NORTH OF THE GARDENS

Evening Star, Issue 18257, 23 April 1923, Page 6

NORTH OF THE GARDENS

A SCENE OF DESOLATION. The scene beyond tlie main Gardens’ gate beggars description. Almost every House along the Main North road was flooded to a depth of over a foot. At noon to-day one house stood in a lake of water, it being impossible to reach it dry-shod. Every garden and backyard was covered in water or silt, and prosented a deplorable sight. Spades, brooms, and shovels were in evidence at every house, both 'back and front. Tho water, which still surrounded several houses on the Main road, was fully 6m deep. The road was torn almost to pieces, heaps of metal in ono place and hollows and rats elsewhere testifying to the force of the torrent. The tram lines were completely covered with silt and stones for lung stretches. A fence at the bridge at C'raigleith street was undermined by the'raging torrent which came down tlie small Leith Stream, and a portion of the bank washed away. The flood swept tho full length of the Main North road all day yesterday, and it was practically impassable. The owner of a store at tho coiner of Chambers street erected a barricade of timber and sacks outside, tho shop, and this prevented the water from invading his premises to a certain extent. Gangs of men were engaged throughout tc-day in clearing away the debris and draining off surtace water. Tho north end was visited by hundreds of sightseers, mostly iri motor cars, and everyone seemed to be awed by tho scene of desolation presented to their gaze.