GREAT DAMAGE DONE. DISTRICT STORM.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 8, 28 July 1883, Page 2

GREAT DAMAGE DONE.

DISTRICT STORM.

On Monday last the weather was exceptionally fine, and even the most weatherwise predicted a fine week, and others went so far a's to think that the force of the winter's bad weather was spent. On Tuesday, however, a most unfavourable change took place ; the clouds gathered and frequent showers fell. As the evening approached the rain became steadier, bu-j accompanied by occasional squalls with high wind from the southward. Towards midnight on Tuesday these became more violent, and early on Wednesday morning a perfect hurricane, with very heavy rain, set in. This was so great that the frailer tenements rocked like small crafts at sea, and even the more substantial buildings felt the huge elemental force that was opposed to them. On day breaking on Wednesday small erections of all descriptions were found to be levelled, and the back yards of a number of tenements presented a wrecked appearance as far us their outbuildings went. The rain, even during the intervals of the squalls, fell heavily and incessantly, and when the wind rose was driven like sleet before it. ! Very soon the ground was a streaming platform, little waterworn gullies that are generally dry became foaming torrents, and the larger watercourses were changed into dangerous rivers. Business as a matter of course was almost if not wholly suspended, and traders, not satisfied with closing their doors, took the precaution to put up their shutters to withstand the terrific strength that was hurled against their windows in the elemental strife. It was just as much as a strong man could do to breast the south-east gale that blew, and at times even the strongest had to temporarily RHccumb and hold on, till the blast went by, to the nearest fixture, whether fence or building. A most peculiar effect was noticeable in the streets, and on the roads specially exposed j to the wind and rain. As all who have had the melancholy pleasure of traversing these thoroughfares of late know, the depth of mud has been more than is usually found amongst civilised communities, whilst its stickiness is a caution to all who have encountered it. The successive storms however of Wednesday did more scavengering in this direction in a few hours than the joint neighbouring and present Connty Councils would have done, had their intentions been the best in the world, have achieved in a like number of months. The wind and rain seemed to have formed an anti-mud coalition, for whilst the latter moistened and washed away tons, the former assisted in the good work by blowiug the loose soil in every direction away from the crown of the road. Thus on Thursday Whitaker-street was cleaner ann more passable than it has been for months past, and it vas actually possible to cross the street opposite Walker's without getting over your boot tops. This however is, we fear, the only good feature in the matter. As we have already stated, the fir.st assaults were directed against the outbuildings generally, but as the day wore on the fury of the gale seemed to increase, and it did literally, in nautical phraseology, " blow great guns." Getting along the street on foot even became almost an impossibility at times, and the blinding showers were driven through the thickest overcoat, whilst the main and other streets were pools of water. The river quickly rose, and towards evening the floods on the other '-ide extended for milus. As referred to elsewhere, the coach driver said there was no roid. in fact there *vas but an inland sea, with a track submerged somewhere in ils depths, but only the most experienced travelleis could t -11 where it wns to be found. All the houpee on the other side of the river had water in them to a greater or less extent, and Dibsell's became a veritable island. As a natural consequence traffic was put a stop tn by road, and things generally were beginning to look very awkward towards the afternoon, as ihere seemed to be no chance of a break. About noon the clouds lifted somewhat, but as time wore on the gale became worse than ever, and it was thought that we should have at leas* another twelve hours. After nigLtfo.ll, however, the gusts and showers were less frequent, though still coming with great violence, but as the night wore on they subsided, and at daylight on Thursday, though the sky was still overclouded, the rain had ceased and the wind dropped, giving every promise of a fine day. This was fulfilled, for though the weather was threatening no rain fell, and up to the present time no repetition of the convulsion has taken place. To detail nearly all of the casualties would be impossible, and much more damage than is at present known has undoubtedly been sustained. As a matter of course the weakest tenements suffered most, and to use homely phrase went to the wall. A' number ot windows, fanlights, &c, were blown in, in addition to the backyard destruction mentioned above. Mr O'Halloran, our well-known Knight of the Hammer, was unfortunate again. On the occasion of the last windy visitation he had his stables blown down, and the front of his place blown out. Since then he made the latter secure, and re-erected commodious stabling in lieu of that formerly destroyed. This, however, shared the fate of its predecessor, and was levelled to the ground, one of the sides, a veiy substantial and heavy pieoe of the structure, being blown at least thirty yards from its original resting place. Smaller ■ boards were carried any distance, some of them going altogether out of sight or ken. A small wooden house, belonging to Mr Bullock, situated in Bridge street, and occupied by an unfortunate named Murphy, was not only upset but was battered into matchwood, whilst in the same street two other cottages were blown oven The new house lately erected by Captain Moore suffered probably more than any other in the .township. At the first start the roof •it the rear whs taken off bodily and sent spinning in the air, the sheets of iron as they became detached- in their aerial flight rising into space like autumn leaves on a windy day, and falling at considerable distanoesfrom where they were dislodged.

Had, unfortunately, any one been .-struck by either of them when, alighting thers would have been a sad tale to tell. Happily, however, such was not the case. After the iron had left its holding much of the woodwork of the fated house followed in varied gyrations. Fpr some time tho left side of the roof, though exposed by the back having been torn off, held its own, though from Whitaker street, it could be seen to lift and flap up and down just as a canvass fly does over a tent. After some time all the fastenings became unloosed, and the released iron also was wafted away into space, falling near its late neighbors, strewn about in all directions. The occupants of the house as a matter of course baat a hasty retreat, but beyond the rain flooding the now unprotected interior and causing great damage, no further destruction took place at this point. During this week the contractors for the new Plot Springs Hotel, got the framework of the projected building up, but this could not withstand the gale, and was soon •smashed into a confused heap of timber, not a stud being left standing. Looking at the wreck one would have thought that almost incalculable damage had been done, but we are glad to say, that it has been found to be but trifling, only a few studs having been broken, and the restoration will involve rather the cost of labor, than the replacement of material We hear that £6 or £7 will recover this. The timber on the ground was however scattered in all directions, but has all been recovered. An a proof of the force of the wind, one of the boards was taken up and carried through the air for about fifty yards, when it struck a stable and made a dean hole through one of the stronglynailed inch planks of which the wall was built. What effect such an unpleasant vis-a-vis would have had on a human being can be well imagined. Besides these there were innumerable small disisters, and the carpenters, fencers, plumbers, and glaziers •f the place will have a busy time of it shortly. As stated in another column the approaches to the Waitoa Bridge wore washed away. A perfect inundation was experienced for miles on the opposite side of the river, and we fear, both stockowners and cultivators will be serious losers by the flood. During the height of the storm u zinc lined case that was standing at Mr Clarkes door after several tnvayings about was impelled to a trip on its own account. After turning over and over several times, it dropped board after board, peeling handsomely, as the ring would say, leaving its fragments to mark its route. After crossing the narrow bridge over the stream in safety it made straight for Mr Mackies verandah, where several wind tossed pedestrians were holding on and hoping for a lull. In a moment the terrors of rude Boreas were forgotten in the presence of the charging case, and tracks were made, but the expected intruder suddenly changed its course, and travelled in another direction till it dropped all its wooden skin, and after further adventure came to an anchor in the shape of a lump of jammed up zinc, without the least pret^nsion to shape or make of any kind. We omitted to say, in connection with the damage done to Mr Moore's house, that it is estimated it will not be less than £60 to £70, and it is supposed that faulty fastening of the iron in a great degree brought about the casualty. A newly-erected brick chimney in Mr Heathcote's house, Koromiko-street was I levelled, fortunately falling outwards, otherwise serious injury might have resulted. The store of Messrs Wells aud Soutter was blown in, and the wood scattered in all directions, but no material damage was caused. At Waiorongomai ,she gale was felt ev«n more severely, and the tramway suffered as might be expected, though the manager, Mr H. H. Adams, expects to have everything set to rights in the course of a week, should the weather hold fine. Many houses, however, came to tfrief in a greater or- less degree. Thei frame of Kilian's hotel was blown down j and suffered considerable injury, the I timber being much broken. The shop of Mr Matthews, painter, was completely wrecked. It adjoins Kilian's hotel, and the frame of that assisted in the destruction of its "neighbour. Mr Crump's house was blown completely over and rolled about twenty yards from its site. Singular to say, in spite of this hard usage, t'»e tenement did not sustain the slightest dain.ige, not even a pane of glass beingbroken. It lay, when it had done its travels topsy turvy, the roof at the bottom. The building used as a school was shifted off the blocks about 30 feet. The house lately occupied by Mr Pickettalso was moved tiume distance, but fortunately for that gentleman he had removed his furniture to Morrinsville a few days ago, otherwise it must have sustained great damage. The shop window of Mr Harte was blown in, Uut the goods' had been previously removed. The roof of a small house occupied by Carroll and family was blown off during the night whilst they were in bed, and they had to seek shelter elsewhere, a drenching rain falling at tin* ! time, whilst the gale was at its highest. | ! A large pane of glass was shattered, and a j | sheet of iron torn fiom the roof of Apple gate and James' verandah. Lawless' hotel stood the storm out well, with the single exception of the kitchen, into which the rain poured in such quantities as, to extinguish the fires and rendei it impossible to cook at all in it. The consequences wera unpleasant to the hungry boarders, but that was all. At Mr Joy's house more serious consequences had nearly occurred. A window was blown in in a room where some live embers had been left on the family retiring to rest. After the v indow had gone the wind rushed in and scattered these in all directions, setting fire to some small articles. Mr Joy smelt fire and found these blazing, but his intervention was not greatly needed, for a deluge of rain was blown in at the next shower, which not only put out the fire but soaked everythiug so thoroughly that ignition under any possible circumstances could have followed on it. No damage whatever was sustained by the battery, arid that fact speaks well for the workmanship in its construction by Price Bros. The roof of Gallagher's stables was lifted off, and a multitude of lesser casualties took plact. We omitted to say that the house on the Waiorongomai road built by Mr Cai,r was partially unroofed. Altogether this storm ka; been tho most serious that has ever been experienced in the district, and it is puite possible that other damage has been occasioned, of which we have no present information., At- times the wind blew with tornado violence, and it is a matter for congratulation that no greater injury was done, and that we have not to record the

logs of lifeor stances. One WBrnilig ae|Mlvg|tfn^anW that is, that it is ne;cesswy/o;buliafaub|s£ stantially, if people^ect" tb : :SvbiiK^f loss in the*event of d fepMiio^mltim # visitation, or one anything like, app?oics f 4i ing to it. • ' :'• ;^A'^;^f