devastation is unprecendented. - Many homesteads, sheds, hay and corn stacks, much wool, hundreds of acres of crop and much bagged wheat, and thousands of acres of grass were destroyed. - Thousands of. sheep, cattle, and poultry were roasted to death. The country is a blackened ruin as far as the eye can reach. Communication' with flic surrounding districts is cut off. Men are lying- about exhausted after fighting the fires for two days and nights. Burrowa reports that a fire 60 miles in length and 10 in breadth is still spreading. The results are appalling, including the j loss of over 10,000 sheep, hundreds of cattle and horses, standing croDs. hay

stacks, barns, much agricultural ma- | chinery and vehicles. The" town -tvas only ; saved by the strenuous efforts of the whole population. The heat for days was intense. One hundied and ten degrees in the shade was registered. Maitland reports £2000 worth of damage. The Tocal Estate and other large properties "were swept by fire and grass and fencing destroyed. Many animals and birds succumbed to the intense heat. Blayney, Bathurst, and surrounding districts report that large areas have been swept and extensive damage done to crops, grass, and fencing. The Melbourne expresses had an exciting time on the outward journey. The train ran for 50 miles through a fire raging furiously on both sides of the line near Mittagong, and on the return journey through 30 miles near Wagga. The passengers were almost suffocated by the heat, the windows having to be kept closed to keep out the smoke. Mr Seddon has cabled to Mr Carruthers, the Premier, that the warmest sympathy of New Zealand goes ont to the sufferers • by the disastrous bush fires. j The telegraphic service is still seriously j disorganised. Latest reports from the ' southern and. mountain districts are more hopeful. The 'rain is spreading, checking - the fires. Sutton Forest and. other i - threatened- townships are now safe. January 4. The Lord Mayor has convened a meeting to-day to inaugurate a fund for the refief of'the^ufferers by the bush fires. The newspapers have also opened funds. As communication is restored and details trickle in, they show that, both as regards the extent of the country affected and the amount of damage, the fires are the most serious ever experienced in the State. Whole districts have been swept bare, -and hundreds of the settlers completely ruined, while a still larger number have Jbeen seriously crippled. Besides many thousands of sheep and j other stock roasted to death, a large num.ber are badly scorched. Others' suffering | is described as pitiful. Gundagai reports that when rain came on. Monday night people went to bed for j the first time since Friday. The spread of the fire is checked, though timber fencing i» still smouldering. BiUabong ■ Station was swept clean of grass, wheat, crops, and haystacks. Other property of small settlers was also destroyed. An. unknown, man was burned to death at- Ellerslie Station, while another was so "badly injured that small hope of his re- ! covery. is entertained. Many people are suffering from burns received while fighting the '--flames. . The -roads are littered with dead and ■dying stock-. Albury reports that the fire is practically in hand. It swept an area of 70 miles in length and 10 to 30 miles in breadth. Amongst many sufferers are Banks Bros., £2000 worth of wheat; Mrs Westendorf, 300 tons of hay ; Hall, 1000 breeding ewes ; Mitchell's Estate, Table Top, 8000 acres of grass and 2000 sheep. At Germanton Mrs Mitchell died from shock on seeing her house burned down. In the Wagga district, the Woodlands Estate lost 9000 acres of grass ; BerryJerry, 20,000; Sandy Creek, 30,000. The fire swept Book-book Station clean, and did £12,000 worth of damage at Kyamba Estate. . Out of a travelling mob of 5000 sheep 100 were burned. _ Proportionately the small owners and settlers suffered more extensively and severely than the large ones. At MuiTumburrah, the Cunningham Estate had 40,000 acres of grass swept away. \ Mr Futter lost 12,000 acres, besides the • crops, machinery, and' wool shed ; Mr Gawn lost, 6000 acres of grass and 300 of crops; Mr Graham, 4000 acres of grass and 200 tons of Hay, besides 200 sheep; Mr Spackman, 250 acres of wheat; Mr Murphy, 9000 acres of grass and 600 sheep. These are only a few samples" of many similar sufferers. Singleton reports that -the whole of the district round is devastated, and that scores of families who have been ruined are being supplied with food. At C:ircoar the fires are still raging. For hundreds of miles splendid grazing and agiicultural country has been destroyed. Yass "reports that the fires are not yet thoroughly under control, and that it' is impossible to estimate the immense damage: Mr Ford lost 1100 sheep, that were burned, and Mr Wright lost 30 acres of wheat. At Wyndham a child was caught by the flames and burned to detith. Many miraculous escapes are reported. A lady and gentleman who were ch-iving in a buggy were surrounded by the flames" The buggy was burnt, and the lad3''s diess caught fire. She barely managed to escape. Stock in the devastated districts are starving. News from the country to-day states that the bush fires have been practically extinguished. In some instances they have burned themselves out, but in a. majority of cases rain assiste3 the sufferers to extinguish them. • ' An influential meeting of citizens held in the Town Hall, the Lord Mayor presiding, ' expressed sympathy with the sufferers., and

decided, on the motion of Mr Carruthers, the Premier, to invite subscriptions throughout the State. The meeting appointed a representative committee. Over £1400 was subscribed in the room.

Details of the fires in the Delegate district, shew that the town was only saved by the efforts of large bodies of -men, who fought the flames for four days and nights. The fires, spreading from several centres, swept an area o*f 150 square miles. Scores of settlers who managed to save their 1 homes lost everything else. Collins lost ' his wool clip, 500 sheep, and 1000 acres of grass. He only saved a pig, which took ' refuge in the dwelling house. Stewart lost a woolshed, 20 miles of fencing, and 3000 acres of grass. Richmond, who lost his house, wool clip, and crops, was surrounded by fire. His clothes caught seveial times. He was saved by riding into a waterhole. Crawford, Ryan, and Walker have lost their homes and everything. Appleton lost 150 sheep and his crops ; Ingiam his house, fencing, and stock, ond barely saved his family by placing them in a waterhole. On the Corrowong Estate 15,000 acres of grass, 1600 sheep, £>nd miles of fencing were destroyed. On the Wallenbiddy Estate two large woolsheds and j their contents arid 1000 acres of grass wpre ' burned. The losses in outside districts is ] unknown. It is believed much stock i peripLed. Rain, mostly light, "but heavy in a- few cases, has spread over the whole State, excepting the north-east, right to the Queensland border. The district inspector leports that the wheat losses in the Corowa district are estimated at 250,000 bushels. Several more deaths from heat apoplexy are reported . January 5. It is estimated that £100,000 will not cover the losses by the fires in the Delegate district. Around Katoomba an area ' of 20 miles was swept, and many farmers have been completely burned out. Ward Bros, lost their wool shed, wool, 3000 sheep, and 200 cattle ; M'Killop his wool shed and 250 sheep. At Hillgrove 20,000 acres were swept. The small settlers in the Corowa, Culcairn, and Germanton districts are suffer- j ing greatly. Goodwin lost 600 acres under j Crop ; Clifton 260 acres ; Connell 400 acres of wheat ; Brown 500 bags ; Pilkington 150 bags and 100 acres under crop ; Edol 40 acres ; Smyth 250 acres, 500 sheep, and some cattle ; Keen 300 bags of wl-eat and 250 acres- under crop. 1 Kentucky Station lost over 1000 sheep. At Culcaim the Kerndeen Station lost 15,000 acres of grass and 2000 bags of wheat. Griffith - lost 400- bags of wheat and 300 cattle : Cott-erill and Odewahn 2000 bags of wheat each ; Kinross Station 70,000 "acres of grass ; Higgins his house machinery, crop, and 400 sheep. ' - Himdreds cf others all over the country are smaller losers. j The Government has instructed the officials throughout the country to give without restraint relief, in the shape of food, clothes, and shelter, to the sufferers by the bush fires. The Premier (Mr Carruthers) stated that so long as a penny remained in the State Treasury no one would be allowed to suffer from the disaster. ' The railways are carrying stock from the burnt-out districts at reduced rates. j Fresh outbreaks of bush fires are reported from Hillgrove. They are spreading extensively. - At Bega the Milliner family took refuge ' in a waterhole. The debris floating on the ' surface so badly burned Milliner and one I child that they succumbed. j A large area of the surrounding districts was devastated. Many farmers lost everything. Much of the stock which, with the people, crowded into the dams and water- i holes, were roasted alive. I Binalong reports that on the B-endeine-Estate 40,000 acres of grass were destroyed, and large numbers of settlers' holdings swept. Several lost their houses. Many hay stacks, sheds, much machinery, and | other property was burned. j Singleton reports that a vast area was : swept. Scores of settlers lost all their grass crops. Som© houses and many animals were burned. Numerous narrow J escapes are reported. January 6. The Railway Commissioners are allowing a large reduction in the rates for the carriage of stock, food and 1 fodder, and fencing wire to the burned districts. The officers detailed by the Government to report as to the damage done say that in some districts it is not so severe as was at first isported. Only limited assistance will be needed. Burrowa supplies a long list of losses. Besides, large areas of grass burnt, much fencing, valuable crops, sheds, and machinery have been destroyed. The biggestlosers are Davison, 7000 acres of'grass and £300 worth of hay ; Huiley, 10.000 acies of grass ; M'Grath, grass and fencing, besides 1200 wethers and other stock ; Morgan Bros. , 10,000 acres of grass ; the Tarenga Estate, £1000 worth of fencing, besides grass.

At Tuinut, besides the destruction of the settlers' crops over a. wide area, about a dozen houses were burned. Mr Arentz lost 2000 bushels of corn, and Mr Tokin his crops and property, which be valued at £800. At Rye Park six houses were burned. Vessels arriving here report encounter-

ing large crowds of buttei*flies and other insects many miles out at sea. They were evidently driven from the land by the heat of the bush fires.

The Relief Committee has issued a circular appeal for funds for sufferers by the bush and grass fires. The Mayor of Wellington cabled to Mr Cairuthers deeply sympathising with the sufferers by the disastrous fires, and asking if outside aid was needed. Mr Carruthers has replied to the Mayor, and also to Mr Seddon, stating that the fires have ceased, that the damage is not so great as was at first supposed, and hoping local funds will be. sufficient, at the same time thanking them for their sympathy. January 9. A further heat wave is predicted. In reply to a cable from Xew Zealand the executive -of the Bush Fire Relief Fund Committee wired that, in view of the Premier's statement and the liberal local contributions, no outside assistance was required. ADELAIDE, January 3. During the height of the heat wave on Saturday over a hundred birds of various kinds, including a number of hawkes, flew aboard a-" steamer in the vicinity of Wardang Island, Spencer's Gulf, evidently driven from, the land by the heat. They dwelt together in amity, and allowed the crew to walk amongst them until a cool breeze sprang up, when they departed. BRISBANE, January 4. The severe heat wave has been responsible for a number of deaths from heat apoplexy. Bush fires are raging in the Dalby district. THE COUNTRY DEVASTATED. (Fbom Otjb Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. Mr Fred. Dawson, a native of this city, who is here> at present in advance of the Fisk Jubilee Singer 3, a year since travelled through tho southern districts in New South Wales which have been the scene of the devastating bush fire-. The di-=-ti iets were in a prosperous condition, and the company "appeared to excellent houses. In conversation with a representative of Truth, Mr Dawson gave some interesting information regarding the country. The district which has suffered to the greatest extent, according to the news conveyed >n the cable messages, Mr Dawson said, was that between Junee and Tumut, a distance as the crow flies of between 50 and 60 miles. It is heavily Avooded country, and as most of the timber has been "ring barked " it would be in such a dry condition that a spark alighting where a limb has broken off the trunk would be sufficient to set the tree ablaze. The surroundings of Adeloiig and Gundagai are also of a similar description, and the farmers and settlers in these districts are scattered. In most cases they have cleared a few acres of their holdings, and make a living out of the products of the portion cleared. On the remainder the bush is left standing, and Js ring barked, the practice being to wait till the timber rots, and then dig around the roots, which are cut. The trunks are next pulled down by bullocks and placed in a heap and burned. These ring-barked trees catch alight like matchwood. Grass and gum leaves also play an important part in bush fires in these districts. Old bushmen aver that a piece of glass -^a broken bottle, for instance—lying in the full glare of the sun when the temperature is 112deg or 115deg in the shade is sufficient by concentrating the rays of the sun. to set the grass and dried gum leaves on fire. The majority of the houses are of the "humpy" description, and are built of slabs and posts, which have been simply dressed" with axe and adze. They are roofed with bark, which, owing to its constant exposure to the heat, becomes very dry and very inflammable. Another characteristic of the country which tends to the spreading of bush fires is the class of fencing generally employed. This is of the description commonly known as a " dog leg " fence. It is constructed of small trees and saplings interlaced diagonally, somewhat similar to latticework. Naturally these become very dry, and when a fire starts it is quickly communicated from one holding to another by means of these fences. Those who attempt to fight bush fires have au extremely difficult and dangerous task. The smoke from, the- red gums and ironbark gets into their eyes and stirrgs, and almost " blinds them. Around Tumut, Junee, Adelong, and C4i:ndagai tins settlers grow wheat chiefly, which at this time of the year is ripe and almost ready for cutting. The large sheep runs are in the Narrandera district. In addition to effectively clearing the districts around Tuinut, Junee, Adelong, and Gundagai of timber, Mr Dawson thinks that tne bush fires will also exterminate the snakes. Regarding Lismore, which was mentioned in yesterday's cable messages, and which is at the other extremity of the State, being between 40 and 50 milee from the Queensland border, Mr Dawson seated that there is no heavy bush within three or four miles of the town. The- district, which was previously one of the sugar plantatio?is. is now one of the finest dairying districts in the State, and maize is also grown. Tho pro-cathedral and convent, which have been destroyed by fire, were on tho extreme cast of the town, and ifc is probable that the fire was spread to them by travelling through the dry paspa him grass. THE QUESITON OF RELIEF. UREYMOUTH. January 4. The^Premier yesterday received a telegram fiom "the editor of Christchurch Truth inquiring if the Government proposed to take any action in the direction of organising .1 fund for the relief of those who havr> suffered by the bush five's in Australia. -Mr Seddon made- this reply: — "Yours is tiio first and only communication received by tho Xew Zealand Government on the subj°ct. Our warmest sympathies are with cur Australian neighbours in the disastrous bush fir-es Hint have overtaken them. The movement ior practical sympathy and assistance must spring from the people, and be spontaneous. To be successful the organisation must he of a general character, and this being the case tho Government will, as on previous occasions, lend themselves to the

] kindly action." Mr Seddon has also cabled to Premier Carruthers tendering the sympatliy of New Zealand with the people oi , New South Wales in the calamity that ha.« overtaken them. NO ASSISTANCE REQUIRED. SOME REMINISCENCES. (Fbom Ottb Own Courespondeat.) WELLINGTON, January 6. The Mayor of Wellington received a cable message to-night from Mr Carruthers, Premier of New South Wales, which indicates that relief funds will be unnecessary m this colony for the siiffcrers by the fires in Australia. The message, which is a reply to one sent by Mr Aitken, is as follows: — "The fires have ceased, and there is a good rain. The damage is severe, but not so great as at first seemed probable. Local funds are being raised, and will, I ~ hope, suffice to meet all requirements. Much gratified at the good spirit of Wellington evidenced towards sufferers in this State." In view of the contents of this message the relief movement suggested afc a meeting of citizens in Wellington to-day j will be abandoned. One feature of to-day's meeting was a speech by the Rev. P. W. Fairclough in condemnation of excessive generosity. Incidentally, he related some curious facts about previous relief funds. He said we lived in a world of telegraphs and newspapers, and these disasters lost nothing in the telling He had been in Australia, and wading between the lines of the accounts published he fancied that the disaster was not such an overwhelming one, and that the people in the States, where the thing" had occurred, were able to meet it over and over again. When in Brisbane 9. few years ago he had made some inquiries about the relief sent from New Zealand at the time of a certain flood, and he had found that we had almost mads a laughing stock of ourselves. It got to ! be a saying, " What, more stuff from New I Zealand ! " The fact was that in every I place its people had started out with the idea that they would be required to do the whole thing themselves, and' the result was that in Brisbane people had to be sent to take the stuff away. In the same way relief was sent on the occasion of a fir© in the Taranaki district, and, visiting the district some time afterwards, he had been informed that a'vory fine bit of road, over i which he di'ove, had been constructed out '. of the- balance of the relief fund. The I people, not knowing what to do with the I sum of £1100 or £1200 remaining after all ! wants had be«n metf, had decided that they I would have open miles of good road out I of it anyway. Other citizens expressed the ! view that it was better to give too much I than too little. INTERVIEW WITH A PASTORALIST. (Fbom Ope Owx CoePcESposdent.) WELLINGTON, January- 6. James B. Notfc Osborne. husband of Misa Maud Jeffries, th-s well-known, actress, now in Wellington, is a large runholder in. New Soxjth Wales, being interested, in partnership with his brothers, in 11 stations .in the Goulbourn, Yass, Riverina, and ' Southern Tableland districts, and, therefore, is able to speak with authority concerning the Australian bush fires. He told a Times representative that he has known a spark: to be caught by_ ths wind and carried from. I on-e range to another, 14 miles distant, across Lake- George, starting th&re on another station a fire that burned for weeks. If the rain comes the country itself will not take long recovering from the effects of the fire. In" a week or two the grass will come on. all- the sweeter, but there will bo a tremendous amount of damage in other respects. Around Wagga there are a great number of farms, on many of which the harvesting is already in swing. The great bulk of these crops will be burned, .and, although many of the farmers .insure their crops, there will, be a. great loss above the insurance. The damage to fences right through the burned districts' will be unprecedented. Both large squatters and small farmers will suffer. Mr Osborne has nos been particularly advised as to the fate o£ his own stations. Though fires are frequently due to natural causes they are also occasionally traced to careless swagsmen or to sparks from railway engines. Generallyspeaking, says Mr Osborne, precautions are taken to guard them, but they are probably not so elaborate as those adopted by the Osborne firm. Where a fire is likely to> occur the vegetation around the homestead and woolshed is burnt and the ground ploughed to a width of a chain all round. Where a railway passes through a run thesame precautions are taken for a distance of a chain and a-half on each side of the line. Then in the hot season, when fires

are most likely to occur, a ■ spring-cart or dray is always .ready with a 100-gaflon tank Df water on it, and a horse stands harnessed ill day for service in putting out an incipient fire. A pump and hose are also attached for spraying out fires in the trees. y WELLINGTON, January 4. The Wellington branch of the Australian * Natives' .Association has decided to open a iundhi aiiTofihe sufferers by the Australian bush fires. V January 5. "" The Mayor is calling a meeting to consider the question of raising a fund for the relief of sufferers by the Australian bush fires. The public meeting convened by the Mayor to -consider what steps should he . taken .to express practical sympathy with the sufferers by the bush .fires in Australia ywas largely attended, including the Hon. 'A. Pitfc, Attorney-general. The- Mayor explained that he had cabled to the Premierof New South Wales asking if outside assistance wae needed, but at present had received no -reply. The Hon. A. Pitt favejured ..waiting for, a reply, and mentioned thatlie was communicating with the Premier' on the subject of relief." Ultimately a motion .was carried expressing sympathy with the sufferers, and that citizens desire to express a wish to contribute liberally to any External fund which might be necessary. > - January 6. WANGANUI, -January. 4. The Mayor of" Wanganui has called a public meeting for. Friday, to. start a fund J>n_ behalf of the suffeiers by the fires ' in Australia. Several subscriptibns are already Jn hand. ' „ January 6. At' a public meeting to-night it was deBided to open a subscription list to relieve" the sufferers _by the. Australian bush fires. A committee- was~ .appointed" to make a complete canvass of" the town. '• "*> HOKITDXA, January 6. The Right Hon. Mr.Seddon has received the following caole from the .Premier of •New Soutlr Waks:— "Fires- now ceased; opportune rains." severe*, but -not. so great as at first seemed probable. Local funds are being raised, and -will, I hope, • suffice to meet air requirements. People are much gratified at the 'sympathy arid good spirit of Zealand' towards the sufferers." - CHRISTCHURCH, January 5. , Mr R. N. -Twopenyy on being; interviewel at Christchurch last night, said he was inclined to -the opinion that New .Zealande'rswere disposed to exaggerate the effect of« the Australian bush fires. There would, be a great deal of individual suffering, but in (to sense was it a national disaster.