DISASTROUS FLOOD AT GREYMOUTH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 37, 12 February 1872, Page 2

DISASTROUS FLOOD AT GREYMOUTH.

The following extracts from the Arc/us of Saturday will give some idea of the damage done by the late floods at the Grey. From Johnston-street seaward the entire line ' of buildings fronting the river has disappeared, and the buildings immediately behind the front row, including Strike and Blackmore's brewery, are left in a situation of considerable danger on the occasion of any future floods. With the buildings went the protective works, and the lower part of the town presents altogether a sorry spectacle. As if the flood were not a sufficiently serious disaster of itself, a fire broke out in the same block, and although it fortunately oid not spread, there was seen the rare sight of burning buildings tumbling into the turbid waters and floating out to sea. And fire was not the only companion of. the flood, i (Fears hre entertained that it was accompanied by loss of life, but there is no definite knowledge of more

than one fatal accident. From a house which floated away, containing one entire family, one young person, a son of William Dale, was washed away by the flood and downed, the other members of the family narrowly escaping a similar fate. * * * The ram resulting in this heavy flood began to fall on Wednesday, and during all that night it fell so constantly .that many feared the occurrence of an unusual fresh, but nothing more. Fxpectation was excited as the rain continued throughout Thursday, but the suddeness and extent of the flood exceeded all expectations. Towards afternoon the waters rose rapidly, and some time before dusk they had overflown the protective wo-ks, and were streaming into the b3ekpartß of the town by all the cross streets. Before this time, precautions had been taken by the Mayor and others to warn the inhabitants of all the low-lying parts, and to remove all families who desired to be removed. Towards dusk the number of emigrants from these parts increased, and all the principal hotels became crowded with family groups and iheir household gods. As the rivers reached the level of the protection works, and streamed along the streets, storekeepers busied themselves in erecting ingeniously-con-trived barricades at their front doors, and tbe?e were for a time serviceable in preventing the influx of the muddy water until goods were raised from the floors, but subsequently all buildings were more or less flooded, and householders and storekeepers patiently waited, kneedeep in the water, for the subsidence of the flood. * * * The risk to property was first most imminent at ten o'clock on Thursday night, and the locality where the danger was concentrated was between Boundary- street and the European Hotel. Not only were tbe protective works at tbis point most insecure, but an immense gathering of snags and of timber intended for the repair of the works accumulated in front of the houses, and begun to act as battering rams against the flimsy fronts. Even at that hour the appearances here were really alarming, the creaking of the houses, and the collapse of verandahs, indicating the immense pressure before which the buildings ultimately succumbed. Indicative of danger as the appearances were, most people continued to occupy their houses, though warning had been given, and boats engaged for their removal, and the wonder is that, when the crash came, several lives were not lost. As it was, there were some narrow escapes, and a few persons were in xery critical positions before they were saved by boats. There is a story of one man having been seen on the roof of a house, as it was washed out to sea, but there is no certainty that such was the case. It is true that Mr. George Sadler, of the Reef ton express, floated down the stream ior some distance on one of the buildings, but, at some risk, he reached the shore. Fortunately the floating away of the houses did not occur till daylight, otherwise the loss of property could scarce'y have failed to have been accompanied by considerable loss of life. The full account of the flood and its consequences occupies four columns of the Argus but as much of this matter can only be of interest to those who are well acquainted with the locality we shall in addition to the extracts abive given, only publish the list of the buildings washed away : — From Johnston-street to Arney-street — Anseline's Golden Age Hotel; Hildebrand & Weber, butchers; Hicks, fruiterer; two-storey building, occupied by Mrs Anderson; Joyce's old store; Foxcroft, tinsmith; Enniskillen Hotel; old Australian Hotel; building, occupier unknown; Giesking, store; Ship Hotel; two shops; cottage; Cove of Cork Hotel. Arney-street to Chapman- street — Alcorn's old store, o:cuppied as a dwelling-house; private dwelling-house; Moutray's bakery ; Whitffiore's cordial manufactory and private dwelling; Muller's European Hotel ; two cottages, and five small dwelling-houses; boat shed, and couple of cottages adjoining; powder magazine. Arney-street— Dale's CQttage,]and house adjoining Martin's stable. Up country, too, the flood is described as having been something tremendous. Our contemporary says : — The rivers and creeks began to rise above the level of ordinary floods at midday on Thursday, and by dark the Ahaura was higher than it was ever known to be. The oldest and highest flood marks were washed away, and the river was still rising when daylight disappeared. The island near Ahaura, on which Mr. Gough's new house is built, was under water, and for hours the people camped oa it, as well as Mr. Gough and his family at the ferry, were in great danger. The river broke through at Mr. M'Lean's house and rushed down the road towards the landing with the rapidity of a m'll-race. All the low-lying country was submerged, and great fears are entertained for ihe safety of the Old Ahaura, the foot of Nelson Creek, Camptown, and the Twelve-mile. The residents of Camptown were in an especially perilous position, because the Grey River has been continually eating its way in that direction during all the late floods. The farmers would suffer greatly, as the harvest work was generally going on, and great quantifies of produce were lying on the ground, exposed to the soddeniug effects of the fearful downpour oi rain. Great damage is reported from Half-Ounce to flumes and water-races, and from the swamping out of claims. One life has been lost at Dufier Creek from the effects of a landslip, and a serious accident happened at Noblt's from a similar cause. It is feared that the township at the Little Grey Junction will have disappeared, as the last flood made considerable encroachments there.