THE LEITH VALLEY

Evening Star, Issue 18257, 23 April 1923, Page 4

THE LEITH VALLEY

BRIDGES SWEPT AWAY. HOUSES AND BUSINESS PREMISES FLOODED. A SAWMILL DEMOLISHED. The damage ivextcnsivo throughout tin length of the Leith Valley. A reporter on the tramp from the Woodhaugh hardens alontf tho Leith Valley road was ablo (o glean- some particulars of tho deluge from observations. The scene beggars description. Even at 11 a.m. tbs Lenh Stream was a raging torrent, ihe _residents o ftho valley, as may be imagined, had an anxious time throughout yesterday and last night. The stream ita banks in a score of places, the flood waters racing across roads, sections, gardens, and paddocks. The Leith broke through on the city side of tho Woodhaugh 1 apM Mills, and the water rose quickly until it was level with the windows facing the stream. It found openings in a score of places, and flooded tho whole of tho ground floor to a depth of several inches. Fortunately many of the employees were called upon yesterday afternoon, and they removed most of the stocks of paper out of tho reach of the water. Tho flood was at its height at 4 a.m. to-day, and as it subsided several inches of silt were left behind. A gang of men was set to words to straighten things up, and when tho reporter visited tire mill it was seen that tho floors were drying quickly. Very little damage was done to the stock, only the bottom fiayere »£ [paper stocks being soaked. At 4 a.m. to-day the sream again overflower its banks through the bridge leading to Dockside becoming _ blocked with tree trunks and other debris. The water flowed in a solid sheet down Malvern and Woodhaugh streets from fence to fence. The water was knee-deep, and some idea of the force of tho cataract may bo gained frm the fact that it loro up sections of the asphalt footpaths, and carried these for several chains down the road. A heavy channel iron grating was also carried several chains, and deposited against a fence. Tho water flooded almost evciy house below the bridge near the old Woodhaugh Hotel. As the torrent increased yesterday it gradually swept away pieces of the bank below the mills to a width of 50ft and for &■ length of fully 150yds. Tho approach to the Boss Creek Reservoir was also cut out. Ihe floodwaters swept over the banks near tho Holy Innocents’ Church, and swept away about four chains of the road', leaving only a narrow' strip, which was barely wide enough for the use of vcltfcular traffic today. Everything movable in the path of the torrent was swept away like a straw. Electric and telegraph poles were undermined, and- several were left leaning at an awkward angle, while the wires were strewn in all directions. One heavy hardwood pole carrying the electric lighting wires was carried bodily down stream for a distance of several hundred yards, and only came to a resting place was thrown amongst a heap of boulders in midstream. The bridge which spenned the stream near the Leith Valley School was called completely away, and tho water mains were also dislodged and swept aside. The destruction at Davidson’s saw-mill was considerable; in fact, the mill has bean almost- completely demolished. The flood wafers gradually rose until the greater part of the mill was covered, and then the destruction began. Piece by piece the mill disappeared in tho torrent. A heavy crane used for lifting logs at the side"of the stream was undermined and 1 collapsed, while sheets of iron, timber, and logs are to be scon piled in the centre of the resisting stream extending almost to the Woodhaugh Gardens. The roof of the mill collapsed, and all that can now be seen is a chaos of wreckage. A small bridge just above the mill leading to private property was also completely demolished. Tho drivers of several milk carls coming in from the Leith Valiev this morning had a- trying experience. The water was then running waist-high, and the horses had a hard struggle to find a foothold. One milkman got into difficulties with his motor van, and his 4&ad had to he taken on and delivered by another cart. The road was absolutely impassable for motor traffic from tlio Woodhaugh Paper Mills. Tho water was flowing through the carts as they negotiated tills section of the road, and the drivers and boys were compelled to sit on the top of the milk cans in order to pass through the zone with any degree of safely. Owners of property near the Malvern street bridge suffered' to a more or less extent. One resident is morning ihe loss of a portion of his property. The water cut into his section like a knife, with the result that a quarter of the section, together with fowlhous-e, tool shed, ami other small outbuildings, were swept bodily away. Tho stream from above the Paper Mills to the George street bridge is strewn with trunks of trees, Jogs, broken willows, sawn timber, and other I debris.