100 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK...
Flood Damage to Road at Langwarrin Compiled by Cameron McCullough THE continuous rainfall during the past week caused all the waterways to become swollen, and everywhere water was swirling along with an almost irresistible force. Boggy creek, draining as it does, an extensive watershed spread over its surroundings, and with its large volume of impetuous waters, tore out a great gap in the main road, stretching from Frankston to Cranbourne. At this point the road is raised to a high bank and the culvert being unable to carry away the oncoming, flood waters a great body of it accumulated, and by its superior force, crumpled up the high road bank as if by magic. This happened late on Friday evening, and fortunately for other travellers Mr. D. Hill, a former dayman of Cranbourne Shire, just reached the scene as the road collapsed, and at once started fires on the road to serve as a beacon to any wayfarers, and he also stayed there for sometime during the night as a further protection. On Saturday morning, word was sent to the Shire Engineer, who gave permission to the residents to erect a temporary bridge on the side of the road built of sturdy tree trunks, topped with boughs of scrub and earth, by four o’clock this was ready, and motor and other traffic were passing as usual. At this working bee there were over twenty willing workers, and was reminiscent of the early days here when the Progress Association showed their self-reliance by forming and clearing roads by cutting
down hills and filling in depressions, etc. In this working bee on Saturday last there were a number of young men who had willingly given up their Saturday half-holiday to help on the work of bridging the great gap in the road, and so permit traffic to go on as usual. The need for the provision of a large waterway is obvious and it is intended to have a bridge erected, to permit the outlet of flood waters. At this point the drainage of some thousands of acres must pass, and when one realises that one inch of rainfall means 101 tons of water on an acre it can easily be seen that the volumes of water from this large watershed which nearly three inches of rainfall represents is enormous. Apart from this road, no other damage to any extent from the floods is reported. The soil had reached the saturation point before this last downpour, and is now in a sloppy, and unworkable state, with a spell of finer weather, conditions would rapidly improve routine work in the orchard, and vegetable plots have been delayed through so many wet days, and the sodden state of the soil. The grass, however, will benefit, and in a short time should show an abundant growth for the pasturage of stock. *** A MOST distressing accident befell Mr. D. P. Cain, a well known and respected farmer of Langwarrin. It appears that Mr Cain was leaving Mr. Gathercoles’ butcher shop,
and turning round to close the shop door slipped, and broke his hip. He was taken to St. Pancras private hospital where he is being attended by Dr. Johnson. *** MRS. Parris, the unfortunate victim of the smash in Hastings road last Wednesday is still in St. Pancras Hospital. Her friends will be glad to learn that she is progressing as well as can be expected. *** MR. Mick Rutherford, who recently was engaged as a boxing instructor at the Flinders Naval Base, had his right foot amputated last week. The foot was injured several weeks ago and Mr. Rutherford was admitted the Caulfield Repatriation Hospital. The injury was so serious that it was decided early last week to amputate the foot at the ankle. Mr. Rutherford has a pleasing personality, and always in the ring he could be depended upon to provide an interesting display. Boxing enthusiasts and others will express the hope that he will soon be about again. *** SEVERAL old-time residents assert that the rainfall here last week, was the heaviest yet experienced in Tyabb for October. The Cranbourne, and Crescent Roads were flooded in places and it was impossible to get to Tyabb on foot on Saturday morning. The weather was also very cold. Considerable damage was done to the roads here, through the heavy
rains.
*** GENERAL approval was expressed here in regard to the suggestions of your Tyabb correspondent re improving the train service between Frankston and Stony Point. The general trend of opinion seemed to be in favor of the proposal asking the Railway Commissioners to allow persons between Frankston and Stony Point to travel by the sailors’ train. At present the train runs down to Crib Point empty every Friday, and also runs back empty to Melbourne every Monday. Seeing residents in this part of the Peninsula have only a curtailed railway service; something should now be done to improve matters in the direction already indicated by our Tyabb correspondent. It behoves the Tyabb Progress Association to wake up and lend a hand, to other organisations, who are striving to gain a better train service for this line. *** WHEEL Tax Abandoned The problem of maintaining arterial roads is daily becoming more complete, and the burden, more irksome, the wheel tax, advocated by the late Minister for Public Works, Mr. F. Clarke, last year, has been abandoned and as Mr. Gondie, the present Minister of Public Works, said, even if it received the Cabinet’s support, Parliament would reject it. A meeting is being held to-day to consider the question of financing arterial roads, and Mr. Gondie will
explain the road finance proposals contained in the Budget speech delivered by the Treasurer (Sir William McPherson). *** AN exemplary weekend Frankston, without any doubt, can be held up to the numerous other popular weekend seaside resorts, as a paragon of everything that a well conducted rendezvous should be. Saturday and Sunday traffic prove it to be the most popular weekend resort on the Bay, and the absence of “hooliganism” which is usually associated with seaside towns, is proof of the efficiency of those who control its summer destinies. Last weekend was a most exemplary one, not a single case of misbehaviour, nor any occasion for police interference. Tuesday’s court was marked in most conspicuous manner, by the absence of even an ordinary summons case, the P.M, Mr. W. G. Smith, sitting to an almost empty courthouse. Frankston is to be congratulated, as such efficient control and handling of the crowds of visitors is its best advertisement as a popular seaside rendezvous. *** MESSRS. Deakin and Son, the local bakers, were very lucky during the weekend. Two of their horses, with full loads of bread, bolted, and in each instance no damage was done. *** From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 17 & 19 Oct 1923
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Western Port News
18 October 2023
PAGE 23
