The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-06

munity Sudden torrents and landslips have hur-
that bore them down to The sea- Bridges have gone
with them, yawning gullies have opened across the
main roads, or rocks and MASSES OF earth from
above have blocked them up II Is impossible as yet
al least to estimate at all accurately the extent OF
damage that has been done. That 10 public works
persons are varousy estimated TO have sustained
aggregate loss OF 100000 to 100000. Altogether
p tae less than was at frst supposed and
the lower estimate may turn out to be the more
correct. The rainfall at Maritzburg or the neigh
borhood, according TO DIR. Sutherland was IL. 10
inches, considerably less than In the vicinity OF
DURHAM and In the direction OF the counties OF Kip
River and Newcastle II is not even said to have been
excessive or more than acceptable. No statement
has yet appeared OF the losses among the stock and
sheep farmers in the upper country but It VIII pro-
badly turn out to DO considerable wherever the rain
has reached.
The railway embankment near the Queens bridge
or bridge on the Point line destroyed and the line
otherwise so injured to put stop to all trac Tor
%esk Il Is "s 'ne
On the very day on the morning Of which the
Queens bridge was destroyed the colonial engineer,
have boats placed the Umgeni near the site OF the
late bridge Thus the passenger traiic has not been
Mr.. Paterson proceeded to Marlzburg to lay before
the Lieutenant Governor plan for temporary
bridge, which could be got ready In Six weeks, 30
that the whole sugar crop Of Victoria county, now
just beginning to be got In, should sulrer no un-
necessary delay In being brought to market.
ElgHt years OVERWHELMINGLY, III ApIl, lofo-HCuNy
floods had been experienced, although not equal to
those OF 1858, and native tradition spoke OF other
hoods ut the same season. People had therefore
come to regard April as the month when danger was
to be apprehended from this cause. Yet have not
been without warning In the month OF August.
Amid all the disasters OF these eventful last days
there is one thing for which we have to be greatly
thankful-the comparatively small number Of lives
which have been lost. The only white man known
to have persisted is youth OF the name OF Barr, an
only son, who, with two companions attempted to
swim the river Umhloti to Els fathers sugar mill.
Tha nth ftynl n M "
Barr, although q good swimmer, was carried on,
and his body has not yet, l believe, been found.
OF coolies and Kalrs sonie six or eight are known
to have persisted. The Swedish brig Vaeringer,
the only vessel In the outer anchorage &C the
time had narrow escape. She lost one anchor
and dragged the other for upwards Of mile, until
she got among the breakers not very far from the
mouth OF the Umgeni. Whether the strong 1ow
from the river enabled her to hold this position or
whatever may have been the cause she succeeded In
weatherIng the Storm and after recovering the pro-
per anchorage ground has now come happily Inslp,,
From the greatly increased cultivation within the
last twelve years the amount OF damage done to
crops mills and country buildings generally Is much
greater than that sustained by the colony In 1885,
On the other hand the town buildings are now gen.
orally, ut least In Durham, OF much more substan-
. 10. ......s. .,..u .liey were in 1856.