Floods, Fires & Earthquakes
19th Century News
Newspaper articles that offer insights into life in Bothwell during the 1800s.
Sources Used: TROVE. https://trove.nla.gov.au; FamilySearch: Australia, Tasmania, Government Gazette, 1833-1925. https://www.familysearch.org.
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We regret extremely to announce that the barn of Mr Russell, at Bothwell, was set fire to on Sunday night, and burned to the ground by some wicked incendiary. There were upwards of 1000 bushels of wheat in the straw entirely consumed, besides a fine sow and pigs which could not be extricated from the flames. Fortunately, the horses belonging to the farm, which usually stand at night in the building, happened to be left out by accident at grass on that night. Not satisfied with the perpetration of this horrid crime, the wretch (for it must evidently have been the same individual that committed both offences), the next night set fire to a stack belonging to Captain Wentworth, the police Magistrate, which was also destroyed. No doubt is entertained, but these fires were occasioned by some ill-disposed vindictive person. Captain Wentworth's, indeed, took place on the rainy night of Monday, and could scarcely have occurred through accident. Strong suspicion rests on one individual, and every pains is taken, we learn, to unkennel him. The Government will doubtless offer a handsome reward for his conviction, and a subscription we learn is raising, among the settlers for the same purpose.
Another smart shock of an earthquake was felt on Wednesday, in the district of Bothwell. It lasted a few seconds, and its effects were exactly as they are in the West Indies, and other countries, subject to such awful visitations. The trembling sensation caused the glasses and other utensils to fall from their places, and much alarm was consequently excited.
The shed adjoining the pound which is close to the house of Mr E. Andrews, at Bothwell, was burnt down on Wednesday last, and property to the amount of £70 was destroyed. The fire was discovered about three o’clock in the afternoon, and, under the impression that it was wilfully originated, a reward of ten guineas is offered for information which will lead to the discovery of the offenders.
A great number of bushfires have been burning, with insatiate rage, in the district of Bothwell. The injury done to fencing is considerable. R. Barr, Esq., Fordell, has sustained serious loss; his house and outbuildings were in the greatest peril.
A fearfully destructive fire broke out, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 15th inst., in a stackyard belonging to Mr William Lewis, Abyssinia, in this district, by which the entire produce of the year was totally destroyed, including upwards of a thousand bushels of oats, twelve tons of hay, besides a barn, a winnowing machine, carts &c., the value of which may be roughly estimated at from £1000 to £1200. The work of destruction was incredibly rapid - a few seconds having sufficed to render all efforts to extinguish or check the raging element unavailing, from the highly ignitable state in which the materials were, caused by the long continued drought, and an atmosphere heated by surrounding bush fires. By this calamity a poor, honest, hard-working man has lost his all, and is plunged into the deepest distress. It is pleasant to record that a general sympathy has been excited throughout the district, and that a subscription has been set on foot, from which it is hoped Mr Lewis will be enabled to resume his occupation. None of the property was insured - the oats and hay having been garnered within the past few days.
THE RECENT FLOODS. Extract Letter from the Shannon. All my attempts to reach the Post-office have been in vain for the last ten days. Indeed, I am not sure that the servant will get there today, and every bridge has been carried away by the floods, which were most alarming here. We have resided on the Shannon thirty years, and can safely say we never saw anything as grand and awful as the waters were. Our river is at most a large one, but it could not break its bounds fast enough; it rose in the middle in high mountains, carrying timber of immense weight. On Friday night last, about five minutes past 11 o'clock at night, we experienced a strange shock, attended by a noise resembling a smothered fire just burst out, which noise lasted about half a minute. My young family had just retired, and one was sitting down, but on rising she was thrown some steps backwards; another in bed felt herself about to be thrown out by the shock, and caught the bed post to save herself; others describing themselves as feeling a sea-sickness. I mention this to you, wishing to know if anything of the sort has been felt in Hobart Town. From our Correspondent.
Never within the memory of the oldest inhabitant has a flood, so sudden in its rise, and devastating in its effects, been witnessed, as that occasioned by the rising of the Clyde, during the past three days, by which every bridge that spanned its usually placid stream has been swept away or rendered impassable, and a vast amount of injury due to fencing and the irrigated lands along its banks. A gentle shower on Saturday evening was the prelude to a rain storm, augmenting in fury, and continuing with little intermission, until Wednesday at noon; during which "Heaven's windows were literally open" while a furious gale from the N.W. blowing from the source to the embouchure of the river, lent speed to its foaming waters, which rushed with the impetuosity of a maelstrom, bearing, with unresistless fury, alike logs of enormous weight and the produce of orchards, gardens, etc., wool, and, it is said, the carcasses of sheep and oxen. Some idea may be formed of the extent of the inundation, when it is stated that the Clyde, the channel of which, as it passes through Bothwell, varies from twelve to twenty feet, became the width of the Derwent at Bridgewater, extending on one side from the grounds of Wentworth, within a few yards of the garden to the residence of Dr Teush on the other; whose tasteful and productive garden was sadly ravaged by the destructive flood. This broad expanse, favouring the illusion of a vast navigable river, intersecting the township, was studded with a flotilla of every tonnage, from posts and rails innumerable, to leviathan logs and huge masses of timber, which, aided by the elevation of the waters, and the course of the wind, sped onwards, breaking down every obstruction to the Falls, about two miles distant, down which they were hurled, with the crash of thunder, to do their work of destruction in the "Lower Clyde." For some miles from its source (Lake Crescent) the banks of the Clyde are precipitous and rocky, affording abundant outlet for the whole waters of the Lake: to these succeed lowlands, chiefly irrigated pastures, extending along the line of river, until it empties itself into the Derwent, the rains and embankments connected with which have sustained great injury. At Cluny a bank head, that has defied the hands of many years weighing in the aggregate a hundred tons, and consisting of logs of gigantic size, was early carried away, and doubtless contributed to the indiscriminate destruction that soon followed - fences and bridges giving instant way to the massive aggressors. Many houses were completely inundated, including those of Messrs Rainsford, Reigate, Horne, late Whiteway's Brewery, where a large quantity of hay was entirely spoiled. The Rev. John Robertson, the Manse, Mr McDowall, Logan, which last, surrounded by water, looked like a floating ark than the "Sunny Dwelling" it is wont to be.
For several days extensive bushfires have been burning on the Cluny estate, and other localities near Bothwell, destroying a large amount of fencing, and the inhabitants having to be up constantly night and day, so as to keep the devastating element at all under. We also hear great complaints on account of the continued drought.
On the 11th December Bothwell was visited with a thunderstorm, the like of which is not remembered by the "oldest inhabitant." During the whole of the day the heat was excessive, and the sun most glaring, but towards the evening the sky began to be overcast, and dense black clouds were observed in the south-west, which, gradually extending, eventually spread over all the township, accompanied by loud claps of thunder and lightning, portending the coming storm, the extent of which, however, was little foreseen. About a quarter to seven o'clock a violent gust or two of wind blowing up the dust in eddies was experienced, and almost immediately afterwards, down came a terrific hailstorm, succeeded by very heavy rain, loud thunder, and both forked and sheet lightning. In an almost incredibly short time a small watercourse, running through one of the back streets, and the paddocks of Messrs Bowden and Robinson and through the garden of Mr Quodling into Arthur Crescent and Patrick street, and which previous to the storm was perfectly dry, was converted into a perfect torrent, covering a broad piece of Mr Bowden's hay field, submerging nearly the whole of Mr Robinson's garden, and of course a portion of his paddock, entirely submerging the garden of Mr Quodling right up to the steps of his front door, pursuing its course through the lower ends of Arthur Crescent and Patrick-street aforesaid down to the river. Such was the height and violence of the current that it carried away several panels of post and rail, and paling fencing belonging to the above named parties, some of which were found lying in Patrick-street next morning. Mr Bedford, who it appears was returning home from his run, in the midst of the storm, had as much as he could do to get his horse and dog-cart across the stream in the street between the residences of Messrs Quodling and Easton. The storm lasted until about half-past eight o'clock; during the whole period the thunder and lightning were almost incessant. The hailstones were very large, and have, no doubt, caused considerable damage. Some panes of glass in the Police office have been broken. The weather seems far from cleared up today; it is very cloudy and beginning to drop slightly with rain.
THE FLOODS. Tuesday, 4th June 1872, 1 p.m. A correspondent hurriedly writing to us says - "Heavy rains since last night from south and eastward; half the township streets under water. Still raining hard." Another correspondent telegraphs as follows - "7.40 p.m. The flood in the Clyde yesterday was the highest known since 1854; it spread over the lowlands like a sea. It has done immense damage to fences, gardens and the streets, which are submerged. Some families were obliged to leave their dwellings for security."
Our Bothwell correspondent, writing on Wednesday, says, "I was sitting in my house, which is a substantial sand cottage of six rooms, reading a book, when all of a sudden my attention was drawn from it by the whole of the floor shaking, as if occasioned by a number of persons dancing on a very springy floor. I first turned my head towards another person in the room, who happened to be standing up at the time, when in an instant my eyes were attracted to the ceiling; the whole house from roof to foundation being in a state of vibration, which lasted two or three seconds, if not more. Presently a young girl, a female servant, who was sitting sewing in the kitchen, a stone building also, detached from the house, and to which is joined a stone coach-house and three stall stable, came running into the house to enquire what was the matter. She said the kitchen shook so that she thought a large cupboard that was in it was going to fall down. The shock, I learn, was experienced more or less over the township. Two ladies from Ratho, who called at my house in the evening, informed me the shock was felt over there, and that some of the family who were engaged in reading described the sensation as though a dog was under their chair shaking himself. Mr Lloyd, the school master, actually got up and looked under his sofa to see if there was not a dog there; he experiencing the same sensation, apparently, as it was felt at Ratho. The heat here has been hot now for some days past; the mercury in my thermometer, hung up on one of the wooden uprights of the porch at the back of the house, facing the west, averaging from 80 to 90 degrees. One day it was as high as 91 at noon. A lady resident here, who has travelled considerably, and had some experiences of earthquakes in the West Indies, states that just previous to the shocks coming on, the woodwork of the building cracked a good deal. On Monday last I noticed this in my house; and in one room especially, the paper on the wall cracked so that it sounded as though the whole of it was going to fall from the wall. Thermometer, now noon, at place before mentioned, 82, but there is a bit of a breeze. A gentleman, who came down from the lakes yesterday, stated that grass fires were raging up in that quarter."
BOTHWELL. Tuesday, 16th April, 1889. At about 2 o'clock this morning the barn on the Logan estate, the property of Mr A. McDowall, was discovered by that gentleman to be on fire. He at once gave alarm in the township, which is about a mile distant from Logan. A great many persons were soon on the spot, but it was impossible to save the barn, as the fire had got too strong a hold. Attention was successfully directed to the saving of a large stack of hay which was only a short distance off. The barn, which had lately been reshingled and repaired, contained about 1,000 bushels of fine wheat, besides a quantity of implements, and a superior wool press. Mr McDowall will be a great loser, as he is only partially insured. There is no doubt it is the work of an incendiary. An inquest will be held.
After an unusually wet season, heavy rain fell incessantly for two days last week, and the river rose very rapidly. During Thursday night and early next morning, several families were obliged to leave their homes, all the streets in the lower part of the township being flooded. Blake's brewery, from its position, was the first to be submerged - a most unfortunate circumstance for the enterprising proprietor, who has just built a new brewery and had made arrangements for removing, fitting up machinery, etc. Mr Blake also had a large stock of grain, sugar, flour, potatoes, etc., all of which suffered more or less damage. A peep into the cellar next morning, however, consoled the patrons of the popular beverage, as there was a large stock floating about, and doubtless in good condition. The bridge over the Clyde, known as the new bridge, which was built some five years ago, is partly destroyed, and the one known as Reid's was removed bodily and landed on the new bridge. This (the new one) was about the most unsightly, unwork manlike structure it was possible to imagine. Some 150 yards in length, ascending from the level of the township at a considerable incline, and built on piles except in the centre, which was of earthwork - and such earthwork! Backed at the ends by loose rubble and at the sides by turf, and filled with sand from the hill close by. Whether the Public Works officials in their wisdom deemed it necessary to dam the water back in order to inundate the township, or whether there was a certain amount of money and no less to be spent on the bridge, I do not know; but this much is certain that the bridge would have been more substantial and less costly had it been constructed of piles throughout, which will be necessary after all. Other small bridges have been swept away and roads damaged, and the Road Trust, into which some new blood has been lately infused, will have their hands pretty full for a time. The bridge over the Jordan, or rather the approaches to it, were destroyed, thus cutting off all vehicular traffic for a time at least. Telegraphic and postal communication was interrupted for a day or two, but is now restored. It is almost unanimously acknowledged to have been the highest flood on record. The weather has now cleared up, and we may expect some severe frosts.
Saturday, 5th March 1892. About half-past 9 last night a fire broke out in a small straw shed adjoining the stable of Mr Arnett’s premises. The stable and a carpenter’s shop in the rear were burnt to the ground. In a very short time after the alarm of fire was given, upwards of 100 men were on the spot, all of whom worked with a will to save the dwelling house and outbuildings. The shingles on the house were several times ignited, but soon extinguished as there was a good supply of water, no less than nine water carts being employed, bringing it from the river. The carpenter’s shop, which contained a quantity of tools and timber, was the property of Mrs Hallett, a widow, who has carried on the business since the death of her husband and was entirely dependent on the same for the support of herself and three children. Much sympathy is felt for her. Nothing was insured but the dwelling house. The fire was no doubt accidental, but as yet it is not known how it started.