LYELL.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1039, 21 January 1873, Page 2

LYELL.

(FBOM A CORRESPONDENT.) A violent storm of wind and rain passed over this little township early on the morning of the 14th, doing considerable damage, and for the moment causing the stoutest heart amongst us to quake. Trees were thrown down in all directions, and the air was thick with the branches, and none for a few minutes could feel that their lives were safe. The shop and dwelling of Mr Cullen draper came down with a crash, giving the inmates, Mr and Mrs Cullen, just sufficient time to get clear or other. wise they could not but have been seriously if not fatally injured. The billiard room, a temporary structure

erected by Mr John Campbell, was lifted from its foundation and borne on the wind at least for a distance of fifty yards, carrying in its flight a part of the way one of the inmates, who fortunately was more.astonished than hurt. A large tree fell on the school house smashing it to pieces, Mr Metcalfe, having just time to reach the door and jump out of the way. Not a tent was left standing and the owners clustered together half naked, wet and hungry, found boiling the billy was for the time a matterof impossibility, so all hands adjourned to Mr Bobertson's hospitable domicile, and made themselves contented. Owing to the Government having granted, or having promised to grant, to a resident here the only piece of groud suitable for a township, and such ground having been fenced in, those wishing to settle and build have to do so on the side of a steep hill covered with heavy timber, aud liable at any moment to land slips. Had any fatal accident happened during the storm, the Government might fairly be blamed for it, for by their stupidity or worse, they compel people to run the risk of losing their lives in trying to make homes and an honest living in the country' which they govern, or pretend to govern. Our representative should look into this matter at once as there is no time to lose. The Alpine Company washed up on Saturday last, after having crushed 100 tons for the Little Wonder, the result it is expected will be 12 or 14 ounces to the ton. The stone in the Alpine Company's claim is showing very rich, and the result of the next crushing will be eagerly looked for. The machinery for the Little Wonder is now lying in the Lyell township, as it is impossible to convey it to the machine site owing to the dangerous state of the track. Some little damage was done to the Alpine Company's water race during the storm but it is being quickly repaired. The prospects at the Eight Mile are improving every day, and I hear they have struck a main reef near to the prospectors that bids fair to rival the Alpine.