THE FLOODS.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 135, 9 February 1877, Page 5

THE FLOODS.

vi* — , j Some time must elapse before the public can be placed in possession of full and j reliable facts in connection with the floods of this week. In the present excitement and uncertainty, exaggerated . statements •will no doubt be made as to the extent of these, floods^ and the supposed .damage, but^ enough is already known to indicate

that the present is the greatest calamity of. the kind that has befallen the Colony since its occupation by a European population. The calamity is not only alocalone ; it isnot confined to one place, but appears to have been felt with almost equal results all over the country, and the amount of damage sustained is in the meantime quite incalculable. The rain commenced pretty generally all over on Sunday night, and continued to fall very heavily till Tuesday night, since which time we have had heavy showers. On Tuesday morning the Molyneux River was in heavy flood, and continued to rise rapidly throughout the day. Towards evening the aspect was a very gloomy one. Behind the township the river had overflowed its banks, and filled up the hollow ground as far as Charlotte-street, where it was checked by the embankment of the street formation. There it rose until it was within a couple of inches of overflowing. Had it got over, it would speedily have filled up the hollow ground on Mr Cramond's property, and then rushed down the main street. The consequences need not be calculated, as the water did not overflow the embankment. At the lower end of the street, however, (behind Mr Mason's property,) it did overflow, flooding Mr Stanbrook's paddock, Mr Mason's garden, and others', andrushed^in a torrent into the hollow behind the premises of Messrs Gawn, saddler, Nicoll, watchmaker, Ramage, tinsmith, &c, &c, where the greatest exertion was necessary to save live stock and other property. Mr Pine, coach proprietor, had part of his furniture removed, and, expecting a submergence, temporarily abandoned the establishment. The water, we believe, did not gain an entrance. As the river continued to rise, the water gradually crept up Renfrew-street, towards Clyde-street, and about 9 o'clock it found a passage through from Charlotte-street, crossing the footpath in Clyde-street, beside the shop of Mr Rolland, hairdresser. The post office was speedily surrounded by water, and between 10 and 11 o'clock the street was covered in front of Mr Stewart's store. At this time it was noticed that the river had ceased to rise, and it shortly began to recede. Thus all clanger of damage within the township was at an end ; the streets which had up to that time been patrolled by many anxious citizens, assumed their wonted quietness, lights speedily disappeared, and Balclutha was asleep. Since then, the river has continued very high, and the weather unsettled, but all believe the crisis to be passed, and that, too, without damage to any extent having been sustained by any one within the township. In consequnce of the extraordinary and unnecessary disarrangements of the mails, the wet weather, and the people having more than enough to do to protect their property, tlie accounts from the surrounding districts are somewhat meagre. There does not seem, however, to have been so very much flooding, except upon inch clutha, which has suffered dreadfully. On Wednesday the lower half of the Island was completely under water, in manj 7 places to a depth of three or four feet. It was noticed on Tuesday afternoon that the river was just level with the banks on Mr Anderson's property, opposite the lower reserve. During the night it had gone over, filled up the lagoon at Balmoral, and flowed down the Island, flooding to a greater or less extent the properties of Mrs Bowler, Mr Peter Lawson, etc. The lower portion of the Island was gradually flooded by back-water. Messrs Kinness and M'Gawn had to clear out, and leave everything to the mercy of the water. Mr Wright had only about two acres clear, and Mr Mosley had 400 or 500 acres under water. The properties of Messrs Smaill, Bell, Harvey, Dickson, and others were very much covered, and considering the extent and strength of crop in that quarter of the Island, the damage must be very great. In the STIRLING AND KAITANGATA districts the damage has been comparatively trifling, the ground not having been submerged to any great extent. THE WAITEPEKA AND FOUR-MILE CREEKS were much flooded, and the road and adjoining flats were covered with water. THE PUERUA very much maintained its ordinary level. Rain fell on Monday at CATLINS, but the rivers were but slightly flooded. Outdoor work was carried on as usual on Tuesday, the inhabitants being in blissful ignorance of the pitiable condition of so many of their fellow-colonists. Through tlie gross negligence of some one, NO MAILS arrived at Balclutha from Dunedin or even Tokomairiro from Monday till 11 o'clock on Wednesday night, when they were brought by coach. The coach for the south waited for the mails at Balclutha on Tuesday till too late to start for that day. Since then it has been running regularly up to time independently of the mails, which seem to be thoroughly mismanaged between Dnnedin and Balclutha. The contractor for the mail to and from Port Molyneux and adjacent districts also waited on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Dunedin mails, and only started on his trip yesterday forenoon. So far as we have heard all the roads in Clutha district are quite open, and the mail service could be carried out regularly but for Dunedin. The ordinary traffic is uninterrupted. DUNEDIN. We learn from our Dunedin contemporaries that Dunedin has felt the effect of the flood severely. In Maclaggan-street the water-channels assumed the dimensions of mountain torrents. The cellar at Messrs North and Scoullar's establishment was flooded — damages about £300. Mr Murray, of Rattray-street, is a loser to the extent of LSO. The pathway in front of the police station in Maclaggan-street Was almost impassable for two days. The bonded warehouses between Crawford, and Bond-streets have sustained considerable loss owing to the cellars having several feet of Avater in them. At the Universal Bond, about L2OOO jyorth of sugar has been damaged. The Daily Times of Wednesday says . — " The Rattraystreet steps are likely to disappear altogether if the present weather continues much longer. Last evening there were about 300 people earnestly watching the locality, the earth gradually falling away at the rear of Mr Pritchard's forge, where an enormous slip recently occurred and j knocked down the old forge and dwelling--!

. house. On one, occasion yesterday, about 25 tons of earth came down with a great crash against the new building, which for a moment appeared as if it were about to suffer the same fate as it predecessor. The two cottages bordering the precipice at the rear of Mr Pritchard's house and the steps will probably be down before this morning dawns. The hill in this locality is now full of very open fhsures, and one large piece threatens to fall in a body. The steps have been carefully blocked, and the residents in the immediate neighbourhood, not feeling particularly safe under the circumstances, have found fresh and safer quarters. Besides several other landslips in Rattray-street, the Gulverts have been ripped up and trees thrown into the middle of the street." The retaining wall of Knox Church was i being damaged by the water from Pitt T street. The Shamrock and Albion Hotels have suffered severely. Opposite the Australasian Hotel, one of the Corporation lamps was torn from its position, and deposited in the centre of the street. A very serious landslip has occurred at the Princes-street cutting, near Mr J. M'Laudress's boot shop, which is situate at the corner of Princes and Dowling streets. In Princes-street the cellars of Messrs Herbert, Haynes, and Co. , and those adjoining, have been flooded, and the damage is extensive. The foundries of Messrs Burt, Sparrow, and others, were flooded. At Messrs Burt and Murdoch's sawmill there was about three feet of water in the furnace, and the Works had to be stopped. The foot of Frederick-street was covered with water all Tuesday to an extent never known before. At a quarter to twelve on Tuesday forenoon a small house in Leithstreet, near St. David-street bridge, formerly occupied by Mr Gebbie, gardener, was bodily carried away by the force of the flood. The house was for some time jammed against the bridge, and it presented a very comical appearance as it floated along before being smashed to pieces. Fortunately, the inmates had just completed moving their furniture when the current caught the building and a large piece of section besides. Messrs Marshall and Copland's -brewery, situate near the bridge, is in a very precarious condition, part of the stone wall having been undermined. The timber re** taming wall along Castle-street was gradually disappearing. The Water Works are reported to have overflowed considerably. On Tuesday a body of water about four feet deep was sweeping over the banks of the reservoir. The old Botanical Gardens suffered no little damage, the embankment crumbling away very radidly. The Forbury Flat was the scene of numerous exciting and narrow escapes during the present flood. A great many of the residents had to leave their homes to the tender mercies of the pitiless storm. There was about '2ft. of water in Jones' St. Kilda Hotel. Most of the houses in the locality were surrounded with water, and rafts had to be employed to extricate the inmates. In one instance four children, the youngest being about six months old, were found keeping a table from floating by standing upon it in the centre of their parlour, and their rescue was very timely indeed. One man distinguished himself by extricating several drowning families from their perilous position. The Government workshops were entirely flooded. THE RAILWAYS have suffered severely, and traffic has been stopped on all the lines communing with Dunedin. Of the Clutha lines, the Daily Times says : — " No damage was reported up to Tuesday morning, and the first train left Dunedin at 7.5 a.m. as usual. It proceeded on its journey safely, although slowly, until it reached Milton, where it was brought to a standstill by the news that the hne was impassable at Clarksville. It was intended to send the train back in the afternoon, but it was then too late. The first train from Dunedin to Greytown made its journey 'in safety, and at half -past one a train went from that town to Mosgiel. It was then found that the line was impassable at Waihola, and later on another break was caused by the flood about a mile beyond Mosgiel. On the return trip from Mosgiel, Mr Conyers, who was in the train, made a careful examination of the line, and found that the bridges in the various places had been so much shaken that it was unsafe to keep communication up." INVERCARGILL. There has been no very heavy rainfall in Southland. It rained on Monday, but out-door operations were resumed on Tuesday. The creeks are high, but injury has resulted only on low lying-farms where harvesting operations have commenced. Crops have been somewhat damaged. MATAURA. The rain was heavy, and the creeks are high. Great damage has been done to the crops. The flats are all flooded. RIVERTON. Heavy rain, but no material damage reported. LAWRENCE. . The foot-bridges and a considerable portion of the main road are destroyed. The Waitahuna River is very high, and one bridge is washed away. Several houses in Ross-Place have been flooded, and a small portion of the filling up at the Railway Station has been washed away, which shows the necessity of a retaining wall. Tbe water has cut a deep channel for itself, and is now much lower. Tho storm has been fearful at MANUKA CREEK. No one in the district has ever seen the streams so high before. The railway is stopped, and consequently there are no j mails. Much damage is done to the line* I CHRISTCHURCH. All the rivers are flooded. TIMARU. Portions of the Northern Railway have been damaged, and crops are much injured. NASEBY. Considerable damage has been done to mining property and the Government sludge channel. W'AIKOUAITI. Traffic is entirely stopped* The rivers are very high, and there is no lull in the weather. •QUEENSTOWN*. No report has been received of any damage done by the heavy rain, which has fallen for the last two. nights. The weather is very unsettled. Harvest operations are at a stand*still. Weather very cold. MOSOIEIi. - Tho flood has surpassed any former one in the recollection of an inhabitant of . 14.

I years' residence by 18 inches. Tho Silver Stream bridge, between Mosgiel and West Taieri, has been swept away. Snow (hotelkeeper), Renton (farmer), and all parties in the Bush have lost their crops. All the settlers about the Bush have had to clear out. The Mosgiel Factory is able to continue AVork, but the railway from Mosgiel to Outrani has flooded a lot of the settlers' land on the line, as it has dammed back the water of the creeks— the bridges being too small. It is believed that onehalf of the line to O.utram Avill , require to be made again. The old Mosgiel toAvnship is completely flooded. Mr Siioav has not aboA>-e three acres but Avhat is under water, out of 100 acres. It seems very evident that the railway contractors have made the bridges too small for the escape of the water. Knott's Hotel has been completely debarred from traffic by water at the station. The last flood Avas about nine years ago. I PORT CHALMERS. Rain in torrents — creeks and watercourses OA r erfloAving. Many landslips have j occurred, and heavy losses sustained, PORTOBELLO. j On the Portobello road there has been great destruction of property occasioned by landslips, hundreds of tons of eai-th coming aAvay, carrying with it crops, fences, &c. Mr Cowan, of Sandymount, estimates his losses at about £400 ; Avhile I the adjoining farms have also suffered severely. The roadway is a scene of Avreckage. The watercourses became choked up and the streams ran cloAvn the centre of the road^ tearing up the metal. The road, in fact, is almost, impassable in places. BLUESKIN. The worst flood ever known in Blueskin, the AVhole of the traffic completely stopped. All the houses on the low ground are completely gutted, and unless there is soon a moderation many of them will be swept away. The mails and coaches which are bound to the north are fairly stuck up. No lives lost as yet, though many families had to be removed at great risk, the furniture and contents of their houses being carried aAvay. The railway works are suffering materially. The police station stands in four or five feet of Avater, and Constable Moroney has been obliged to seek quarters elseAvhere. The Avail above the bridge has been swept aWay, and damage done in all directions. THE TAIERI. In consequence of the suspension of the mail service, the accounts from the Taieri are very meagre. Enough, hoAvever, has reached us to slioav that the flood in the district is Avithout precedent. On Wednesday, the place Avas almost in one broad sheet of water, unbroken even by the tops of trees or fences. The farmers are greatly disheartened at the loss of their crops, though fortunately nearly the Avhole of the stock has been saved. Mr Jas. Allan, Avho loses five hundred head of sheep, ia the heaviest loser. GREYTOWN. The spread of Avater here Avas most serious, driving the railway-station master out of his house, as also several other settlers out of theirs, and forcing them to take refuge at the Kent Hotel. The Avater reached to the roof of one or tA\ r o of the dwellings. A great portion of Mr James Allan's farm was under watei-, also other farms. It Avas with great difficulty the sheep and cattle were rescued. TOKOMAIRIRO. The loAv-lying portion of the plain was one sheet of Avater, and the main road Avas flooded to a considerable depth between the toAvnship and Clarksville. For the reason already stated, Aye are Avithout information as to amount of damages. (By telegraph.) Dunedin, Thursday, 9.10* p.m. The Star's Outram correspondent reports disastrous floods haA r ing visited the whole of the Taieri plain and LoAver Waipori district. On Monday night the river Avas rising rapidly from one foot to sixteen inches per hour, and about 3 a.m. a flood was imminent. Warning Avas given by some Avho Avere on the look-out to people living on loAv-lying ground. About 5 or 6 a.m. an embankment burst near Mr Borrie's, and immediately a cataract bf water poured doAvn on loAv-lying sections, carrying everything before it. Another break took place shortly af tenvards lower doAvn, and both streams meeting, the Avater soon flooded over the Avhole of the township. The people escaped to the bridge and the Buckeye Hotel, Avhich are both on rising ground, and at the other hotels shelter Avas formd, Avhich was much needed for the Avomen and children, as the rain still poured pitilessly doAvn, and it was very cold ; besides, by this time the embankment was broken all along, and the water Avas rushing doAvn every holloAV, laying down crop 3, and covering them with debris, and droAVning sheep, cattle, and horses. The rush of water Avas so sudden when the embankment broke, that those who had not taken precautions to drive their cattle to higher ground the night before or early in the morning,had to letthem take their chance. Every creek in the district Avas running full to their banks. Culverts Avere running over and bursting in some places. A melancholy accident happened about midday. There Avas a family named Cooper, consisting of husband, wife, and daughter, together Avith a lad staying Avith them, who obstinately refused to leave their place in spite of the persuasions jof others. Mr Nichol, butcher, o£ OutI ram, came with his cart for them but they refused to leave. Mr Robert Borrie, of Huntley, also brought horses to save them, but still they refused to go. He Avent again but still they would not budge, though by mid-day they Avere apparently in imminent danger. Mr Borrie made a third attempt to save them, and in doing so, sad to tell, he AA r as himself swept from his horse, and in spite of the efforts made to save him by his ploughman, T. Arthur, Avho swam to rescue him, he was SAvept under a hedge from 'which he could not be extricated, and was droAvned. He was a most promising young man, and his death has cast a gloom over the Avhole district. Much sympathy is felt for his mother, who is a Avidow. He died the death of a gallant man seeking to save the lives of his fellow-creatures. In the afternoon, a raft or rather punt Was made, and manned by Messrs P. M. Grant, J. Nichol, J* Black, and T. Henirioddj \vlvo set out on a perilous expedition, and rescued Cooper and some others who had remained in their houses, ' The floods began to abato about 6. p.m.,

and after a short time a few persons returned to their houses in the'toAVilship. Writing to-day, the correspondent says ; "The flood has left the streets of tho toAvnship to-day, and all hands have been busy in clearing up. The fences" haye nil been torn down, and the roads ; cut ' into holes. All the bridges on the Greytown road have been SAvept away. A large piece of the Taieri bridge is Avash'ed aAvayj and another portion is unsafe for traffic. - Several drays that could not be looked after were SAvept aAvay by the rush of water with harness and everything belonging to them. Mr James Shand fears he has lost L2OOO. Mr D. Borrie had forty sheep drowned in a paddock at the back of tho toAvnship. At 6 p.m. yesterday,, .tho plain, Avhich-had been like a lake all day, Avas rapidly resuming its natural , appearance, but there is still a largo body of Avater to run off. " _ \ .' It is feared that a shepherd of Mr Jas. Shand's has been droAvned. He Avas sent to drive some sheep out of the paddocks, and when tho water burst in, he Avas seen running for life, but has not since been heard of. The total losb is variously estiihated' at from £50,000 to £70,000. The heaviest losers are James Shand, James Allan, and the Henley Estate Co. The latter are reported to have lost 2500 sheep, besides cattle.