SCENE OF CHAOS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22466, 9 July 1936, Page 14

SCENE OF CHAOS

WRECKAGE AT lIOMER BATTERED MACHINERY STEAM SHOVEL NOT LOCATED WORKMEN CLEARING SNOW [»Y TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT | INVEUCAHGILL, Wednesday With experienced mountaineers scanning the snow-clad ridges thousands of feet above workmen at the Homer Cam]) voluntarily started to dig away the snow from the buried' equipment at the entrance to the tunnel to-day. Snow has ceased to tall and the weather has cleared. After many trying experiences the New Zealand Herald's special representative reached Homer Camp to-day. The scene at the tunnel-mouth bears witness of tho terrible experience that the men had in rushing to save their lives, and it is amazing that more were not overwhelmed by tho avalanche. The wreckage of the crib house was hurled for 500 yards. A three-ton tiptruck was carried two chains and deposited upside down. Ten men digging this morning for several hours had not located a large steam shovel, which was buried in a hugo - drift to the left of tho tunnel mouth. A light truck standing three chains away from tho tunnel mouth was turned almost 011 its sido, tho windscreen smashed and the cabin choked with snow. The winch house in front of tho tunnel is 110 more and only the winch machinery stands gauntly out of the snow. Blowlamps to Thaw Gear Bent and twisted control boards are scattered around tho site. The garage, which housed a compressor, is standing with the aid of uprights and is half full of snow, and at a precarious angk The power lines leading to the power house were snapped and the poles left lying at angles The machine and repair shop came off iightly and, although snow is packed half way up the building, only the windows were smashed. Snow covered all tho valuable machinery inside as well as a number of tools, and tho workmen to-day were engaged in thawing everything out with tho aid of blowlamps. All the machinery has been well coated with grease, giving an indication that it will be some tiino before work is again commenced. Two dozen men are endeavouring to clear a wide track through the snow to enable trucks to approach as near as possible to the sheds near the entrance of the tunnel. The men in places have dug a series of trenches and from these the track is being widened out. Work Stopped in Afternoon After lunch the men were forbidden to return to the tunnel until after the sun had gone off the snow faces high above. Tho sun does not reach the tunnel face or the site of the camp during the winter months and tho rows of tents and humble wooden houses resemble in appearance a picture of a scene in a mining camp in .1 snow-bound country of tho far Northern Hemisphere. If the hundred people, who include several women and children, wish to sit in the sun they have to proceed about a mile down the road but with the heavy snow over the countryside it is impossible to remain out of doors for long without becoming bitterly cold. Already several men have signified their intention of leaving as soon as' possible, although tho majority say that if it is decided by the department to carry on they will keep 011 the job. The disaster has disorganised workers along the road. Lorry drivers, who carry timber and metal, arc idle and as they are on contract it is likely that many will be leaving soon if a thaw dees not set in and clear away tho snow which is lying thickly over the whole country. Workers' Narrow Escapes Among the men one hears scraps of conversation of narrow escapes and of gallant rescue work. Most of the injured have loft the Homer. Mr. T. W. Smith, the camp overseer, is still in bed and was not well enough to be interviewed. Another worker who was in tho cribshed with Mr. Overton attributes his escape to tho amount of clothing which he had on at the time. He was caught up by the snow and crushed, but managed after about five minute.*' struggling to extricate himself. Another man who was near the machine shed was lifted bodily into tho air and thrown over a steep snow bank about 20ft. down, and escaped without a bruise. Among the mountaineers who were on the look-out to-day was Mr. Alister Duthio, who was a member of a recent Antarctic expedition. It was Mr Duthio who made tho dramatic dash on skis down to one of tho lower camps to telephone for a doctor and an ambulance. Tho snow plough drivers carried on for 35 hours 011 end and were still at work all day to-day, going up and down the road between Monkey Flat and the Homer. Snow Plough Keeps Road Open An avalanche near Cirque Camp has completely buried the road, and tl)<* snow plough has made a new track. In places the lorries, which are pulled along the last mile or so with the aid of the snow plough, are 10ft. to ]2ft.. above the surface of tho road. Special bars which fit over tho twin wheels of the trucks are the only effective grips for the trucks when powder snow covers tho road. The doctor from Lumsden had an epic trip, and had many trials before finally arriving to attend tho injured, while everybody speaks highly of tho magnificent work carried out by the camp medical attendant, Mr. S. N. Shore. It is due to Mr. Shore and other members of tho camp who were versed in the treatment of injuries that the men were taken comfortably to the waiting doctor at headquarters cam p. Engineers' Inspection

Mr. J. Christie, the engineer in charge of construction, and Mr. W. Pearcc, resident. engineer, Invercargill, inspected the works again to-day, but were unable to reveal an ostium to of the damage. Mr. T. M. Mall, district engineer of the Public Works Department, from Dunedin, was met at Monkey Flat on the way to the Homer this afternoon. Questioned as to whether construction work would be carried on through the winter. Mr. IJall replied that at the present time there was'no talk of suspending operations. All big eonstruofion jobs had their accidents, he said. A man who knows the district in the vicinity of the Ilolyford and the Homer said that there was always likelihood of avalanches at the Homer at this time of the year, and he thought it would be a wise move to suspend work over the months when snow was usually expected.