FLOODED

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 532, 12 June 1909, Page 7

FLOODED

TROUBLE AT "C. sAlTi'inS. ,, • When tlio storcman opened tho door of 0, Smith's drapery warehouse in Cuba Street at a fow minutes before 8 a.m. yesterday morning ho stepped into what tie might havo been temptec to imagias was an aquarium. Instead of the customary clean dry boards, the floor was covorM with between two and three inches of wuier, and from a spot, in tho coiling a few ywrds back from tho main door a veritable cascade of tho "best Wainui" was descending on the gladooloured piles of materials so dear to tho feminine eye. ■ Nor was it coming down in one direct stream. In a mad merry mood the water traversed the seams, and ran along tho celling until it found a convenient dropping place What was underneath influenced it not, one way or the other. No time was lost in locating the cause of the flooding, which was a defect in a lavatory upstairs. The water affected the Manchester and dress departments, saturating piles of cretonnes, drees materials, calicoes, sheeting, napery, and boxes of blouses with reckless indiscrimination. As soon' as the staff arrived, the soaked goods wore convoyed into the backyard, and wore hung out to dry oil half a hundred lines rigged up for tho purpose. Another lot was dispatched per iragon to Mr .0. Smith's private residence at Oriental Bay, in order that, they may be dried aa soon as possible. Mr. Smith' estimates the value of the damaged goods at £700 and £800.