THE FLOOD. HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 556, 11 December 1875, Page 2

THE FLOOD.

HAMILTON.

Yestbidiy, wm experienced in the Waikato the heaviest Hood that has occurred since the country passed into the hand* of 'the Europeans. Thoit who hare lived here since then declare that the rirer hM never reached it* present height within their recoJlootion and in all probability, when the rain ceases, it will continue to rise for the next six hours. The rain which commenced on Wednesday evening, about six o'clock, increased to a steady down pour throughout (Thursday and Thursday night, but it was not | till about -six o'clock yesterday morning that the river began to rise with anything like rapidity. It was nach swollen then but about that time the volume of water increased with a rush, bringing with it lar^e quantities of drift and »i ober. So rabidly fl. i it rise tbtt before assistance could be had the store of the Wajkato S N Co on the west side of the riter, containing a large quantity of stores was surrounded, and the water had already reached the ground plates before the arrival of Mr Gwynne and several resident-), who in the absence of Mr McDonald decided on opening the store at once and removing the goods to a place of safety. It wa* well they did so for before noon the store was four feet deep in water. To* wards eight o'clock Major Clare on being apprised of the state of affairs most considerately ordered ,tbe membaro of the A C under his comm md to at once r ender such assistance as they oould in saving property, and it is due to i the uatiring and oheerful assistance rendered 'by I them that the clamnge done by the food was not fair greater than unfortunately it has been. A larg 3 number of people were also quickly on the spot and rendered valuable assistance. A large quantity of timber floating by was secured, and the Company's store itself which last night immersed "to'lhe eaves made eecuee by a rope to the store. When Mr Gwynne and others proceeded to open the store to save the goods, the water had already jual reached the floor and some portion of them were unfortunately damaged "before removal. Soon after it was l>e.-oeived that the Company's receiving store on the other side of the river was in equal danger. The punt which was fortunately on the western side of the river, where the current was elacktßt., was not available by this time and tome thirty ready volunteers hailed the captain of tbe steamer Alert, askiag to be put across the river th*t they might save the goods on the other aide. Although repeatedly appealed to no notice was takan of the request by the capt of the steamer and it was not till sometime afterwards, till the water had fairly flooded tbe storo on tbe eastern bank of the river, 1 that the people on that side ■came down to the rescue. 'Early in the forenoon there was a lirge quintUy of sawn timber continually {bating past the* township and toward* two oVlosk a bHy of timber passed as though somj large bridge higher up had given vray-.< This perhaps js to be accounted fjr by the intelligence received in a tilograru yesterday morning from C mbridge by the Company's agent here, Mr Jj X McDonald, that the store at Cambridge Wis flooded, that the goods had been got out and p'aoed on board the steamer Raoginn, which could nit leave Cijibridj;e that d*y, that the wharf hid already gone ond that the store itself \va3 gnng. The loss ineiwn timber has been very large in all parts of (he district, A large quantity belonging to Mr Dace, stacked for railway bri Ige construction, between Mr Jolly's and Mr Shock's farm was fljated away, and so was most of the timber belonging to tbe fiinkiriroa Highway Boird lying on the opposite back of the river. Mr Seddou, we learn, has also lost a large number of puriri posts. The large etock jof firewood belonging to Mr McDoiali in the rear of the §t >re at Hamilton We*t also suffered largely, though much of it was saved with the timber by tbe members of the A C who worked with a will in saving property already afloat and securing other. Mr McDonald estimates bis loss at between £70 and £SO. while Mr Duce has lost fully £100 worth, and the Kirikiriroa xJoArd double that amount. The river was covered all day with debris of various kinds. During the morning three tanks were seen making their way dowa stream , two of them swimming light and the Jot her showing an angle only above water. It appeared that these had floated away from Mr Cummin* brewery, and that the later one was full of malt, containing indeed some JE6O worth. Mr Cummiiis gave chase ia a boat, and we are glad| to say, overlook it about half-way to Ngaruawahia, and getting it to a convenient spot made it secure on tbe bank. The other two tanks being empty, were easily captured. One indeed was quickly driven on shore by the wind at the landing at Hamilton West. During yesterday the river continued steadily 'rising at the rate- of abaut a foot an hour. Knowing that the Ferry wire rope bad been injured by the Alert, iv fact partly cut, and believing that it would not bear the strain preparation had been made, and the ferry, a large platform on a double barge, was made fatt to the posts at the landing place on the Western side of the river, but as the «tr«ara rose the structure fairly lifted one of the posts out of the river bed, and to ■aye furthei risk the ferry was brought in shore and made -safe. The picking up the rope again will be a tediousjob, and even after the weather has cleared up and tbe flood subsided it will be pehaps two or three days before the ferry is stt work again.

MERCER. The flood has been severely felt at Mercer, as will be seen by our te'egrams. long before this reaches our r«*d«ra the township will have been more or leas submerged. 1 hanks, however, to Mijjor Clare's foresight, the inhabitants had ample time to prepare for its coming, for when the rapid steady rise set in at Hamilton y sterday morning, the Major at once telegraphed a warning to Point Hussell.

CAMBRIDGE: At 5 o'clock the company's str.re at Cambridge wrs washed away, and at about the same time, the bridge was observed to away and totter. It was not howerer until twenty minutes to eight o'clock last evening, that with a crash that was heard for some distance, ib parted from either bunt. and was swept, away 4a a single pieca. Word of the ercnt was at «<nce telegraphed to Major Clark}- with a request that he would, with his men, endeavour at Hamilton, to intercept the wreck on it.* passage down, le- n t it injure the bridge in courae of constructt&tf*£t Ngtruatvabia. The men w«re mustered at dusk and a watch set. The biidge came sweeping by Hamilton at half-past eleven o'clock, in two pieces, and was quickly reached and fastened onto with rop »s by the mon in boats, v -bnt all efforts to bring it to the shore were useless. Men, boats, aud ,the bridge—with s me half dozen men on the top of it, went down the ri^'er together, the idea being they might get lfe ashore at Captain Becre'a place, but at the time qf our going to pr«88-»tht»y had not returned. We have since learned that the brnl&e

at the Mangnplbo was carried away in the foienoon of yesterday. That at Tamahere also "was flooded waist de^p, and an accideatJ-^-'whicjh. fortunately did not terminate seriously --occurred A)a'y on horse L bac'i coraiag down the hill to the briAge found it covered with water and wouUH have turned back, *bufc that a foot passenger volunteered to guide the horse over, *£q did &o but left her without quite going the whole ctisrancs and ceturned, the horse turned toe and'epite of every endeaveur oa the 4* art of its rider attempted to retrace its steps. Jn doing so however it got into .a deep hole and, in plunging, the Baddle slipped jround. The lady however held faat to the horse's mano came on shore with 'him, and then.^ricging out her skirt* -»Bid placing her aaddle i& position, " motgj^F and rode away." "We trust we may have' no more perioue accident;, the reßult of the floods, yet to chronicle. Now is the time to subscribe to Saturday NiGira. -Two sewing machines to be. given to Subscribers, valued at Seven and Six Guineas^ for solving a-ri'dle, 01; writing the best es^ay on the most enjoyable Avay ©f Christmas Inj theQolonies. Agents everywhere:— Al>vx. I