Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-17
AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.
The First Details Of the Awful Dis
aSter Received.
WATER TWELVE FEET HIGHER
Than the Famous Destructive
Calamity of 19oO-Lives Lost
and Millions of Dollars Worth
at Property observation-disclosures
Tumbled About in Reckless
Disorder Bridges Swept Away.

SAN Francisco, March l6.-The Au.
stralian papers which arrived on the
steamer Alameda to-day graphically de-
tail the great floods at Brisbane and its
suburbs last February. In the city OF
Brisbane aud It's suburbs the damage
done by the floods is estimated at Sl6,-
600, 900. The towns OF Bundamba, lps-
wich and Godna were all under water
and the people had 20 fee 20 the hills.
Seven were drowned In q mine a. Ip-
switch; four from one family. When
the Alemada left Sydney the flood had
subslded and the government vas pro-
viding for the relief OF the destitute.
Places Of refuge had been provided and
everything possible was being done for
the sufferers. The rain had been
falling almost constantly since the
beginning on the first OF Febru-
airy. From Friday afternoon, February
80 the waters rose very rapidly and by
noon on Saturday the level OF the big
flood had been reached. Still the rain
poured down increasingly, and the wat
ers continued To rise throughout Satur-l
day night and Sunday until a maximum.
height was reached AZ about o'clock
on Sunday night, the level then
being about twelve feet above the
flood OF 1890. The scene was
then something terrible. A very large
portion OF the city and suburbs. and the
whole OF the surrounding country In
every direction were Inundated. tho
water being in many places over the
tops OF the houses. In brisbane aud
it's immediate vicinity some thou
sands OF houses were submerged
and many hundreds OF families werei
forced to seek such shelter as was OBJ I,
talnabe on the higher ground, many
losing all they possessed and barely es-
Gaping with their lives. Throughout
Saturday and sunday night rescue boats
were hard al work In all directions re-
moving people TO places OF safety.
Many were clinging 10 their places so,
long that they only be removed with the
greatest difficulty. Everything possible
was done 70 afford shelter TO those
homeless and TO relieve their immediate.
distress, but the misery among the
poorer families must have beeneA9ry
great.
Among the most serious losses susl
tanned is the wreck OF the bridges.
Early on Sunday morning the fine rail-
way bridge by which the main south
ern and western line crossed the river
at Indooroohilly and which cost over
ESQ, 900, was carried away with a tre-
mendous crash, so that railway
communication with all the places
southwest OF Brisbane will be suspend
ed for a long time TO come. Even more
serious is the destruction OF the Vic
toria bridge, which spanned the river
between North and South Bisbane. 10
cost about Gl50,000.
Ipswich has suffered most severely by
the calamity. The Broger river rose
20 heighth OF 80 feet above its normal
level. This flooded the lower portion
10 depth OF 81 feet, l6 feet higher
than the hitherto famous food OF 1880.
The result, even as seen from ar :
way train, is disastrous. Houses
upset Ia every direction and CO
hundreds OF yards from their o al
sites