THE FLOODS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7321, 14 June 1902, Page 3

THE FLOODS

Nniur/ Train Si'rvk-e liiier-

N, !V .'i- k-fore i,, (lie history- of the liiKoiigh Inn then; beon 8 <M<-itci- seev of d.:y,>siution t.mn ni.w be witnessed tluvu^u! Iho Hok,-,,-]utu. practically ik'l o. '.vh:«u is ai tho m ßrC y o f (1)1. Mun.-.y.-.m. lie -.-oiilmuous rain SlC c, llniv.-cMy, which ha* be,-n f ;1 ]li IU? in the .country districts as we 1 as locally commenced to have an appreciable effect on t\v Manawntu about noon yestercW and throughout the following hoursr |f' nr,r rose steadily until at 1 o'clock .» inorumg the high water mark of the t-istep flood of 1897 had been reached, ihe nvar presented a most impressive spectacle, the massif eyliudors being covered by the Jterrifio rush of waters, the foam splashing feet hi-'h and roaring like heavy surf. Id the centre of th,> river the waves were like those of a storm-tossed harbor, dashin" vriin almost overwhelming forco against tiic bridge, winch, however, gave no signs of .yielding to the enormous pressure, the l'H.zherbert side of the structure being especially steady. At four o'clock this morning the water i i"fT U( £ lX inclles ki Sher tL»" the flood of 1897, and the river at the bridge was fully three-quarters of a mile wide, reaching wcl. over to the road running '•i°r U"r /-i' ln hills to lTitzlierbert West, Mr J 0. Batclichr's jwddoclc hem" submert'ed to a depth of several feel. The new approach on the Fitzherbert side withstood nil tho forco of tin? river, which ran like a mill-race against its sides, but between it and the rokd, at the foot of the Tiritctt road, (here was a furious stream flowing, both bridges near the corner ot the Cliff road being under water, tho river having overflowed its banks half-n-raile further up, and judging by the rate at which it was flowing across the road, practically all the formation will bo carried away. It ij, however, on the town side of the river that the greatest fear is to be apprehended. At Jnlf-past ons a.m. Mr Bastin^ and some of his staff proceeded through the low-lying portions of the Hokowhitu, and it was then comparatively dry, but by three o'clock the rirer had risen rapidly and overflowed its bank near Mr Snow's properly. From there it ran into the To Ngutu lagoon, opposite Mr Nauncstad's, which was soon bank high. Tho flood water, unable to escape in the nsn.il way owing to tho quantity of water in the river, and fed by a constant and increasing stream from the rirer at''Mr Snow's, quickly covered the surrounding country and at ten o'clock this morning the Hokowhitu was practically cut oft from the borough. The waters from the lagoon were flowing with terrific forco over the To Awe Awe-street bridge, in Avenue-street the water was level with the bridge rails, .Mr IT. G. Moore's house being nliuoit surrounded by the yellow flood. Farther down tho same street, the water had broken across the road, which wis covered to the ertetit of several feet, absolutely precluding communication, though fortunately owing to tha several houses being built on the hicher lands on th» side of the road, there was no immediate danger. The same state of affairs existed in tke lower portion of Alexandra street, the lagoon having overflowed near Mrs Sin.'ison's property, the whole of her front paddocks being Tinder water, which covered tho road a3 high as the bridge rails.

Jiu.ib.tnc and Scandia-streets were in like stato, the wat«?r being a foot high in several dwellings. Mr J. Smith had to remote Ins family, while at Mr Sutton's place the water was on a level with the windows. Owing to the impossibility of getting into the lower portion of. tho Hoko--ifhitu, nearer tho river bank, definite information as to the plight of tho residents ia not available at the time of writing, but it is understood there is no danger, the majority of the houses being built on high ground.

Just below the tannery the river i» mating ii clean sweep across the old Hokowhitu racecourse, a considerable quantity of the wafer running into the lagoon and backing up at the rear of Messrs Abraham and William's paddock on Fihsherbert road, while tie rest rejoins the flood near the bridge, flowing round by the high L.inks of. the disused road to the Hokowhitu from the Fitzherbeit bridge. The vrh.irea which have stood there for some considerable time wore parried awnv at .nine o'clock this morning. The shed at the rifle range stands out amid a sea of waters, and if th<> rirer rises much more, will undoubtedly be washed away. Tlio whares were occupied by a wellknown character named Peter Gray, who, no doubt, has lost all his few belongings.

At the corner of Arenuo and Fit/.her'.lert street?, the water was just on a level with the horse trough and was running with considerable force across tho road, threatening to ilood Fitzherbertstreet in its near vicinitj'. At tho corner of College and Filzher-bcrt-street tho water was also flowing Across tho road and through tho gardens of the houses adjacent, and while not- in any way dangerous, effectually any but equestrian or rehicular traffic.

It is slated that several head of stock hivvo been drowned in tho Hokowbitu, but nothing definite is asecrfcainable in th'U diree'ion. Residents of the locality wore engaged at daylight this morning in removing what stock they could to places ofsafoty. Sovcral horses running on the polo grounds had occupied tho high land surrounding it, and though they could not bo reached worn apparently quite safe. Wire fences had to be cut ia all directions to facilitate tho removal of cows, and it is hoped tho great majority havo boon tiken to safa ground.

Btyond the fact that the whole of the afreains aro in flood the western portion of tho town appears to havo escaped rornnikably well, a proof that the flood is.attributable to tho rains la tho Hawko's Bay and Dannovirke districts, rather than from the Iceal rainfall, judging, nowoveif, by the height of tho river, tho older residents of the town consider that groat damage will be done in the southern part of tho district, especially round about Jackoytown and Oroua Bridge-, whero it is considered tho Manawatu will back up tha Jlood water in the Oroua, causing tho latter to flood all tho surrounding district. The weather has not interfered with, ihn railway arrangements so much, as r.ii^ht bo expected. Tho only line on which traffic is intoriupted is the Foxtonl'.ilmfrston ono. Tho line is damaged a short distance beynnd Oroua Bridge. Communication will bo restored as soon &3 possible. The Manawatu line is so far undamaged, but tho country on both sides of the line for sereral miles is transformed into a hugo lako. The line through the Mnlcerna swamp is of course tho weakest portion of tho route, but the embankment places the rails bejrond the reach of the water. To be prepared for emergency, a special train vra-j despatched from Palmers ton to L-y.igburn. s0 that should any of the bridges be considered unsafe, the passpn^,;r, by the morning train from >> Ellington might not be delayed. Tho , n ""wcver was not needed and was fought bsck to Palmernton. The >.i.r-?a:uu, X.iiiior, and Wairarapa Tho nr:T t -,'"i moi' llul8 ™a to timeB ™aliYn S&We^ hwf«fW.ngan«i river at tho Gorgo' " ™ tll° Tho protectire -.ro'-k -*i h ci GVeek bridge on ncn°de4,; hLS0^ been washed airny. The rail™ iron which was dnren in for 15 feet to keon the crates of stones in place, i, bent and twisted, while some lengths aro torn completely out, tho force of the wutcr being so great.

Tho water was fully Fits fcot deep on tha road below Mr Hi'.nkins' house, Stoncy Creek, thij morning. The crock has fullan considerably during tho day.

Thn Mang.aone and Karrau creeks I hare botli risen till the miter ia flowing over Ilangitikei Lino in several places. Several settlers on Boundary Eoad found thu water had entered their houses this muraing. All tlis paddouks in tho neinity of the crcek3 are more or less I ucdir water, Iks ilangifiktfi rivur looks droadfully'

mnj^tic, with givat waves fully ten feet high bo tar ihe new bridge seems fully equal to tlio groi-.- * train and the pounding of the liti V logs that keep tearing down tho ri-, v .\ The r j ve , r j s , I£ , a| . ly „; high us .turiu- the great llood when all the bridges fell before its power. The rain seem'; very heavy still up the rank's and probably the ritcr may jet rise higher. On the nut below (freatford there is a large body of water, but su far the sheep i<ru in no danger. The Oimui is bank high, but seems lo have receded slightly. _ At half-past eleven this morning the river had risen nearly a foot since nine o'clock, ar.d gava every indication of rising still higher. The current still rushed furiously over the Te Awe Awestreet bridge, and a channel fully six feet wide has been washed away. The water flowiug past Avenue street corner into Fitzherbert-street gradually increased in volume as the river rose, and at the comers of College and Ferguson street, swept ucerosa Fitzherbert street aud Hooded both the former strculo causing considerable inconveuieace ts' residents who were complutcly shut off by the invading flood.

At the racecourse the river broke its banks and flowed behind the grandstand to the lagoon runaing urouud the back of the course and tkence into the river through the borough drain. At present uo damage lias been done, except to the banks, which were' washed array in big slices at a time. Just above the course and bordering the Esplanade all night and this morning portions of the bunk were washed away, sometimes with growing and fairly sized trees attached.

All the morning parties, including Messrs A. Strang, L. (Jr. WcM. and the police, have been rescuing Hokowhitu settlers in boats until at one o'clock it was reported to Ihe police thut everything a- d everyone were comparatively safe, especially as the riyer had not rise.i any more.

The rumours as to loss of stock were confirmed at a later hour during the day, Messrs R. Stevens and .1. Hill being stated to be tho heaviest sufferers, the former losing ful !y 1000 sheep which were running on tho Hokowhitu i'at. MiHill is stiued to have lost about iiOO hoad of ca!i!o running on tho Te Wi property, but tho report requires confirmation. A report was a'ro current that Mr Peter Gray bud boon drowned when his wbaro was washed away, but it has no found'ition.

At Stonoy Creek tho flood was equally severe, paddocks being ono sheet of water, even tho fences being invisible- in souio cases.

One family in tho Hokowhitu had to leave their houso during tlio night and take refuge in the loft, where they were rescued this morning. Pigs and poultry innumerable hare been drowned in the Hokowhitu, but though seyeral narrow escapes have been reported no loss of life has occurred

Detective Benjaman snd Constables Wood, Brcen and. Lander were most e_ergetic in attending to the removal of families, Sergeant Stagpoole having procured boats at an early hour in the morning from Mr A. Strang. of Awa puni. The latter, together Mr L. G. West, worked like Trojans all the morning pulling the boats wherever it was possible to take them or where they rrero ncedrd.

Sergeant. Stagpoole received .1 telegram this afternoon stiting that railway trafb'c with Napier was interrupted the other side of Woodville,

At two o'clock the river was falling appreciably, and all danger seems to be past.