THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4347, 17 February 1893, Page 3

THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

Details of the Disaster, i Relief Measures. j The Post's special correspondent ' writing from Brisbane on Febru- 1 ary 9th says:—The destruction of tho ' Victoria Bridge, wliich was 108 ft long ' and cost about a quarter of a million sterling, occurred at four o'clock on j Monday morning, at which hour a ' large crowd had gathered on the high land and approaches. The first portion to go was tbo third span, whero the flood waters were running strongest. Thero was one loud crash which shook the earth and made the surrounding buildings tremble, then ono great convulsive heave, and the wrecked portion went down the river The other portion followed rapidly,, and in less than half an hour more than half the bridge had disappeared. Nothing was left standing to mark the spot where tlio massive structure had stood, Suven distinct crashes were heard as span after span collapsed, and the water was thrown to a great height as the bridge fell, Numerous explosions did damage in mining districts, as compressed air es» caped from shafis, to the buildings erected above them. In one instance missive beams were carried high into the air and in all directions, Tho noise of the explosion resembled heavy thunder, and was heard for a great distance, and the surface ot the ground in some places was upheaved and cracked from the pressure of the confined air seeking vent. In the North Glanmiro shaft a oolumn of water was thrown to a height of over 100 ft, When tho Hood was at its height the picture was ono that will live for over in tho minds of those who witnessed it, The Albion Railway Bridge over Breakfast Creek could bo located only hy tho tops of the gilders. It is estimated that the water rose fully ten feet higher than in tho flood of 1891. The whole of tbe Eagle Flat farms were submerged,while in the north the surging waters thundered down Keydron Brook to the Serpentine Flats, cutting off all communication with Nundali and tho country towards Mudgee, The state of affairs at Kangaroo Point is iodisciibablo, On every hand there is evidence of ruin and misery, Not a houso remains intact, nothing but pile after pile of timber, and heaps of bricks and iron, A telegram from Friars, Mary River, states that thero has been immonse destruction of property there, j the country for miles oil-either side of the Mary River being devastated, The loss to settlers will bo enormous. The scene of desolation at Nfllth ( Brisbane i 3 fearful, and tbe damage there will amount to hundreds of

thousands of pounds. It is estimate)

that 500 houses passed down the river within a few miles of Brisbane. One man counted 100 pass down and

strike against tho Victoria Bridg

within an hour, Six in a row camt alonf; together, and smashed to piece! against tho structure with a loud ra-

port, The water was 30ft in Stanleystreet, South Brisbane, and the dam* age done by water and mud to all kinds of stock is enormous, The people aro heart-broken, and some are too much overcome to make replies to questions. The waters have been slowly sinking, and as they subside more and more is seen of the extent of tbe destruction, Hundreds of bouses undoubtedly found tbeir way seawards, and others lie piled in the rivers one on top o£ the other, forming a strikng monument of the greatest disaster hat has ever fallen on Queensland. Stanley-street, which runs parallel with the rivor, is virtually in ruins, one half the buildings iu the 1 thoroughfare having either been washed away or forced into positions renderingtbemuninhabitablo. Among the debris is every conceivable article of furnituro and meiohandise, and odds and ends are being picked up by wreokers, who, moving about on improvised rafts, infest the locality, Several more bodies have been found, and it is known that seven or

eight people have been drowned in Btisbanc alone, Regarding the actual loss of life, most sensational rumours

have been circulated, but many ol them have been proved untrue, and i tbe death roll will not ; be known 'foi wiae'timc,

One thousand persons received relief'»t the Town Hall yesterday. An enormous amount of looting is being carried on amongst the goods swept away. The police aro fully occupied and aro unable to deal with the thieves. A number of yonug men have been Bworn in as speoial constables to deal with ihe salvage, with power to arrest anyone found pilfering. London, February 15. Sir J. F. Garriok, Agmt-General for Queensland, denies that there is any intention of raising a loan on account of tho losses by tbe floods, The Queensland Committee lias cabled to Brisbane a Bum ol £IOOO, in aid of the sufferers by the fluod. Auckland, February 15, Tho amount collected for tho Queensland disaster fund up to thin afternoon was £360. Wanoanui, February 15. Tho Hon. R, Seddon Ims received the following telegram to-day from the Union Company:—"Hon. B. Soddon, ffauganui. \Ve offered to carry 300 tons free to Sydney per Hanroto. The papers publish 100 tons. Probably our telegrnm was misread.—James Wills, Dunedin." ttlr Seddon informs the Chronicle lli»t the Government will arrange to send on everything free of charge from Sydney to Brisbane, , A meeting of residents, called by tho Mayor,' was held to-day to consider measures for the relief of the Queensland sufferers, and a committee was appointed to canvass the toVrn and district. Christcuukch, February 15. The.Mayor of C'nristohureh lias decided, in consequence of news now received from Queensland, to convene a meeting of citizens for Friday evening m organise a relief fund, Tbe Minister for Education has received replies to his telegrams re* specting the Queensland sufferers from a number of boroughe. At Napier a meeting is being called; at Nelson the Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor are conferring; at Hamilton the Council is moving, and a subscription has been started, also at Tauaranga, Hastings will do its best, but fears that cannot be much, on account of its own terrible visitation from lire. At luvercargill a public meeting has been called, The reply of the Mayor of Waimate is unique. This is it: - " Waimate, 14th February. Telegram re Queensland received. Government should forward a fi'\v thousand pounds relief at once.—Geo. Graham, Mayor." The proposal made by tho Slajorlof Wanganui is to charter the s.b. St. Kilda, now in port there, and send her to Brisbane with a load of pro-> duce. The Chronicle says: " Two hundred tons of produce would be required to fill tho vessel. It is a good large order, hut the people of this coast can do it if they will. Wheat, flour, butter, cheeso, bacon—every*, thing in tho shape of food would be welcome, Clothing also would doubtlees bii acceptable," Tbe Mayor has wind to tho Government asking it to pay the freight, and the Government has U'idertaken»to do so.