The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-21
FIRST EDITION
AUSTRALASIA.
Terrible Floods and Great Loss OF Life In
New South Wales and New Eea.
land-Hurrlcane Lasting
Four Days, Etc.

RWNA DHNS"s
Via Panama we have later mail dates from
Australia and New Zealand. Acontinued storm
of wind and RAIN hurricane and floods Of unpre-
cedented magnitude, had taken place in New
South Wales and New Zealand The Sydney
and Wellington papers furnish full accounts Of
this disastrous hurricane.
TewribIe Flood in New south Wales
ThrAlliDg InCidents-LOss OF Life, Etc.
From the Sydney Empire, Julyl.
The steamship Ruahine, which leaves the port
OF Sydney this day for Panama, will convey
intelligence which must be most shocking aud
distressing, not only to those who feel an in
terest in the prosperity Of these colonies, but to
all who have regard for humanity. This country
has been visited by a more terrible flood than
any that has been known since the first
white man set his foot upon the SOIL and its
results have been most desolating, making
whole families homeless, destroying life and
property TO an extent which is as yet be-
Yond calculation. When the Kaikourra left
Sydney, on the LIST of June, it was noted that the
rain had continued, almost without intermis-
sion, for two months; but up to that time no
great fears of destructive floods were enter
tained, though business was interrupted by the
wet weather and the continuous downfall of
water caused general Inconvenience. The Kai-
kOurra had severe weather on her voyage to
Wellington, but left that place for Panama on
the 9Th of June with 65 passengers and 4500
= ounces of gold. The weather continued bad on
this coast, and on Wednesday, the 9th of June,
eliminated in a storm which has been described
as hurricane, and which continued for four
days. Great fear was entertained in the city of
Sydney that the low-lying lands of the country
most exposed 10 floods by reason of the nH-
merOus water courses falling through them,
and the narrowness and circuitous course
of the outlet to the sea would be inun-
dated; but no one expected that this was the
beginning of the most disastrous food that
had ever occurred in New South Wales, and
that the sympathies of the people of the country
would be tasked to degree beyond anything
that had ever been previously known. Yet so
it has proved: On Friday, the, 2lst Of June,
mt Annw uhRuh OBJ, A1a1 i
alarmed the whole of the Inhabitants but which,
nnhappily, proved to be true. The whole of
the valley OF the Hawkesbury river had been
flooded to height unknown and unrecorded
by the Oldest inhabitant or by story. The town
of Windsor was surrounded by water, and so
sudden had been the rush of the flood from the
high lands, in consequence of the previous satu-
ration of the ground, that the farmers and their
families had to fee for their lives abandoning
all they possessed to the raging waters, The in
one case a farmer sat upon the roof
of his house with his family for twenty
hours, holding his youngest child in his
arms until the infant died from the
effects of cold and exposure, for the
rain was still pouring down in torrents, and
the whole Of the surrounding land was one
throw his dead child into the food, and take up
another in the hope of preserving it. On Satur-
day morning, the 22d, the house gave way, and
was swept down with the food drowning the
mother and nine other children. The father
and four Others were saved by the boats which
had been seat off to rescue these unfortunate
sufferers. By this time the whole of the valley
was inundated, and the fertile district of Rich
mond presented the appearance of great
lake. Fears were felt that the to- of Windsor
itself, where at this time some thousands of
persons were congregated, would be involved
in the general devastation, but happily this
did not occur. The flood was SO sudden
and SO overwhelming, that all means of escape
seemed to be cut of, and many families, some
consisting of weak mothers and young children
suffering from severe Illness had to rem ain for
thn Onfa nf fhntr hon 81 kha
seVerest weather that has ever been known on
this coast, until succor could be given. As soon
as this sad intelligence was known, the Gov
eminent acted with the utmost promptitude.
Boats, and crews to man them, were despatched
by railway to the nearest point TO Windsor, and
although the food was still rushing down in
torrent, and part of the railway was sub
merged the brave men who manned these
boats succeeded at last in reaching the scene of
desolation, and in rescuing very many who had
almost given up all hope.
The Flood at WeIIIn gIOn.
Extract from a letter dated Wellington, June Is.
On Thursday night the river commenced rising
very fast and continued rising until Saturday,
by which time the few dry spots about the lower
part of the town were surrounded by q wide
stretching sea. That mythical parsonage, "the
Oldest inhabitant," remembers nothing like 1t.
The Macquarie on the Wellington side backed
up the Bell water, and spread over the fiat 'front.'
ing the town to the depth of about three feet
1t was up to the posts in front of Parsons hotel
and the cellars of the Australian stores escaped
DelDB nOOueu Oy u lew lnGueS Onlys Ono OF TWO
houses have been washed away from the banks
of the river. Paddy the Chinamans house,
fences, and all, have been carried off, and
nothing but the bent and broken fruit trees are
left to mark the spot where once garden
smiled.n over at Monte6Ores il rose up to Sor-
wells door, and made an island of the Commis-
sioneT's quarters. The free selectors about
PontO have had to take to the mountains, seVe-
raj of their farms having been completely inun-
dated. Eleven hundred sheep 1t Is reported,
have been swept away at Murrumbidgee No
lives have been lost here, but two families at
BuuandoDg are drowned. Out of eleven per-
Bons in one family who were shepherding for
Blunden, only the father and two children have
been saved. / also hear that family have
been drowned near Dubbe. | fear the next
news we get from down the river will be most
disastrous, for hundreds of miles 1t will be a
widespread sea of desolation. For our part, we
have great reason to be thankful 1t is no worse.