Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 21 March 1908, page 44


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:V-i. 12 INCHES IN 24 HOURS. ] Brisbane, March 15/

? ?'?':??? The -heavy rains in the Brisbane district Awinaflhe past 24 tours have resulted in ; ' many of the low-lying parts orBnsbane and :'? suburbs being submerged. Norman Creek and Breakfast Creek have overflowed their ''' banks and flooded a large area of land in tnc vicinity. One. drowning case has been reported. Constable Murtagh, of Fortitude Valley, lost his life endeavoring to rescue a horse from drowning. , . . - T- .*«»_**. frnm rV\«nfrtTl ai~, fhn llPflH -Of tbe

Brisbane River, state that 13 in. of rain have fallen there during the 24 hours, and ?the river at Cressbrook was as high as in the 1893 flood. Provided, however, that no more heavy rain falls in the Brisbane ?dis-trict to-day the river at Brisbane should carry off all the local rainfall before the ?water from Crasbrook comes down to the city which will be to-morrow. Reports from the Kholo waterworks at 8 a.m. to-day stale that the river was up 26 ft., but 56 ft. is the danger level. In fact, in the 18B3 flood it was up to~90 ft. The rainfall in Brisbane and suburbs the past 24 hours ranged from 8 in. as fcigh as 12 in., according to locality. Ine ii-arnwav lines were for a time submerged in the lowlying places, thus delaying traffic. The railway trains also stopped on the Bobnab line, near Ipswich. The shipping companies are insisting on the removal of all goods from the wharfs m reach of flood. The authorities have sent boats to the suburbs in case they are required. Ine floodwaters at Brisbane Tjegan to recede at about midday on Saturday, and it is ex

pected that unless very ueavj i*m ««m falls there will be no serious damage, ius rainfall this afternoon was light. Sydney, March 15. Terrific rains have fallen in the northern parts of the State, and telegraphic communication with those parts and with Queensland is completely cut off. Taraworth reports the heaviest flood for 25 years, 6 in. of rain having fallen there since Friday night. The surrounding country for miles is under water, and the lower streets are submerged from end to end, while water is running into the business premises, lac jrater is still rising. Newcastle, March 15. Heavy rains have fallen in the northern part of the State, and a report was received here to-night that a serious -washavay had occurred on the North-West railway, near Breeza. bevond Werris Creek. In consequence of this traffic has been temporarily suspended between Werris Creek and Narrabri. The North-West mail, which left here at 11 o'clock to-night, would not be able to proceed beyond Werris Creek,— Sydney, March 10. ' The heavy rains in the north and northwest of the State have resulted in considerable damage to the railways. There have been heavy falls between Murrururidi end Tamwortb, and the railway line has been affected, though not sufficiently to cause stoppage of traffic. Still in one or two places the trains have to proceed elowly. West of Werris Creek, on- tta north-western line, a large area of country appears to have been Hooded, and communication is blocked at a number of places. At some of the deparment'B watering . places there is as much as 3 ft. of water over the rails, and consequently it has been impossible to get the traffic through. It was hoped that the _. line between Narrabri and WerriB Creek would have been repaired to-day, but the Burren Extension was not expected to be sufficinetly repaired to enable traffic to he carried over it. To-day tbe passenger traiu which left Sydney on Sunday evening at 7.20 was hung up at Werris Creek. The position of affairs at Tomworth is serious, nnd loss of life is feared. The flood ^waters are still rising rapidly, and the whole of one side of Peel-slreet. from Oliphanfc's Post-office Hotel, is ' under water. This hotel, the premises of the 'Observer' office, the Royal Hotel, Mis. Hay (millinery), Mr. Kirby (tailor), Mr. Potts (tobacconist's), Austin's Exchange Hotel, Treloar's store, Glyde (chemist) and Nash (drapery), are all under water. There is 3 ft. of water in Adams' newsagent's office.On On the other side of the street the water is flowing over the footpath at P. G. Smith's store. Those on that side flooded include the Union Bank, O'Brien & Began (mercers), Butler (bootman), Sands' refreshment rooms, Central Hotel. Graysto:* Bros., and Marcus Clark's'. The water broke into the Chinese quarter to the |k-uth of the town, and all the Chinese bad to quit. It is now rushing down and augmeting the flood, which is already submerging the principal portion of the town. It is certain that all the stock depasturing on the flats are lost, and it is feared that loss of human lives will be reported. .When the police visited the flats yesterday they were met with laughter from some when the warning was given, but several of the residents were completely isolated at fl o'clock in the evening, and it would appear iniraculouB if all escape with their lives. At Taree nearly 8 in. of rain have been registered since Friday night. Wnodjside had l-18 points, and KTingham 743. The river rose 3 ft. over the wharfs, and was S ft. higher than it was a fortnight ago. The latest accounts state that the river is falling slowly at Wingham and Woodside. All the punts were taken off and traiflc 'tt'ns practically stopped. John Towers was drowned at Langley's sawmills. Lansdowne, pn Saturday night. Reports from the north-eastern half of the State this morning show that heavy and in some cases flood rains have fallen. X-ight to moderate rains also occurred on the southern coast highlands, and in the eastern Riverina. The heaviest totals were from the north-western plains and slopes. iWec Wan headed the list with 8.51 in., and iboggabri had 8.26 in. On Hunter anri Manning the falls varied from 1.20 in. to 6.05 in. Tfae.R.MJS. Asturias. of the Orient-Royal Wail #ne. which, was due back from Brisbane today, has been -delayed at the northern pjort in consequence of a flood prevailing in the river. She was timed to Sail from Sydney for London on Wednesday next, but owing to this delay the sailiug of the vessel will be postponed. Oodnadatta, March 17. Further news is to hand from outlying stations regarding tW rain. -Six and a Quarter inchei ' were registered at Sir. G. Bennett's Allandale station and 6j in. -Tit Mr. J. A. Dresden's Todmorden station. Between Dalhousie and Macumba stations ' a-'plain about 40 miles long wbb under water. Mr. J. Harvey, who manages Mrs. Williams' station at- Nydrie,- had a very unpleasant experience. His camp was on the bank .of the Albergo, which rose so rapidly as 'to compel him to seek safety in a t«e; where he remained- for two days and two nights, with » wide expanse of water »rouod him. in which he »a.w some of ,hi8 KQiita drowned. Thfl WB at Nydrie

IB alhSMi fairly high; but1' tfcte -waters, washed a goat into hV „? : '?' / *?. HEROOTT SPRttffSS, * March * lS^-A .inQBsenger - i rojm Mungaranie, on the Bu'dsvale . track, ;has just arrived, and reports that 8 in. of' rain 'has fallen there 'jgthi.n. the last fortnight,' The ?Birdsvflle TnaiJ, due yesterday; has not yet arrived, and fit- 48 likely thai it will i-e -delayed for some days, owing to the flooded state of -the track. .We^are having n'ne ; weather,. and the coun, try is loojung green since the recent heavy rains. ' ' '? ' ' -- ' ' ? ' -'? ?-? ? . '? On Monday morning- the Deputy Poatniasler-General. received the following telegram from the postmaster at Katherineir'Police Camp, Victoria River— Mail dua 4 p.mM Saturday; not arrived. Probably 'de-layed by floods. ~ W511 report later.' , Ttio postmaster at Hergott telegraphed on Saturday as follows;— 'Birdsville mail, due to day, not arrived. Heavy rains reported on the track.'