TRANSCRIPT

Campbelltown News, Friday January 9, 1929

Fire!-------------Damnable Enemy.

Devastating sights. Homeless Families. Leumeah, East Minto and Kent Farms swept by hungry flames. Wedderburn threatened to be swallowed in a burning furnace. 200 Volunteers Futile Attempt to Prevent Ruination to Several Settlers. Miraculous Escape of Human Lives.

A spark allegedly from a passing Train at Leumeah early on Wednesday afternoon, commenced the most destructive Fire ever known in the Campbelltown District. The flames soon reached the bush country of East Minto and swept through thousands of acres, devouring everything before it. The alarm was quickly given, and over two hundred of Campbelltown and Districts Residents turned out to fight against ravaging flames, but not until several homes were gutted did the fire abate with any degree to ensure safety to other residences.

Front cover of the Campbelltown News. Text only.

About 1.15 on Wednesday afternoon the Campbelltown fire bell commenced to ring, word came through that Wedderburn was was alight. Several members of the Campbelltown Fire Brigade, with other volunteers, under the charge of Sergt. Marshall raced to the scene of the fire. A tremendous fight followed, and Bostock's home was narrowly saved. The fire raged throughout the whole afternoon and night. At one period it appeared that that lighters were cut off, being encircled by the flames. A party, with great danger, managed to reach the road and raced through volumes of suffocating smoke and intense heat to a safer zone, the flames were spreading as quickly as their car could traverse the rough road.

Shortly after 2 o'clock the alarm was given that Leumeah was alight, and again other volunteers in charge of Constable Parker sped to give help. The fire, which commenced near Leumeah Station, quickly encircled the homes of Messers E. Meredith and H. King, fortunately the fighters saved these places from destruction, yet the fire reached the steps of the homes. The terrific heat and strong wind lifted the flames across the Leumeah Road, placing Mr P. Bentley's residence in danger. Fierce fighting followed and Mr. Bentley's home was saved, but his outbuildings, a couple of motor lorries and half a dozen tanks of tar were lost. The fire raged with alacrity towards the river, burning out the Campbelltown Council's sanitary depot, and clean swept the home of Mr J. Mardell and all his belongings. Old Mrs Crane was carried from her home just before the fire took charge of her property. Mr C. Carter's residence was licked up, leaving a mass of twisted iron and golden ashes.

Mt R. Longhurst's home was narrowly saved, the old gentleman being assisted to safety almost in a state of collapse. Onward the fierce roar of the fire leapt hundreds of feet high, eating green trees and shrubs as if they were saturated with inflammable liquids. All this time Mr Dan Longhurst was endeavouring to make his new home safe, for several yards around he and his family cleared everything that would easily catch alight, but the earth was afire and the flames reached 40 to 100 feet across space and in an instant his home was burning from its four sides.

With wet bags about their bodies Dan and Mrs Longhurst and family were forced to leave, refuge in a well at McKenna's 100 yards away was thought of but the flames swept over the well. Through a bush track they ran, their clothes almost alight, his ponies racing past singed to their skins. A pet lamb lay roasting, two magpies croaked their last. A valuable pony whinnying in the stable made Dan return through the dense smoke and horrifying flames, he reached the door and saved his pony, but the sulky and harness, motor car, fowls, everything, his life hard work and savings, were gone, his new house completed that very day burned to the ground. Dan and his son Colin saved McKenna's from ruination, while scores of fighters were battling against odds protecting A. Mitcherson's home, but D. Hammond's and Mrs Gracie's residences were razed to the ground. Everywhere lay ruin, settlers helped each other to save some of their belongings, chairs, beds, tables, clothes, were carried to the roads, often the flames licked them up. At 9 p.m. the fighters stood and viewed miles of smoldering and blazing trees, - tired, scorched, bruised and sad.

Shortly after 11 p.m. the fire bell again rang and again over 200 fighters raced to the Soldiers' Settlement. Thank God the wind changed and so saved the Digger holdings.

Yesterday (Thursday) as we were at press, scores of persons were fighting renewed out breaks and saving homes.