Terrible Fire at Hawkes Bay.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2851, 19 March 1888, Page 3

Terrible Fire at Hawkes Bay.

The Township of Norsewood Destroyed, Scores of People Homeless. W Napier, March 18. On Friday afternoon a fire broke out at Norsewood and destroyed nearly the wholo township. About 10 o'clock a furious gale rose and brought sparks from clearings soino distance away. The (wind? prevailing the provbus days had dried everything, and tho grass and logs caughtfiro, and spreading tho firo was soon racing over tho country towards Norsewood village. Unfotunatoly, there wero very few men at home, tho majority being away at work. The women and the few men in (lie settlement were powerless to chock the spread of the fire, as the sparks were flying as thick as hail By superhuman efforts a few places were saved > with wet blankets. Aggravated by < tho terrific forco of tho wind, it was seen that to stay in the village was impossible, and the women and children hurried away, Of course the people could take nothing with them, The families sought shelter with the settlers round about or returned to Norsewood and obtain sheltor in the hotel buildjy ing, which was crowded with women Wand children now without home or raiment. The firo seemed to break out simultaneously in all parts of the township, and many places wero burned after the people left. The following places are known to have been totally destroyed:—Public buildings—Lutheran Church (a line building), Wesleyan Church, Public School and master's residence, the Club and Scandinavian Library, Temperance Hall; shops-Hearn'sbakory' Patterson's Blacksmith shop, Hegh's store, Thoinassen's saddlery, Westlake's store; dwollings- Small, storekeeper, occupied by Mr J. B. Dunn, Sanders, O. olsen, Bowermann, Magnussen, iMortensen's accommodation house, Rev. Rees, Rev. Christoffersen, Rev. Neilsou, Ole Christoffersen, Korai, Johansen, Nicolhansen, Torkelsen, Inglebredtsen, Olsten, and Woolstenholme, Beside these, many barns, outhouses, stocks, and miles of fences were destroyed.

Ormondville was next threatened, Jttiid an important county bridge was destroyed. At Aslily-Ciinton two dwellings were destroyed, those of William Cook and Christian Jensen, The rain which afterwards came on, undoubtedly saved what is left. All night long the storm raged in fury, and the downfall obliterated the last smouldering embers. With large families, dozens of poor settlers havo been made homeless, or have suffered very severe losses. The insurance? are not yet known, but they are not large, considering the magnitude of the fire.