EXCITING EXPERIENCE AT MR LOW'S STATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 297, 8 September 1888, Page 3

EXCITING EXPERIENCE AT MR LOW'S STATION.

An illustration of the shock is found in its effects on Mr Low's house. At his office at St. Helen's there is an iron bafe weighing 3cwt and standing about 3ft high. It stood against the wall, and during the occurrence it was thrown fiat down on the floor to the north or northwest. Mr Lows private house is of two storeys,

and ifc suffered damage to the extent of aboufc £150. A wardrobe in his daughter's bedroom was thrown down to the north- 1 wards, and at the northern end of the house, about 6ft of tho centre of the wall was driven clean our. One chimney fell through the bedroom into the dining-room and kitchen, canying rafier.s along with it. Another foil northeast into the conservatory, and the third, the one in the schoolroom and bedroom above, fell northward. Washstands and dressing-tables were thrown about in confusion, and during the time this was happening Miss Low's bed, in which she was lying, was lifted bodily towards the fireplace. When tho dust cleared away a little she was able to pec the stars shining through the hole made by tho centre of the wall disappearing. FLYING FIIOM OTHER STATIONS The Leslie Hill station was shifted clean off iU concrete foundations, and the occupant*! left it atthecatliestoppoitunity. Mr Atkinson got into Culverden about 10 minutcb past 2 on Saturday morning. Tho manager ot the li open' eld station and his wife rode in on horseback, with a child each in front of them, from the .scene of the disaster. They were assisted on their journey by the shepherds at (!lynroyo station, and reached Culvorden on Satu i' lay afternoon .

SE UIOUS LAN US LIPS. ThtTe were two large landslips at Lhc approach to the Upper Waiau ferry. They consisted of <-omo 50 bo 100 tons of earth, but have been so far cleuieri as to permit of traffic be'm<; canted on without intermission, and the coach is running as usual. ADVENTURES OF THE COACH. Between 4.20 and 4 30 on Satuiday after noon the coach had arrived at the Upper Fei-rj Hotel, and everybody was talking about the earthquake,, when they were startled by another tremendous shock. This was the one wh'ch had brought the £>hp& down in the cutting. It was preceded by a rumbling noise like the roai of a cannon — a noise that wa s almo&t appalling. The tarred chimney in the hotel was driven upwards by the force, and at one time fully six inches of the untarred portion could be seen above the roof. Indeed, the chimney bobbed up and down a great many times. Simultaneously with this, the coach horses bolted, and before anyon* could move, all being intensely engaged watching the dancing chimney, the animals had turned around and were dashing up hill. JSJ is Holmes, the proprietress ot the hotel, and others rushed out, and witnessed what fortunately turned out to be only a tiivial accident. During the progress of the coach party to the fevry they heard loud boomings. and each was succeeded by a quiver of the earth. So accurate were these indications that immediately the noises were heard the driver would remark. '• Heie's another," and the words would scarcely be out of his mouth before the vibrations were fell. With all the damage to houses and buildings there is only one case of injury, the unfortunate man being one of those employed by Mr Atkinson, who has suffered as much as, if not more than anyone. The additions made to Mr I>. Rutheiiord's place in wood had stood well, but the old stone portion had completely collapsed. It was very difficult to «ttito exactly thp direction of the wa\e. The vails and chimneys foil in different directions.

THE SEAT OF THE TROUBLE. To the mind of Mr Low, the cause ot Ihe trouble was located in a northern direction, some considerable distance aw.iy.

OVER A HUNDRED SHOCKS. A Waiau coi respondent telegiaphs : The earthquake lias been felt very severely in the Waiau di^tL ict. Four eliinineyc are down at Hopefteld, and about a dozen o'liers are damaged. A monument i<« over nrneel in the Waiau Cemetery. Over one hundred distinct shock i were felt since 4 a.m. on Saturday. They aie still continuing, but at longei intervals. At Hanmer L'lains the s-hock*. were accompanied by a heavy report. If there is any eruption it is probably beyond St. James's station towards Cannibal Gorge, but no reports have yet been recehed from beyond Glynroye and Hopeh'eld. Hopefield, Glynroye, Jones's, Waiau station, Woodlands, St. Helen's, Leslie Hill's, and Montrose stations, suffered severely. It was most severely felt towards Glynroye and west of it.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. A later Culverden telegram states:--Mr Quinn, Inspector of Murumii Rabbit Board, came in fiom the upper Clarence and Hanmer Plains on Sunday eveniug.and reports of the severity of the earthquakes in that district during the last three days. He was at St. James's on Thursday night, and the shock at übout 10.10 p.m., by hie watch was most severely felt, but no buildings on the place were injured. On Friday he came out o\er Jack's Pass to Hanmer Plains and stayed the night at Jack's Pa«s Accommodation House. The shock there at about 4.12 on Saturday was more severe, and during the whole of Saturday the earth never seemed still — shock followed shock in quick succession, and at about 4.30 p.m. a very &evere shock was experienced. The Haniuer Plains Springs on Saturday were greatly agitated, throwing up quantities of mud and gas. The St. Helen's house has been completely wrecked, als>o Mr Atkinson's house at Woodbank. Both Messrs Low's and Atkinson's family had miraculous escapet-, and have left the station. The buildings at Olynroye blation are also wrecked, and handb have left the station. Mr Leslie Hill's house hat also suffered severely, but up to the time of writing no one has been injured. SHOCKS AND EARTH RENTS. The shocks seemed to come from the west, and a continual noise, like distant thunder, was heard at short intervals on Saturday. Some rents in the earth have taken place in several places on the Hanmer Plains and Upper Waiau, and gas is bubbling up in a number of places. Huge rocks have rolled down the hill-side, and several landslips have taken place, one on the Waiau bridge cutting.

ME, GUNNS EXPERIENCES. Mr Gunn walked over the Hanmer Plains from the Rogerson to the Waiau bridge on Saturday, and said that the whole plain seems to be seething, gas and water bubbling up in many places. He stayed on Saturday night at the Fern Hotel, where no damage had been done beyond the breakage of glass, etc. The last shock experienced at (Julverdcn was at 8-15 yesterday morning, and since then everything seems quiet. Mr Gunn expresses an opinion that if the shocks were generally all as severe as ai the Hanmer Plains no stone or brick building, could have stood up. He says he was glad to get clean away, and thinks there is great danger of an eruption if it has not taken place in the ranges towards the Webb Hanmer Plains, which aie still in active motion.