Furious Gale and High Tide.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2028, 5 July 1875, Page 2

Furious Gale and High Tide.

Tararu Wharf Destroyed. -

Large Amount of Damage Done.

A furious galo and high tide visited the district last night, which in effect have been more, calamitous thau any visitation of the kind for years past. All day yesterday a high wind prevailed, but there was otherwise little , indication of the storm which broke over the district after sun-set. The wind was blowing from the eastward during the day,- but chopping about in a very erratic manner. As darkness came on it shifted round to the North "West and increased in force. The time for - high water was eleven minutes past eight, but by six o'clock the tide had reached a point above ordinary high water line, and it kept rising until it invaded the gardens and premises along the beach. Grahamstown was flooded, the water being nearly a foot deep in some of the stores and offices, and the streets 4 being more like rivers than the thoroughfares of a township. As- the water rose the gale incr«ased, and. the full force was experienced between eight and nine o'clock. The Policeman dragged, her anchors and drifted about Ihalf a mile, and the Boyd followed suit, as did also other vessels, but they were fortunately kept far.enough ' out to escape contact with the wharves. In Shortland from the, Wharf to Willoughby street the fences and gardens are considerably damaged,: the tide having encroached right up ,to the houses which stand some forty or fifty feet back from the beach. From Wit loughby street Grahamstownwardsithere > was a piece of new footpath for some I distance. That is considerably damaged, a big breach having been made in ; it.. For some" distance along the beach there is a considerably -larger stretch of land, and the residents on that portion of the town escaped much damage. But coming to Grahamstown, from Karaka,. Bridge to Brown street the scene Lis a perfect! "wreck. - Fences arp. broken-down and the; gardens are seriously damaged; the. wafer and gas pipes are exposed, and the former apology for a footpath is no more, but in it's place a mass of broken timbers, bqulders-and dangerous holes. Thompson's (formerly Hbldship's) Wharf is gone from the- shore to about sixty or severity feet out," and a Quantity of "baulk and.other timber has been^. I"scattered. "; The _ fence ■. of '■ the Wesleyan Church has been carried away in; some ;:placcß, ;and ; thrown out of perpendicular in others. Grahamstpwa Wharf has had a considerable gap made in it, but tenders were accepted for its repair (his morning, and ere .this the work has been fairly commenced. A serious breach was made in the sea wall at the head of the wharf, the immediate result; of which was to cause the engine shed of the Grahauistowii aud

Tarn.ru Tramway Company to-tumble in two. The linn of rails was so undermined that the two locomotives were in danger of falling over. They were,"however, secured by ropes, but the place is now a great wreck. The sea wall ha 3 been damaged in several places along the line to Tararu, but the damage in this direction can be easily repaired. The most serious injury is that to Tararu Wharf, which has suffered to a greater extent than ever before. It -is said that the damage is beyond repair. Altogether the gale has been the most • destructive which has visited the district for some time. A few years ago there.was an equally high tide, which damaged the gardens and fences contiguous to the sea. thai was at-the time Saxby's prophesied tidal .wave visited us, but as the high tide ' was unaccompanied by anything to speak of in the way of wind, the .'damage was trifling compared with that done last night, the full extent of which has not yet been' ascertained. ■ '. '.'. :