The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-11-27 00:00:00

DISASTRoUB FLOOD.

PARTIAL DESTRUCTICO! OF THE WATERLOO P?I!NTHIT.

The heavy rain that fell so incessantly during
Friday night, anti the whole of Saturday caused a
serious flood in this locality. The roads were rendered
impassable in several places, and some houses in the
neighbourhood of the Portmahon Castle Hotel,
Longlicet, were inundated, causing, of course, great
inconvenience to the occupiers. l'he results at
Waterloo, however, were much more disastrous. In
the immediate vicinity of the Waterloo Foundry, of
which Mr. Howell is the roprieter, is an extensive
pond, the water from which drives the wheel that
works the machinery at the Foundry. The water in
this pond rose to an unprecedented height during the
afternoon of Saturday, and such was the force of the
wind and water upon the Foundry Able of the embank-
ment, that a breach some 30 or 40 feet wide was
made between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening. The
volumes of water that immediately rushed through the
breach carried everything before it, and almost totally
destroyed the large smiths' shop, and also washed
away a portion of the fouudrymen'm department. The
storehouses, offices, and fitting shops escaped demoli-
tion, but some portions were so much shaken that
they will have to be rebuilt. The smiths' shop and
foundry were cleared of their contents heavy iron
anvile, even, being carried yards away from their
blocks. We regret to say the smiths' and foundry-
men's tools were all washed away, and this loft will
fall heavily on the workmen, of whom there are about
30. Portions of agricultural machinery and other
articles were picked up on Sunday a long distance
from the works, and there is little doubt that a deal
of property MIA carried into the Backwater of Poole
Harbour by the stream through which the surplus
water from the pond flows. A goat that was
chained up near the Foundry was drowned. A
portion of the bridge and road near the Fleets turn.
pike gate was washed away, and a strong current of
water crossed the road in its course to the sea. Mr,
W. Curtis, traveller for the Foundry, had a narrow
escape at this ep it on Saturday evening. He was
driving home when the flood of water and the floating
dr6ris nearly overpowered his horse, and it warn with
great difficulty he succeeded in getting safely over the
bridge. The scene of the disaster—which it Is almost
imposeible to describe—was visited by hundreds of
people on Sunday. The buildings were the property
of Sir Ivor Guest, but the loss to Mr. Howell will, we
are afraid, be very great.

Sr. Herne lleenttnen Win.rr is ono of the reetoteee
of the Roy.' Contretesion on "Copyright"
THE " \Win," and the Lambs lie down together;
and "feed' on December the sth.

SWANAGR
ON THOR-SDAT evening, November lab, • series of
Lantern R.eadings wax given at the Workman's Hall, in
connection with the Young Men's Association, to • large
but rather noisy audience. The series embraced views of
"The English Cathedrals," and the humourous adventure.
of "The Bashful Young Man." The descriptions were well
rendered by Mr. John Grieg, the honorary secretary.