QUEENSLAND.

West Coast Times, Issue 363, 21 November 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

QUEENSLAND.

TERRIFIC STORM. ( FROM THE BRISBANE COURIER, OCT. 27) Yesterday afternoon a storm, such aa is seldom witnessed even in this semitropical country, passed over this city. For the past few days, cloudy skies and oppressive heat have given indications of the disturbed state of the atmosphere. Yesterday morning, however, the bright sunshine and pleasant breeze gave promise of a fine day, and until about noon the weather was extremely pleasant. After that the clouds gathered to the south-west, and by half past two it became evident that a violent thunderstorm was impending. Dense clouds of inky blackness overhung the horizon in the quarter named, the sun was obscured, and the wind was rising. About ten minutes to three o'clock, the wind blew in violent gusts from the southwest, and then came the rain — lightly at first, but in a few seconds it fell in perfect sheets of water. The gale by this time was blowing with hurricane violence, and drifted the rain in clouds of spray, which Hew along the tops of the houses and the surface of the ground, making them appear as if they were smoking. The drift and the torrents of rain so obscured the air that it was impossible to see beyond more than thirty or forty yards distant. For upwards of half an hour did the tempest continue with unabated fury, and then gradually passed away. Though still raining at four o'clock, the the wind had dwindled to a light breeze, and the weather gave signs of clearing up, and at six o'clock the storm had ceased altogether. Throughout lightning flashed frequently and vividly , but was apparently a long distance off, as the thunder was hardly audible. Unfortunately, this storm has not passed without leaving marks of its destructive power. Buildings were unroofed, chimneys and telegraph posts overthrown ; the rain drifted into many of the less substantial houses in a manner that caused much inconvenience to the inmates. The heavy rainfall flooded all the hollows about the city, the drains, where they exist, being too small to carry off the water. From this cause the basements of many houses and stores were flooded, and in some instances there must have been considerable damage. Among the buildings that suffered most were Messrs T. Dowse and Co.'s stores, at the Victoria Wharf, and Mr W. Pettigrew's saw-mills. Both buildings are roofed with corrugated iron or zinc, and the portions of the roof exposed to the full force of the wind are much damaged. In the case of Dowses store, the whole side of the roof nearest the Immigration Depot was blown away, the rafters included, leaving nothing but the principals. No other portion of the building' appears to be injured. The lofty mast erected in the Botanic Gardens to stretch the telegraph wires across the river was also overthrown, and of course telegraphic communication was entirely suspended. Efforts were promptly made to remedy the mishap, by submerging an insulated wire in the river to act as a cable, until such time as arrangements can be made for making a more permanent mode of communication. Of the minor injuries to buildings we may mention that the chimney of the telegraph office was overthrown, as was also one of the chimneys of Mr Berkley's new house in Queen-street. The retaining wall at the back of that portion of Messrs J. and G. Harris's premises, used as a furniture store, has also fallen in. As yet no reports have reached us as to the effects of the storm in the environs of the town. A gentleman who rode in from Tingalpa during its continuance, informs us that he passed many trees which had been blown down, or else struck by lightning. He also says that in some parts the road is encumbered with limbs and branches torn from trees by the violence of the wind. We regret that one accident was attended with loss of life. About half-past three o'clock, Cobb's coach, on its arrival from Ipswich, after conveying the passengers to the Royal Hotel, Queen street, started to go back to South Brisbane. The storm was then at its height, and on crossing the bridge, Mr Millie, one of Cobb's agents, who happened to be driving, owing to the illness of the regular coachman, expected to be blown into the river. There were at this time two men on the outside of the coach,

the driver and a man named John Daly, in the employ of Messrs Cobb and Co. The coViCh erobsed the bridge in safety, and got into Stanley street, South Brisbane. The coachman says that at this time the violence of the storm prevented him from seeing where he was going. Just as the coach was opposite a vacant allotment adjoining the Bridge Hotel, the driver felt that the wheels of the coach were being lifted off the road by the violence of the gale, and he cried out to Daly, who was sitting by his side, to lay hold of the near reins and put on the near break. Millie exerted his strength to the utmost to pull the horses round to the Avind, but he was unable to do so, and the coach, with five horses attached to it, toppled over the embankment at the side of the road. He saw nothing more of Daly until his body was recovered. He was stunned for a moment by his fall, and on coming to had made his way out of the water, which was about three feet deep, and succeeded in reaching a shop with some difficulty. By this time several people were present at the scene of the accident, and exerted themselves to lift up the coach in order to find Daly. After some little time they succeeded in_ raising the coach, and found Duly lying in the water, under the near wheel of the coach, quite dead. They conveyed the body to Nolan's Hotel, where it will most probably remain until the inquest has been held. Millie was under the impression that Daly had jumped off the box before the coach toppled over, and was not at all prepared to hear the sad news of his death. It was also rumored that another fatal accident had occurred, but the circumstance was not reported to the police, and we cannot speak with confidence as to the truth of it. It has been reported that a man was fishing near the bridge in a small punt, which was swamped before he could seek shelter from the violence of the storm.