GYMPIE UNDER WATER.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 662, 16 April 1870, Page 4

GYMPIE UNDER WATER.

[gympie times, march 19.] Although there seems to be no reason to apprehend a return of tho heavy mass of water which overflowed the town of Gympie a few days ago, the weather continues most disagreeable, rain continually falling, excepting at times when there are illusive glimpses of sunshine. The wind has not changed for any length of time, the general direction having been S E — the rainy quarter. The water which has flooded the One-mile township has fallen very slowly, as might be expected, and we are afraid this will entail continued hardship and misery upon many poor families whose former dwellings have been ruined and who have been compelled to provide temporary and comfortless shelter for themselves during this wretched weather. Those houses in the One-mile which have not been upset and carried away will be destroyed through the length of time the^ have remained in the water ; «»-'■; j those persons whose prfl^ woitainly swept down the " ; - ..mses have been to be ni +i - " *xver are not the only ones x .oiect. Even those d^Tellings" from which the flood fallen away, and which re-occupied, are anything b^V I nt to live in. The main street of Gymr&s is in a wretched state ; very few Oi the stores and humpies are in theyy former condition, some of them bsihg upset and others being in various stages of destruction. The large masses of debris which collected in many places have been cleared away to some extent, but still there remains a dirty, disgusting, and unwholesome coat-^ ing of mud and filth around and abotft most of the buildings. / A detailed account of the promises in the main street of Gympie r which have suffered from the flood^will ho doubt be interesting to our readers at a distance. The waters reached the floor of Mr Hardcastle's new drapery establishment — the farthest point in that direction. The proprietor took the precaution of moving his valuable goods into the Masonic Hall. In Patterson Bros.' store the water rose, two feet high, and in Morse's Bendigo Hotel three feet. In Crane's shop and Barton's ■ Newmarket Hotel it reached to the top of tho verandahs. In Waugh Hing's Chinese store it rose ten feet. In Murphy's .Travellers Rest and Stephens's Nil Desperandum Hotels the water reached to within a few feet of the ridge-poles. Scowen's Hotel and Elworth and Mellor's shop were covered. Nenstadt's store has been so much twisted that it will be necessary to rebuild it before it is fit for occupation. The bowling alley was completely covered. In Waters and Jenkins' front store the water rose to within a few inches of the ridgepole ; the building escaped, however, without much damage being done, but the factory at the back, which contained all the machinery, a Jarge number of bottles, &c, has been completely washed away. It has been since found lying within 100 ft of the river. Jones' varieties store has been completely destroyed, and its remains are lying in various parts of the town. Mr Jones is a heavy loser. Gunner's Sovereign Hotel was covered ; the verandah is now lying on the footpath, and the house has been so much shaken that it will have to be rebuilt. Megee and Westfold's boot factory has been taken down ; the proprietors have had a good deal of stock destroyed ; a new shop will be commenced next week. Ferguson's new mill, which had just been completed, has been greatly damaged ; the sheds have been carried bodily away, and the cottage capsised. A party of men are busy repairing the damage done. In Wreide's tobacco shop the water rose ten fee',. In Moody's shop (which lies low), 16ft. Tomlinson's jewellery shop has toppled over ; it was nearly covered. In Ah Long's Chinese store the water rose 18ft; in Elworthy and Mellor's butcher shop 14ft. The premises of Messrs Stewart and Campbell, tailor and bootmaker respectively, were both under water. Mr Culmsee, of the Royal Hotel, is a very heavy loser ; his premises are a total wreck ; he estimates his loss at L3OO. Mr Culmsee complains bitterly of the dastardly conduct of some prowling Bneaks, who entered his house during the flood and stole everything which they could place their hands on ; even the billiardtable, which Mr Culmsee says was all right on Sunday morning, had the cloth torn from it, and otherwise damaged. In King's tailor shop, Hooper's fruit shop, and Farrow's library the water rose 12ft high, and in Dillon's (bootmaker), and Stuckey's (general dealer), 15ft. Elworthy and Mullor's old shop had 12ft of water in it, Stapleton's (bootmaker), 9ft, Victorsen's, s^ft, Culinane's store, 4ft, Reefers Exchange Hotel, 14in. In the crocodile bakery, the water rose 6ft, and destroyed the oven. In Mrs Scott's dressmaking establishment it rose 14in. At Mrs Young's millinery shop, the farthest point to which the water reached in the lower end of the street, it rose 2in. The back buildings were nearly under water ; crossing to the opposite side of the street we find that the water reached to Mr J. and J. Burns' premises. In the main shop it rose 14in, in the receiving stores (on the opposite side of the street), 4|ft ; nearly 100 tons of goods had to be re-

moved In Thredgold's house it rose 4ft. In Kelly s Brisbane Hotel, sft, in Dowlmg s stables, nine feet. In Hyam's fancy store, the flood rose nearly 20ft, and a groat deal of the stock was destroyed. In Jumn *2 ai ? De Paris Hotel the water rose 10ft five inches. William's fruit shop was covered, and in Cockburn's blacksmith shop the water rose seven feet over the roof. Newell's auctioneer's was under water and is now completely destroyed. - Mr Newell lost a number of valuable papers, &c. In Goodwin's Rose of Australia Hotel the water rose 19ft: all. the handsome fittings which had rerecently been placed in the house are completely ruined. Mr Francis, saddler, is a great sufferer: his handsome new shon^ has been carried away, and almo-* -gZ troved, his other buildin- ' i^ wl been damaged erp- J ' als ° hav , e dwelling ha»> ~ -** a y- ,D F Bvr ? e * it is *"• ° een Terv muc1 } shaken n d -oare.d that the foundation has, been aestroyed ; the back buildings -^ e re carried away. The water at Ganger's saddlery shop w^Tseveral feet over the ridge pole, Melbourne Hotel w#s u j n 38v' water, and has suffered consjjfer- . %61y. The water nearly covered Journey, Isles, and Co.'s shop. In JSUuntbn's boot shop, and Bolland's/hair-cutting saloon, the flood rose f oug-feet, an d in the Gympie Times office l&a. In Fraser and Buckland's old au^sion mart the water reached the flooj?r These are the J furthest premises towffich the flood extended on that side^a the street. . The^water at the One-mile, is still seySral feet deep in the main street. /Parts of- all the houses are now to be seen, and the place prevents a very melancholy appearance. To enter into a detailed reference to these houses under water, would be useless, as there is not a dwelling in the One-mile township which has not suffered more or less by the flood. Several of the houses have been entirely destroyed. Amongst thsm are Huey's Union Hotel, Mrs Muir's store, lately known as the " Queensland Hotel," R. A. and J . Kingsford's drapery establishment, Allen Gray's grocery store, Donovan's shop, and Geddes's store ; and Buchanan's, Thorsborne's, and Rice's Hotels are very much shaken. The suffering from loss of property in this locality will be very severe ; one family named Donovan, who recently erected" a new cottage, have lost it, together with a stock of leather, &c. ; the family have been struggling hard to get on, but by this they have been entirely ruined. We are afraid this is one instance out of many. The damage done to the houses on the Monckland has not been very great, comparatively soaking. Only one or two of them have been washed away, and a few shaken ; but the destruction to mining property is very great. At Walker's Pocket, fifteen houses have been washed away. The cottage and sheds of the old Pioneer Machine have entirely disappeared. The loss in this pocket will be much felt, as the people generally are very poor. At Briggs' Pocket, the destruction has been wholesale. Mr Briggs informs us that at least 45 houses and humpies of various descriptions have been swept off. The water stretched across the street. Mr Briggs' store, it rose 4£ feet. The place has quite a deserted appearance. Chinaman's Flat was quite lost sight of for several days, having been completely covered. It is useless to attempt to estimate or describe the amount of damage done to mining enterprises. A very large number of claims are swamped, the shafts having caved in, and an immense amount of labor and capital lost. When practicable we shall endeavor to obtain a complete report of the claims which have received injury. One thing is certain ; the main industry of the district has received a cruel blow.