The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15
BUSH FIRES IN AUSTRALIA.
Hey HAVE CAUSED GREAT LOSS
OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
MANY Disasters This Year-Rapidity With
which the Flames Spread-Ffres OFTEN
Started by Poison Used to Kill Rabbits
Some Narrow Escapes n Heroism.

Which the Flames Spread-Ffres OFTEN
Started by Poison Used to Hill Rabbits
Some Narrow Escapes and Hero'srn'
Drought and bush fires are the twin
dreaded enemies OF Australian pastoral
ists and agriculturists, and Of these they
are always standing in bitter fear.
Heavy floods may occasion serious
masters. but the areas devastated by
these are OF comparatively limited extent,
whereas the ravages Of either Of n two
otber evils may extend over the greater
norton of a State, as in the case OF the
tremendous fiery outbreak which some
few wears ago enveloped the Victorian
rural districts with O raging mass Of smoke
and fame, rendering Black Thursday
date to be- ever remembered with sorrow
by hundreds OF industrious families VINO
found themselves suddenly confronted
With suffering and ruin, necessitating their
bednning the battle Of life afresh-
There have been not q few similar
disasters since then. writes a Sydney
correspondent OF the London Globe, and
he earlier weeks Of 1905 have found the
lister States of New South Wales and
Victoria waging a desperate battle with
The fire fend, who has everywhere been
threatening the farmers homestead and
the electors hut alike with destruction.
In Europe such widely spread outbreaks
are practically impossible, the country
bang too largely intersected by roads,
canals and railways: besides being oivioeo
INTO comparatively small areas by lofty
hedgerows, embankments, ditches ana
streamlets. In Australia 1T is otherwise.
II a fire breaks out in a Tatch o. dry erafs'
there is nothing to prevent its, spread
ing with lightninglike speed for yerY
many miles, Fences, as known In Eng
land, are not to be met with IN the COM
mcnwealth; neither are the stone walls
so common in many Parts OF Great BRIAN,
fences Of harbed wire or wire netting being
in universal use,
Although designated bush fires the out
breaks are by no means confined to the bush,
which is the Australian term for forest.
1t is rather the other way. After a period
Of drought the grass springsu up with marvel
lous raIidity, often to the hei9ht OF three
or four feet, and even more, furnishing a
secure refuge for rabbits and all kinds Of
ANNA pests. 1t is the same with the cereal
crops. But directly the hot summer sun
commences scorching everything In. the
field, the momen of danger has arrived.
4 single ST ark may kindle a confagration
beyond human power to e~Xtinguish. IL ls
Tbluublu lldJ WllDlh llC io-t ASV "NNNo
between two and three million acres OF
pasture and AGRICULTURAL land in New South
Wales and Victoria nave been swept py
the merciless flames.
The two leading causes Of bush fires are
the employment of phosphorus for rabbit
poisoning, and the careless use OF .vestas,.
or wax matches. The phosphorus, no
matter in what form 1t may be applied, Is
readily ignited by the SUMS heat, and it has
frequently been suggested that some KIN ~
substitute should be utilized during tie
warmer months Of the year.
As regards the use Of wax matches, at
empts have been made, but UNNECESSARILY,
70 secure the prohibition Of their sale, save
curing the Australian winter months. "A
lighted match thrown carelessly down the
other day by a tramp after lighting his
PIPE started q fire which consumed more
than thirty square miles Of pasturage and
growing crops. Recently a man was sent
NE roadside on his swag, when he lighted
MS pipe. Immediately afterward he found
ns swag on fire. He endeavored to beat
on the flames with his hat and shirt, but
U vain, Had he not been badly burned In
The effort to undo the mischief he had
sentence.
In another case q drunlen nan Get fire
3a patch Of di led grass In twenty-seven
anerent places. Fortunately his attempts
Wv witnessed by q couple OF Aborers,
ssno trampled out the iRnited ma be-
Iore the flames could spread. Scores OF
such cases have been reported, and there
y good reason for fearing that several
q the most destructive conia grations
haVe been wilfully occasioned. especially
", disa ppointed swagsmen.
uAs Illustrating the rapidity with which
ne names s7metimes travel, II Ia stated that
Shen the mail train left the Victorian Dor
a oeIf recently for Sydney the fire on either
S1e Of the line kept pace with 1t for several
on another part OF the railway the flames
s.ptead at the rate Il twenty miles a. hour.
nthe neighborhood Of Apollo Bay, Victoria,
ssorm Of wind sent the fire onward at the
SPSSu OF 8 mile per minute.
me losses Of live stock have been enor-
%ous' and millions Of rabbits have been
ceesroyed. In one place the flames showed
II = unhrcken frontage OF nearly thirty
tLaeS; Where not engaged In the struggle
~ Hle. men, women, and ever little chill
SSsn were found engaged as fire fighters.
G Eeat ~Gundagai, in New South Wales, the
ivy stock on one Of the stations was saved
X NE women folk attired in men q clothes.
" father and brothers being absent. A
~Susand acres Of grass and miles Of fencing
4 'GTTSS, however, destroyed.
. n lQorR has haaa N ed lA-- - Nha