Canal Bursts its Banks.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7968, 3 November 1905, Page 4

Canal Bursts its Banks.

CO l"! Af: KUS" ItKMAKK Alil.K KX- j ri-'.tii i:x c i-: to w subsith nee of land. the l.i'rds and l.ixvl'pool Canal hurst jt > .auks I'trt'iii |\ about lour miles from ; hmskirk, mi the til ihc Lan- | •;ishin- coalfields. I A ritual boatman was the first \* , libtoxvr the mis-hap. Hv noticed live t .vaier with foree out u' a broken culver! on id a wiii'h. m.ui! liclij. and a' once ran to ] nl'oiii. one of the canal companx s I oiiiiiiii. who. s.vin-H ihat tlte break ' was a serious one. tel.-graphed 1o the company's chid engineer at Liverpool. In the ui'-anlin-e the* culvert . lui.i follapsrd entirely, and the eni'lvank- ! uents an each side of thecairal ' »)£■ way the Jlcw«l poured out on to he siiiToumliuir counti\\. I Not thirl\ yards a wax from the c.ne of the burst are tliree n/tiap'.s occupied )i.\ farm labourer:-;. Thewadasln d airamst. tlu-in. forcing Hie loors open, aird the occupants, tak m; their children in rheir arms, had 0 wad.-waKl deep in xvater and -•'•k n (up* tu (lie 'l/fdroums. from he windows they watch, d ihe flood H-min;;' oxer I hi- fiehls with a xeloc- ' x which carric I away fences. up. r«>**( <<l small trees, and dovast «t ed •verx I in its path. On the lower loors th* tables and chairs wenwhirhd out the dorrs air! '•arrietl away <rn (he vihlyin;-' tori>nl. On tho oppi isi i e si-de of Ihe ciiual s a not In r row of e. tta-«s oecupi- , tl by pit men. The roar of t lie on coming xvaler ivl'arie.-d mosi of Ui« »ihaiiii ants. who bnrricaih vi Iheir dwellings. Somewvre i;ikeii unax\ars. howexer. and the walrr struck the | ow of buildings at th'» rear. <dashj nir oxef the r< ofs in clouds of l -pva.x . Moors xx.»re swept away like I h.itchwocd and ihe ground floors '••d-d in a depth of i hive or four I'on una! .Iv no lixes w-erelosi. For fulls an -hour the flood pound j n. ami tin- Kller Prook. sw oil. n in 1 hinvnl. liori- t-iip->";ii''ls. (hat's. Imelvrls. lul,s niiil lot !n t 111' mriiill inn l I 111' 1-hirl , in.v ""I nisliril up a liri-akitou'n »iuij loin l.iver|iool. I'll,' slop jjntrs ill 't I O Vt TS It'll.l Moss Itri.ls,. W,.f,. ■lisiil. 1H..1 ihi' inti'i-wtviiij. mill' oi iinal elll]>l i«11 ils.-li. U lv, a ilii' rush •I tt.ti.'f u.is nvcr ili,. ii„.„ ~|' 11,.. nihil i'oni|Min sri in Moil 1,1 ivpnif ' I"' n'r-allii' was lolall.v mis-pruili-il.