BIG SENSATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1907, Page 7

BIG SENSATION.

CITY OF NEWCASTLE SHAKEN TO ITS' FOUNDATIONS. THE EIRE RISK—WATER AND GAS PIPES ' BURST. CRACKS OPEN OUT, CEILINGS COME DOWN. DAMAGE OVER £80,000. ' BT TELEGRAPH—TRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIGHT. (Rec. Oct. 17, 9.34 p.m.) Sydney, Octobor 17. A sensation was created at Nowcastlo today by the occurrenco of an extensive "creep" in tho residential part of tho town known as The Hill. , During tho oarly part of tho morning, {ho residents heard crunching movements underground, but wero not alarmed, as such sounds aro of frequent occurrenco. As tho day woro on, however, tho noise became more pronounced. i NEARLY ALL FINEST RESIDENCES AFFECTED. 4 Great cracks opened out in several streets, houses boing shaken from thoir foundations to tho roof. Numerous ceilings came down, brick walls cracked, doors and windows wero wrenched out of position. Nearly, all the. finest residences of the city havo been damaged. Tho area affected is about fifteen acres in extent. Not a solitary room, in the~ palatial residence of Mr. J. R. Wood escaped damage. Nearly overy ceiling is down, 'and nearly every wall is cracked. It will cost between £7000 and £8000 to repair tho damage. A crack extends right across tho floor of tho Anglican Cathedral from the eastern door to tho baptistry. EXTENDS TO CITY. It was at first thought that the "creep" was confinod to Tho Hill, but this afternoon It was discovered to have worked down Tho Hill, reaching tho lower end of King Street, one block away from tho centre of tho city. Burko's new warehouse is, seriously damaged. Tho concrete flooring has beon ripped up, leaving it oponed out to a-width of about a foot. DANCER TO RESERVOIRS. Water mains and gas pipes havo burst. Gas is escaping in various places, and it is feared that the city water supply is endangered, both the reservoirs boing in tho affected area. The present " creep" is adjacent to tho one that occurrcd a year ago, but is much more serious. The damage already dono is between £80,000 and £100 ( 000. ' The alarming " creep" in Tho Hill at Newcastle is not unexpected. Some twelve months ago,. when a similar, - but less violent, movement was noted, tho position was freely discussed, and the alarm felt made itself known through the columns of tho press, a recurr-' ence being freely forotold. Tho ■ " creep" then was attributed to tho underground inino workings in the vicinity, and as it affected a thicldy-populated residential area, it soriously depreciated tho. valuo of property in tho vicinity, Siiany peoplo removing to a safer portion' of the city. It is extremely fortunate that tho damago dono on the present occasion was not oven, greater, for the' breaking of the gas and water mains raised possibilities of a repetition of the disastrous, conflagration which, following on tho earthquake shock, laid San Francisco in ashes, !