Page 02 - Souvenir of the Maitland Flood, 1913
From Souvenir of the Maitland Flood 1913. The date is c1913
Transcription
over a quarter of a mile, was a scene of desolation and destruction, far worse than the occasioned by the memorable 1893 flood. A number of houses were wrecked, some quite beyond repairs. A brick house, the residence of Mr Hannan was washed completely away as were many out-houses and fences which stood in the path of the raging torrent. At some parts of the road the water was 8 ro 9 feet deep.
Cummins' dam, a little further up the river than Oakhampton, broke during the day, and a big volume of water rushed towards the railway line, which it wrecked just north of West Maitland Station. The breaking of the dam and the embankment relieved the river considerably, and it began to fall: slowly at first, but rapidly later on. The water continued to rise down South Maitland way, and soon was over the platforms to a depth of about 18 inches. A train left for Newcastle on Friday morning, but proceeded as far as Taro only. That was the last train that left West Maitland Satation for a Week. The water began to fall between Maitland and Morpeth, and on Sunday a train was run from High Street to that place, the passengers being conveyed to Newcastle by boat from there. On Tuesday morning railway communication was restored between High Street Station and Newcastle, and he following Friday it was extended to West Maitland Station. All the trains from the North terminated at Farley, and those from the South at High Street, the passengers and mails being transhipped. It is stated that this is the biggest transipping scheme yet attemped by the railway authorities.
The line at West Maitland Station was damaged to an alarming extent, 300 men working night and day, Sunday as well, in order to restore direct railway communication with the North. A great deal of the lower portions of the town remained under water for some time.
This flood differed in may respects from the much-talked-of '93, being more disastrous. It rose slowly, and stayed stationary for a long time; not so the '93 which rose and fell quickly.
Many parts of the district are still under water, as this little memento is being printed, and it is impossible to say at the present time exactly how much damage was realy done. Fortunatley, there was only one death occasioned by the flood-that of Mr Egan, of Morpeth, who was washed out of a sulky. Had the water broken over at Oakhampton at night, the loss of life would, doubtless, have ben great.
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Page 02 - Souvenir of the Maitland Flood, 1913
From Souvenir of the Maitland Flood 1913. The date is c1913
Transcription
over a quarter of a mile, was a scene of desolation and destruction, far worse than the occasioned by the memorable 1893 flood. A number of houses were wrecked, some quite beyond repairs. A brick house, the residence of Mr Hannan was washed completely away as were many out-houses and fences which stood in the path of the raging torrent. At some parts of the road the water was 8 ro 9 feet deep.
Cummins' dam, a little further up the river than Oakhampton, broke during the day, and a big volume of water rushed towards the railway line, which it wrecked just north of West Maitland Station. The breaking of the dam and the embankment relieved the river considerably, and it began to fall: slowly at first, but rapidly later on. The water continued to rise down South Maitland way, and soon was over the platforms to a depth of about 18 inches. A train left for Newcastle on Friday morning, but proceeded as far as Taro only. That was the last train that left West Maitland Satation for a Week. The water began to fall between Maitland and Morpeth, and on Sunday a train was run from High Street to that place, the passengers being conveyed to Newcastle by boat from there. On Tuesday morning railway communication was restored between High Street Station and Newcastle, and he following Friday it was extended to West Maitland Station. All the trains from the North terminated at Farley, and those from the South at High Street, the passengers and mails being transhipped. It is stated that this is the biggest transipping scheme yet attemped by the railway authorities.
The line at West Maitland Station was damaged to an alarming extent, 300 men working night and day, Sunday as well, in order to restore direct railway communication with the North. A great deal of the lower portions of the town remained under water for some time.
This flood differed in may respects from the much-talked-of '93, being more disastrous. It rose slowly, and stayed stationary for a long time; not so the '93 which rose and fell quickly.
Many parts of the district are still under water, as this little memento is being printed, and it is impossible to say at the present time exactly how much damage was realy done. Fortunatley, there was only one death occasioned by the flood-that of Mr Egan, of Morpeth, who was washed out of a sulky. Had the water broken over at Oakhampton at night, the loss of life would, doubtless, have ben great.
The image was scanned from the original held in Cultural Collections, Auchmuty Library, the University of Newcastle, Australia.
If you have any information about the image you would care to share, please contact us or leave a comment.
Please contact us if you are the subject of the image, or know the subject of the image, and have cultural or other reservations about the image being displayed on this website and would like to discuss this with us.