BALCLUTHA.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 222, 11 October 1878, Page 7

BALCLUTHA.

• ~. L- [We published the following as an Extra on Tuesday last;-—]

->- Since Friday last the weather has continued fine, wi fh the exception of a few - 1 showers on Sunday. Thg river has continued to fall steadily, but slowly. The water is now off the greater part of the main street, with the exception of the vicinity of the Post-office and the south end. The centre is dry, and both ends are yet under water, and a strong current t running. The <following streets may also be said to.be clear : —Charlotte-street (the gravelled porjbion), William-streetj. Eliza- / beth-street, Renfrew-street, and Lanark-. r'"\ T^eet. All the streets between Clydesfcreet and the railway, south of and .including John-street, are more or less^ i under water, and in some of them pretty j strong, currents are running. These last j- mentioned streets are also very much cut I up into holes, and are dangerous to ' traverse, many of these holes being very t large and are where they would be least » expected. At the top of Gordon-street a » hole the width of the street is cut right across Clyde-street, and extends to about Janies-street. Indeed, Clyde j\j and James-streets Gordon-street seems completely washed away to a great depth —probably "-"from five to twenty feet. Another similar hole occurs in the main street at the top of Argyle-street, and the old culvert at the southern boundary is washed away. It will thus be seen that in the meantime the main street is not only dangerous, but utterly impassable, and-.from the extent of the holes some time must, elapse before any vehicle can get along it. It should be at once fenced at the south end to prevent strangers ? entering, and thus prevent additions to ? the already heavy calendar of accidents. I • . Balclutha at present pesents a most ''.-. dilapidated appearance, especially toI wards the south of the township. There I is scarcely a fence standing, while gardens - are filled up and obliterated. Everywhere : is mud and gravel pits, and it will nn- ? doubtedly take years to restore the town- ■ ship to its previous condition. .'" Yesterday his Worship the Mayor and : the members of the Works Committee of I the Borough Council made a tour of in- ; spection of the township, but from the - quantity of water yet upon the streets : • they found it impossible to estimate the ■ damage or to do anything towards repairs. Probably some action may be decided upon to-day. : A- mimber of accidents and narrow escapes occurred yesterday. A lady was seen piloting her way towards the back of her house with a pole, when she suddenly disappeai'ed. She immediately came to the surface, and struck out boldly to swim for the nearest shore —a good many yards off —which she reached in safety. A gentleman who was close by picking his way also with a pole saw .the accident, and hurried to the rescue. Before reaching the lady he also dropped into a watery pit, but got out, and then lent a helping hand to the unfortunate lady. Somewhere-about the centre of Barr- ; street a horseman suddenly disappeared into an immense hole. The Works Committee of the Borough Council happened to be on the spot at the time, and rendered every assistance, otherwise the result might have been serious. On Saturday a gentleman on horseback came into the township by the main road from the south. His first dip was at the , culvert, but which, owing to the strength and spirit of his horse, he got through safely. At the top of Argyle-street he had a swim of about 30 yards. The next hole encountered was at the top of Gordon-st., where matters got rather serious. In the hole there is wire fencing, into which Ms horse once or twice got entangled, and once fell back over on his rider. The two then parted company ; the rider had to swim about 70 yards and the horse 200 yards before reaching dry land. We abstain from giving names in the above cases, as this could only have the effect of gratifying curiosity and causing anxiety to friends. Besides, many other cases of the same character have no doubt occurred. It is to be lioped these dangerous occurrences are now aboiit over. FATAL ACCIDENT. A deep gloom was cast over the entire community on Sunday forenoon when it became known that a fatal accident had occurred in the township. As the river had fallen considerably during the previous night, and as portions of the streets were consequently getting dry, many of - the inhabitants on both sides of the township naturally, felt anxious to ascertain the condition of their houses and property. There was no difficulty in getting into the town by the bridge from the north side, but as the culvert at the southern boundary had been washed . away, and as . the current continued strong across the road in that quarter, there was great difficulty in getting in from the south. But the danger was not so much owing to the depth of water and strength of current as from the uumerous I large holes that had been formed in the streets. These being filled with muddy i water, could not be seen, and many narrow escapes from drowning have therefore occurred. Most of those who attempted to traverse the known dangerous ground groped their way with long poles, and thuf-^jomewhat reduced the danger. ' Alexander 'Davidson, coal merchant and , carrier, with his wife and family, were amongst those who had gone to the south l^ side, and Davidson was also one of those *^ who risked an attempt to get to his house »i on Sunday morning. He was, indeed, i upon another mission. Mr Galloway and f his family had found shelter during the flood at Four-Mile Creek, and one of his «" ' children having died suddenly of croup, at- iMr Davidson had come into the township j£ with the measure for the coffin, and to £ make some arrangements in connection &._ with the .funeral. He, however, never 1 reached his destination. While groping his way in Barr-street, close to the house belonging" iio Mr Tosh he suddenly fell into. a large hole, and was drowned. Search was madfe for the body all day on Sunday;.but without avail. It was, however j recovered on--Monday forenoon, and taken to the Grown Hotel., \\]<i\_y^. THE INQUEST; .--:.- -. . \ An inquest was held before Dr, J. G. Smith (Coroner) iat -.; the > Crown Hotel, Balclutha, on Monday, the 7th October,

touching the death of Alex. Davidson. The following jurymen were sworn :— John Macdonald (foreman), Thomas 'Mackenzie, Alexander M'Kechnie, John Low, W. Mason, James Low, George Bain, W. Lester, Henry Sydney Reunert, Alexander Baird, Robert Strachan, and William Wilson. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was given : — Robert Henderson, sworn, said : I an a carpenter, residing at Balclutha. Aboui half-past eight o'clock yesterday, the 6tl October, the deceased, Alexander David' son, and myself started to come into the township from up at Tosh's. We goi down as "far as Barr-atreet all right. About the centre of it the deceased wenl over a fence, put a stick into a hole aboui seven feet deep, and could not find anj bottom ; he lost his balance, and tumbled in. We were both over the fence then. He got out, and we both went up the back of the fence, about 200 yards, and then came to a gate leading into Barrstreet. We both arrived at the gate together , and . went through. He put down his stick into a hole to try the depth, he then lost his balance, and fell into the hole. After he fell in he disappeared. When he came to the surface, I gave him my stick, about eight feet. long. He caught hold of it, and pulled it with such force that it went out of my hands. I lost my footing then, and was nearly in the hole myself. He then sank, and when he came up again was down the stream several yards. I threw in a long box, about six feet long by two feet wide. It did not reach him, and he sank shortly after. He never spoke after falling into the hole. The second time he came up he appeared very feeble. Two strangers were with me at the time, and one of them assisted me to throw in the box. None of us could swim ; we asked the question of one another at the time. I have seen the body to-day, and recognise it" as that of Alexander Davidson. Duncan Macfarlane, sworn, said : I am tollkeeper at the Balclutha bridge. I started in search of the body this morning, at about a quarter to eight o'clock. After dragging the hole for about two hours I found the body, about half a chain length from where he had fallen in. The water was about ten feet deep where I found it. It was not in the deepest part of the hole. I recognise the body as that of Alexander Davidson. After about ten minutes' deliberation the jury returned the following verdict, " That the deceased, Alexander Davidson, was accidentally drowned on the forenoon of Sunday, the 6th October, in Barrstreet, Balclutha.