SIXTY YEARS AGO FROM THE Otago Daily Times. “Inveniam viam aut faciam” MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1863.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18759, 12 January 1923, Page 6

SIXTY YEARS AGO FROM THE Otago Daily Times. “Inveniam viam aut faciam” MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1863.

. rough work of levelling the Octagon, including the removal at points of more than /ft depth of soil, has been completed; and, pegs having been fixed by the surveyors, the day laborers employed by (ho Government are now engaged in working down to the permanent level. The lino space of the Octagon will, therefore, soon be ready for some purpose, useful or ornamental, as may be decided. THE DUXSTAX. DISASTROUS STORM. (From Oun Owjr Corresi'oxdbxt.} 10th January, 1863. • • One of tiiose severe calamities that tend to prostrate the energies and retard the progress of a young community occurred on Friday night and the morning of Saturday. The previous day had been

comparatively quiet and warm, but as the night approached, violent gusts of wind swept down the gorge, levelling every structure opposed to its fury. As the night advanced the atmosphere became charged >vith d'ust through which the sickly rays of the moon feebly penetrated. During the night the wind became more violent, and the atmosphere so surcharged with floating particles of matter that it was scarcely possible—using the homely phrase—to remain ' out of doors.” Waves of wind caught up and dashed against the frail fabrics of which this and most digging townships are composed, immense quantities of dust and gravel, some of the latter as large as beans, which rained on the those who wore fortunate enough to have iron buildings with a noise only to be compared with that produced by workmen who may bo termed ‘‘rivetting men” in a boiler manufactory. Gust succeeded gust—(ho wind veering to every quarter of the compass—until at least it might have neen supposed that the Dunstan Township blocked up the mouth of the cave of the winds. As may be imagined, the damage sustained by those who had erected buildings of wood and canvas \vu» severe in the extreme. . . ,

Buildings' of the most substantial character did not escape the violence of the storm. Even the Court House erected at considerable expense and composed of the most solid materials, was a. complete wreck. The Resident Magistrate, Jackson Keddell, Esq., had a narrow escape from tho falling building, and but for the fact that the violence of the storm kept him awake, there can be no question "but that your obituary notices might have contained an intimation of tho decease of a gentleman who has made himself respected in the district. I am also informed that tho Gold Mr Beetham, had an equally narrow escape from the ruins of tho Court House. It appears that feeling insecure in the dilapidated tent known as the Treasury, this gentleman sought refuge in the presumed substantial building called a Court House, but that while this was fast becoming a wreck he, in endeavouring to save some papers, made a narrow escape from the falling timber.