Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954), Friday 8 September 1905, page 3


FALLS OF SNOW. :"BALLARAT TRANSFORMED. In all parts of the sthte during the past five days the -weather has beencold. Snow fell in the Gramplians and other places. The fall at Ballarat on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning is stated to .be the heaviest recorded for over 30 years. By midnight the streets were covered so Sthickly that the cabs moved along as noiselessly as on a tan track. At sunrise the city presented a beautiful spectacle. Every roof was covered with snow, and the branches of the trees in Sturt-street were hung with scintillating icicles. Numbers of people rose early to enjoy the novelty, and to participate in the snowballing, to which for a couple of hours the streets were given up. A favourite form of amusement was to collect about a barrow-load of snow at the end of a balcony, and toss it on the head of an unwary passer-by. The mayor of the city (Councillor Whykes) was hastening along Lydiard-street to attend the Court, when a youth threw a ball at a range of a few feet. Mr. Whykes was struck in the eye, and for over an hour suffered considerable pain. A young man named Morcom, son of a timber merchant in Mair-street, was driving a lorry when he was assailed by an excited crowd. The horse plunged, and Morcom, falling to the roadway, received slight concussion of the brain. Several of the students of the School of Mines so bombarded a city hotelkeeper that he rushed into the house, and returned with a revolver. Peace was at once restored in that particular quarter. Several plate-glass windows were broken and minor damage done to shops.