HEAVY FLOODS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 18

HEAVY FLOODS.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN TOWN AND COUNTRY. Thursday Morning. As wasenticipated, theheavy rainfall of Tuesday evening has caused considerable damage, and as there is no sign of improvement it is fe*ared that in the country districts especially tho loss will be serious. The Taieri river is in high flood, although so far it is some feet below the last big flood. The actual damage which has been caused in both town and country cannot be ascertained for some time yet, but it will undoubtedly be heavy. When it is remembered'that according to Mr Skey's observations no less than 4*26 inches of rain fell for the 24 hours preceding 9 a.m. yesterday, and comparing the damage done with what has occurred on previous occa* sions, it will be found that the corporation system of drainage has produced a marked improvement. Indeed beyond the innumerable slips there was little evidence to be observed in the city yesterday of the severe downpour of the previous evening. This cannot be said, however, regarding South Duuedin, St. Kilda, and the lower portions of Caversham. From the hills large sheets of water could be observed on the Oval and the Caledonian and Carisbrook grounds, and also in numerous other places. The sight was quite picturesque as evening closed, for 1 as the houses and places of business were lit up the lights could be seen reflected in the sheets of water. According to the observations taken by Mr H. Skey,the rainfall since August 2 has reached the almost unprecedented quantity 0f11564 in,2 <564 in, and more or less has fallen on every day but one of the present month. The readings for each 24 hours from the 2nd to the 18th are as follow: —

As there is at the present time no indications of any improvement, the present month bids fair .Jo eclipse all previous records in the quantity of rain which has fallen. It was found desirable in one or two of the public schools yesterday to dismiss the scholars for^the day owing to the large amount of wet which had found its way into some of the rooms. On the teachers assembling at the Arthur street school in the morning it was found impossible to go on with the work owing to the number of leaks in the roof. About half of the scholars attended, but the teachers wisely decided to give them a holiday. The scholars at St. Joseph's School were also dismissed for the day. Fortunately no loss of life has to be recorded, although some narrow escapes are enumerated. Rumours were current that some damage had been caused at Seacliff Asylum by some heavy slips, and that the building was considered to be in a dangerous condition, but so far as we could ascertain these are devoid of truth. The floods were not without their amusing side, and during the afternoon passers-by in King street were entertained by an elderly woman whose cottage, situated in a right-of-way, was flooded to a depth of two feet. She had gathered her belongings on to the chairs and tables, but scorned to leave her abode. At length two officers of police appeared on the scene, and persuaded a young man to wade to the house with the intention of bringing the woman off on his back. For some time she seemed in two minds whether to come or stay to guard her property, but at last she expressed her intention of "sticking to the 6hip," and the young man returned empty-handed. The following are the particulars from various sources of the damage done: — THE CITY. In the city the mostseriousdamage to buildings is in the vicinity of Clarke street at its junction with Canongate street—the house Mr Shaw, carpenter, having been almost destroyed by a fall of earth from the embankment in Duncan street breaking through the back wall of the building and forcing it off the piles. Mr Shaw was awakened by the crash; and on^ ascertaining that the side of the house next the hill had been burst in, he immediately aroused his wife and family. They slept in the upstairs portion of the house, and as the stairs were partially blocked up with earth, &c. from the <slip they had some difficulty in getting out. Owing to the fear they were in they did not attempt to save anything, and in their night clothespr oceeded to,an empty building a little distance off. The greater part of the furniture was completely destroyed, and the kitchen and the parlour were soon filled to the ceiling with mud and rotten rock. In the same neighbourhood Mr John M'Farlane's large brick house was in imminent danger on Tuesday night owing to the earth in front giving way, and early yesterday morning a portion of the verandah fell. Constable Paterson awakened Mr M'Farlane, who, with aid obtained, removed the furniture in the front rooms. The precaution was also taken of propping up the house, and tarpaulins were utilised to prevent the ■wind, and rain enlarging the cavity under portion of the building. However, as the greater part of the house is on a rock foundation, it is not likely that more damage will result. Serious inconvenience was caused in the Daily Times and Witness office, necessitating considerable delay in publishing both papers. The engine-room here is below the 6treet-line, and the^pipes which carry off the water used in connection with the,engines, were the means of flooding the engine-room to the depth of nearly 3ft, causing a lot of damage. A vast amount of goods in the cellars of warehouses has \been damaged. In Bond street, Messrs Dalgety and Co., Murray, Roberts, and Co., Neill and Co. have been the principal sufferers. A considerable quantity of goods in the U.S.S. Company's stores have been destroyed. But the heaviest losers are Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen, the basement floor of their extensive premises being wholly covered with water to a depth of 22in, and a very large quantity of boots, woollen stuffs, prints, &c, has been much damaged. As yet, no adequate idea of this firm's losa can be formed. Cellars and underground premises in Rattray street were also more or less flooded', but the actual extent of damage is not ascertamable, although it is not likely to be very serious. The cellars in many of the George street shops were flooded, and considerable damage was done; the heaviest loss, so far as ascertained, occurring at the City Boot Palace In the lower part of St. Andrew street, one family had to be removed, and in several other houses water entered to the depth of 2ft. Numerous

slips occurred on the west side from George street in Rattray street, York place, High street, and various other localities, but none of these are very serious. The corporation daymen were kept all day yesterday clearing the water channels from debris of all kinds. It was found advisable to place a notice on the Dowliug street steps during the day, notifying that the path which was left on top of the Dowling street embankment was not safe for passengers. The recent rains have washed away the veiu of red clay, or hematite, which ran across the cutting to such an extent that there is some danger to some of the houses. One property has been already seriously damaged by this slip, a gap of considerable extent having been made. About 1 o'clock yesterday morning the Water of Leith was very high, but in the evening the volume of water had lessened. In High street a slip occured near Mr Dallas' house. In the south end many of the low-lying portions of the city are covered with water, and the removals from houses were numerous. THE SUBURBS. As is usual in times of heavy rainfalls, a great portion of the Flat has been submerged. The new drainage works from Caversham have proved inadequate, the main sewer having,burst in several places, and the Cargill road sewer in two places. Abot 6 o'clock last evening it was deemed prudent to suspend the runniug of tram cars to Caversham, owing to the greater portion of Cargill road being under water. On the west side of Oargill road all the land is more or less flooded, as is also the township of Fitzroy ; the principal sufferers being the Chinese gardeners. Maria, Eleanor, and Russell streets and Reid road, South Dunedin, are under water. In this borough yesterday many families changed their residences, in some cases to the city. At the railway workshops operations had to be suspended ; and so much water entered a number of houses in this locality that their occupants, until assisted to leave, either stayed in their beds or sought refuge on the tables. With his well-known gallantry, Mr R. Phelan was here, there, and everywhere, lending valuable assistance to families the heads of which were absent. However, there was no occasion for a display of his swimming abilities ; but the manner in which he carried alarmed women and children toplaces of safety elicited admiration from all beholders, save a few larrikins who could not restrain their laughter when, laden with a stout specimen of the fair sex, he and his burden came to grief in a ditch. St. Kilda is in many places under water, but not to such an extent as South Dunedin. The Caversham main sewer, as previously stated, has burst in several places. In Peter street a landslip occurred which carried away one of the ehimnies of a house owned by Mr Philip Roberts, storeinan. Anticipating danger, Mr Roberts and family removed from the house on > Tuesday. A large portion of Mr Credginton's garden in Mount Pleasant township was washed away, and Mr Dobie, of Leslie, Lane, and Dobie, has his garden at Rockyside destroyed. A bluestone wall in front of Mr Fox's property has been partially swept away, and the bursting of a culvert in Sydney street resulted in damage to a house owned by Mr Calder, carpenter. Near the railway arch the , water flowing from the Glen road has washed away a portion of the road. The Carisbrook cricket ground is covered with water to a depth of several feet. A very large slip occurred at St. Clair, but the only house in danger — that of Mr Fleming— was luckily not touched by it. At the North- East Valley on Tuesday night the main road from Kirk's hotel to some distance past Lindsay's bridge was under water ; but not so much damage has been done in this borough as at South Dunedin and Caversham. The floors of three or four shops in the vicinity of the hotel mentioned were given a washing out, which the occupiers evidently did not favourably regard. The retaining wall in front of a house on the main road, tenanted by Mr W. Claxton and owned by Mr W. C. Smith, gave way. At Kelvin Grove a number of families removed from their residences on Tuesday night, and the flood here -was greater than in any other part of the borough. The township of Selwyn was not flooded to such an extent as a few years ago. Mr T. Mcehan's property at Maple Hill was considerably damaged, and he states that this is due to the Borough Council diverting the natural drainage. He intends bringing an action against the council. At the Valley yesterday the water had gone down considerably. The storm water channel being inadequate to carry off the surplus flow, the water was yesterday morning turned into the Ross Creek lower reservoir. The Leith was not so high yesterday as on Tuesday, and very little damage has been done in the Leith Valley. THE RAILWAYS. Considerable damage has been done by the floods both on the northern and southern railway lines, and traffic is stopped both north and south of Dunedin. The 4.10 train from Dunedin to Oamaru on Tuesday evening ran into a landslip near the Puketeraki tunnel, the train being thrown off the line by the force of the shock. It appears, however, that no injury was sustained by any of the passengers, nor was any damage done to the rolling stock. Some idea may be gathered of the extent of the slip when it is stated that it will probably take two days to remove it. According to our Waitati correspondent, the slip is one mile in extent. Another slip between 70 and 80 yards in length occurred yesterday at Purakanui, about five miles from Port Chalmers. A small slip took place on the PalmerstonDunback line on Tuesday, but the earth was speedily removed and the train allowed to proceed on its way, only about an hour's delay having been occasioned by the stoppage. _ Up to the present time the Port Chalmers line has not suffered to any graat extent. Only several small slips have taken place near Ravensbourne and other places along the line. The traffic, however, has not been interfered with. A slip of an extensive nature has taken place on the southern line, on the Dunedin side of the Caversham tunnel. The high banks on each side of the line have given way and completely blocked the line. A number of men were set to work at 6 o'clock yesterday morning to remove the fallen earth, and a clearance will probably be made' on that particular part of the line about 1 o'clock to-day. On the Walton Park branch line several small slips have also occurred, and on the Outram line traffic has been stopped completely, owing to the Taieri river having risen to such a height at one part that it is now running above the permanent way to a depth of about 4ft. On the further side of the Caversham tunnel there are a number of breaks in the line, and the Kaikorai stream is running over it. A good deal more damage may bo expected on this part of the line if the weather does not clear up shortly. In addition to the slips already mentioned, a very serious slip has occurred near Abbotsford ; and there is also a break in the permanent way on both sides of Greytown, tho Taieri river flowing through the apertures.

The railway authorities intend to make an effort to run the 4.20 train on the south line to-day if circumstances prove favourable, but there is little likelihood of the train being able to run so soon as that, as very little can be done on the Taieri until the water has subsided. Traffic on the north line will very probably not be resumed before Friday morning, and possibly not till later on. THE TAIERI PLAIN. A member of our staff drove out to the Taieri during the afternoon aud found the plain all more or less flooded. Between Dunedin and Caversham some small slips had taken place on the main road, but they were not of sufficient magnitude to impede traffic. Looking from Caversham Rise, some idea of the extent of the floods could be formed. A large portion of the boroughs of South Dunedin, St. Kilda, and Caversham was under water. The Caledonian and Carisbrook grounds were submerged to a depth of between three and four feet, and it was evident that a good deal of damage had been done to the drains and the street channelling. Farther along the road a gang of men with a ballast train were seen to be hard at work removing a large slip from near the end of the Caversham tunnel. On the other side of the watershed the Kaikorai stream appeared to have grown into a regular mountain torrent, and a great sheet of water had gathered on the lowlying ground in the direction of Brighton beach. The Kaikorai had evidently been at a higher level during the night, but had caused no damage of any great consequence. On the other side of Green Island a number of passengers were met trudging wearily along through the rain on their way to Dunedin. They had come as far as Mosgiel by train, and learning that they conld get no farther on account of the damage to the line, they had started to walk to Dunedin. Under such circumstances as these the average Briton might have been expected to growl — perhaps even to swear ; but these burly countrymen took things goodnaturedly and appeared to be in the very best of good humour. They had, no doubt, pictured in their mind's eye some snug hostlery in the dim distance with cheerful blazing fires and steaming punch bowls, that would prove a sure preventive against colds and rheumatism. Other passengers who had been more fortunate in securing buggies were met a little farther on, but they did not look even so cheerful as their fellow passengers who were making tho journey on " Shanks' mare." From the top ot Saddle Hill the Taieri Plain was seen under peculiar circumstances. The Silverstream, running bank high, had evidently broken through the embankment, and was flooding most of the lowlying land in the North Taieri. A great deal of water had also lodged in the vicinity of the Mosgiel bush, and for miles in the direction of Outram there was one unbroken sheet of water, the Taieri river having overflowed its banks in several places. To the north-east of Greytown Mr W. Shand's Meadowbank and Keith Hall Estates appeared to have suffered a good deal, while on Mr Kirkland's Hillgrove farm there seemed to be very few acres of dry land. Messrs Bernard's and D. Shand's properties were also a good deal under water. Mr Kirkland had succeeded in getting all his cattle to a place of safety; and Mr Shand had secured all his stock with the exception of a few sheep and a bullock which managed to evade the stockman by plunging through a swollen stream — greatly to his own inconvenience, for he was left on a small island with but a scanty supply of fodder and the muddy waters rising steadily around him. A number of sheep were drowned on the low-lying ground, and some young lambs, abandoned by their mothers, could be seen dying in the paddocks. At Henley matters were even worse than at Greytown, and it was expected that when the incoming tide dammed backthe waters serious results would follow. The flood is tho highest that has taken olaee in the Taieri since the big flood about seven years ago. Yesterday afternoon the river was still about 6ft lower than it had risen on that occasion, but it was still steadily rising and had risen about 3ft since the previous night. At 3 o'clock the rain moderated somewhat, and an occasional glimpse of the sun was obtained ; but half-an-hour afterwards it was raining more heavily than ever, and the return journey had to be made in the face of a cole' north-east wind accompanied by a blinding rain. Mr Ruthven, near Mosgiel, is a considerable loser, fully 30 acres of turnips on his farm having been destroyed. Messrs Swallow, Nichol, and other neighbouring farmers are in much the same predicament. Mr Swallow and family had to abandon their house, from which they made thoir escape with difficulty. The Silverstream is flowing right across Mr Kirk's property, and has completely cut off all approach to the railway bridge. At Mr M'Farlane's farm, on the West Taieri, road men Avere engaged all night in rescuing cattle and sheep. Our representative was unable to reach Outram, where it is feared considerable damage will be caused. In fact, from intelligence received in town, it appears that there is a probability nf portion of the township being swept away if the river breaks out. The water was percolatiug through the embankment at various places, and the inhabitants were somewhat alarmed at the prospect before them. BLUESKIN. Waitati, August 18. Heavy rain still continues. A number of extensive slips on the railway line are reported. One is said to be a mile in length, between Seacliff and Puketeraki, where the face of the tunnel is washing into the tunnel. The engine of the last train last night is still buried in the slip. The embankment near Omimi has slipped. It has been banked up with sleepers, but the ballast engine with officials could not go forward to-day. Culverts have been carried away, and other damage done to the road in all directions. The Waitati is in very heavy flood.

.ugust Inches. 2 ... .17 August 3 ... .14 „ 4 ... .408 5 ... .52 6 ... .00 „ 7 ... .18 8 ... 2.856 9 ... .88 10 ... .08 Total 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 luches. .01 .9 .1 .81 .21 .53 .92 ... 4.26 ... 12.564