DAMAGE TO THE RAILWAY.

Hastings Standard, Issue 300, 19 April 1897, Page 3

DAMAGE TO THE RAILWAY.

GREAT (.APS NEAR TIIE BRIDGES. TIIE WAITANGI APPROACHES GONE. THE WIIAKATU RAILWAY PLATFORM WASHED AWAY. The damage to the railway line had been very great, and, although a number of estimate* of the damage and the time required to repair the same have Leon made, still at this stage it would b« injudicious to state with any positiveness how long it will be before the line to Napier can be repaired. As two bridges will have to be built it is expected that trains will not get through for at least three months. Enormous gaps have been made, and these have taken place mostly near the bridges, while in places the rails have been shifted bodily and firiii d into all shapes. Leaving Napier the first gap is mad • between A»vatoto and the Wailaugi bridge, where the lagoon broke through ami made a breach, estimated at about 200 yards, into the sea. and a stream is now running about 1(5 feet deep. Here a tremendous body of water was running, and great risk will be experienced until the damage is lixed up. Going on to the Waitangi bridge, the sv»ift current has scoured the earth away from the approaches for about two or three chains on either side, and the bridge now stands in an isolated position in the stream. This will prove one of the most expensive parts, as it would appear, owing to the depth of the water, that the bridge will have to be extended at both ends. From Waitangi to Farndon only very smali str-tches of the line remain in their former position, and for a distance of one mile the line is completely torn up, a platelayers' house in one plan- l»arii:i; a In avy burden of rails whu-h had b< -.m on to it, the rail- b-. .m,' turned in all sort* < f faiita-rii -dntpt -. From Farndon < » \\ hakatn trreat length-: (1 f line have Imh torn up, and at the latter plate the platform va.-. clean wa-hed awa} , hav in.; tiii frsme work and the building standing. '1 he lilie for some threo-qua: :< r- of a i :i!«.-b-fiVnti W hakatn an 1 Kai.iii.ii bni v h.\< ai-o -u:Yer« I i> : i- ral rail- U ::ig ea-t k-idv u\. r. l' i -iw 'me id-.a i f tht f re. <>f tin w.-.t- r. »!..■ h have K ii. ich h :1 ;:i oth» r part-, it imu'ht Le n.tiid that a San;. -;.iek - f hay ha-lx-en d. jvs:*.. d right in tin trick \vh« n ti.t. line i re-, i ;-,y ran. K.ir.i::..' i tidj< ->v. - :• L i\ t - -ti«d i: ; ;r; . i■ il r f,1* :>v, t n !.■ :» as. i ' v i j. «\. i <:s .-it l-i:, i'-..: id t':.. e'.-■.!-«. and ai--.,.: «■:.;* -.«- :!■ n da;.: whir. :h- ru:l- La-■ nt U< n ; --i > \ • r Ips; U> ila.-Lin.rs no ■Li! !m- i i.t n d>iii. only a r :r... k i», ing itittde dovui the side v>» Liit.