A TERRIBLE STORM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3140, 27 February 1889, Page 2

A TERRIBLE STORM.

,- On Monday (February 4th) a tremendous storm burst on that part of the range between Mansfield an£ Jamieson, known as ■ Martin's .Gap* (Victoria) ■ which, fortunately, .is, whore.the, population is Bparse; '■i only buildings. until the Howqur river is reached won those of Mr Edward King, senior, and-a newlyerected homestead occupied by Mr King,- junior, and his family. Both of these stood in the direct line of .the watorcoursa caused by the. 'Bjofin, Mr King, jun,, and his faniily were on a visit to Jamieson, Their house is a .complete wreck! nothing • but the iron roof.and the comer posts .being left standing,', A' hundred, yards below the house, and on the bank Of tho Howqua River, Mr King's, senior," honse; stood, V but. not a stick or a stone remains of it,. Mr

King, sen,, states that ho waß herding sheep a hundred yards away from his residence flhen'he'first heard 1 the rush of tho water, andbofore he could reach his house he was learned away' by the stream into .the'river': and under the bridge, some,-yards' Wf i tho' stream, As the water receded he was left on the opposite b;itik-\unhurt.' In the rueantime.his daughter had rushed to give the alarnitdherraotberi who," with three little childreny-was in'thw honse. The mother war. apparently'either so bewildered 'by' happened or did not know tho danger,f that awaited Her, that she was unable i! to escape, and no more was/seen of:. her j m a few moments the house'ana! : '-- itecontents hM (iisappeared. -V'ThV-: girl managed to save hor little sisfj'rs and to rush "ou' ' to higher :-grbund.>• Most of tjie furniture was' found on the other side of the; river;:,: The. scene from theVtop of thegap tiiilie ;>. river,:a distance of about t]vo:miles; •: and a half, is one of complete tion. Large glim treeswere uprooted,: and oarried-down..the;stream lib . : - Btraws; others,jay, across tho gully" 4. from, bill to' hi|l 'forming barrier's '}■ and causing timber to-lodge 'to '-.£:< height of 20ft; vThe main road for adistance of two'milesis in some plaoea:( covered withimmehso logs and;trees.■;;. Mr Matthews, ■'■•'of : Howqua : Dale-; Station; whoso rejidence.is on a hill about a quarter, of a mile from King's. house, states; that; .the water: came :■/, down in; immehsq'v9)libg;.wayeai 'and'":;.' was followed by what appeared to a/walUof about'seven of -King, beeti Nicolinthjj' milesVfrom ; ; jtaiv janctiori'with 'tyhep Howqua, and some:nine;bri'ten : mjieife f B<?Gria - of; tHo dUias tet; \ : S^|i^K

body was partly; embedded ia a roaBS ot small' brushwood, and' beyond a fer scratches wi>b only 'slightly disfigu'redt although nipat o£ tho clothing had been torn" away, I