The Queensland Floods.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2895, 10 February 1893, Page 3

The Queensland Floods.

{PBK PRESS ASSOCIATION) jSydney, February 9. A number of merchants subscribed £700, which was forwarded to-day to Brisbane, to aaust the sufferer* by the flood A public meeting has been caSed to raise relief funds and it is expected that the other eolomes will copy the example of Sydney residents, and take steps to alleviate the distress which is bound to follow the disaster. Brisbane, February 9. Train communication from South Brisbane was resumed to-day,, but a *ap of about 150 yards in Jepgth at Goodno has to be traversed by the passengers on foot in order to join fche train on the Ipswich side. The telegraph line has been temporarily repaired. Antigua Bridge, across the Mary river, which was swept away, cost" £80,000. Many small vessels lvin« in the river have disappeared. Thesis very little food in the city, and £15 is asked for a bag of flour_ The newspapers are beingjrmtcd at the Government Printing Office. It is. still raining intermittently, and more rain is predicted. It will probably be many weeks before a true estimate ot the damage can be arrived at. The gunboat Palumah and the steamer Elamang are now lying; in the pathway in the Botanical Qardens, where tbey were deposited by the flood.

The steamer Per went and tug boats are ashore near the month of the river. Three lives were lost in the city through a boat capsizing, ftud a boy named" Halters and a man named Florace were drowned by the upsetting of a punt. Two children were%owned in the State School ground. (Received February 10, 11.40 a.m.) Brisbane, February 10. A large residence at Hillend was swept away and it is belie vei the family perished. Frrnn Hillend to Stanley street, whole terraces of streets and houses ' have been demolished. The South Brisbane gasometercapsized and the streets are covered beveral inches deep with foul smelling mud. People. a<-e almost heart-broken by the ruin in which the city is involved. The misery and suffering of the homeless are heartrending. Women, besmeared with dirt and almost naked, trooped into the municipal buildings j as soon as the rooms were set apart for | the supply of provisions. Many sensational escapes from death are reported. A man was standing pn the river bank yesterday, when it gave way, and he was drowned before the very eyes of the crowd* who had to look helplessly on. (Received February 10,12.40 p.m.) Brisbane, February 10. At Kangaroo point, on the south side of the river, nothing is left but piles of bricks and iron. Button's foundry and shipping- yards, and Peacock's jam factory are entirely destroyed. A large amount of looting is going on among th« wrecked and abandoned houses. Some anxiety is felt about a large quantify of dynamite stored down the river, which is dangerous, owing to the wet. A detachment of military is being despatched to destroy the, damaged portion. It is roughly estimated that the damage to public and private property will amouut to two millions sterling. The Marquis of Ripon, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has cabled his regret at the disaster. A relief fund collected locally amounts to <£:JOOO. £1500 has been subscribed at Rockhampton, and funds are being started in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Tremendous explosions were caused by compressed air in the mines at Oympie, and many cases of wrecked buildings at' the mouths of shafts occurred.