Sunday, March 24, 2024

Carlo renders invaluable service during the Yarroweyah flood

The Murray River flooded in July 1905 and Carlo arrived to investigate the strength of the levee bank which was protecting the surrounding countryside around Yarroweyah (also spelt Yarroweya). Yarroweyah was a small town - a school was established in October 1881 in the Wesleyan Church;  a purpose-built school being opened in 1884. This school was destroyed by fire in August 1912,  and in 1915 a 'new' building arrived from Strathmerton. (1)  A railway station opened in October 1888, part of the Numurkah to Cobram line (2) and the public hall opened in 1901 (3). 

Before we look at the 1905 flood, Carlo had provided his professional advice to the town before on transport routes, both road and rail; and on the levee bank, which had been designed by Carlo and constructed in 1895 (4).

1895 August
Tocumwal, Aug 12 -  The first two loads of Tuppal wool crossed here on Saturday, consigned to Melbourne. The road between here and Yarroweyah being in a bad state, the Victorian Government, in view of the large increase in the the wool carriage from that station, have sent up Mr Catani of the Public Works department, who is forming an estimate of the cost of construction of a road between this town and Yarroweyah. (The Argus, August 13, 1895, see here)

1896 March
The new road to Tocumwal is fast approaching completion, and the work so far as it is done reflects the highest credit on the overseer, Mr J.H. Lawlor. It is expected that the Minister of Public Works, in company with Mr Davidson or Mr Catani, will visit the works in a week or so (Cobram Courier, March 12, 1896, see here)

1897 June
The Government is still proceeding with repairs on the Tocumwal road during the past week. Mr. C. Catani, C.E., the Public Works officer in charge of roads, bridges, etc., together with Mr. Dewer, C.E., visited the district, bringing with them an expert to teach the men how to burn "clay-clinkers" for the road. Mr. Catani expects to put it on the road at a cost of 4s. per yard, and that the production will be equal to blue metal. He thinks the local shire councils should benefit by the experiment. (Numurkah Leader, June 3, 1897, see here)

1897 December
Works at Cobram - The Minister of Public Works, Mr Taverner, accompanied by Messrs Graham and Kennedy, M's L.A., Messrs Davidson, Inspector-General, and Catani, Engineer-in-Chief, and Mr J. L. Dow, of the " Leader," left Numurkah on Friday morning last for Tocumwal. On the way an inspection was made of the road constructed by the Government between Yarroweyah and Tocumwal. The party was entertained at luncheon by the Tocumwal residents. Reference was made to the roadway and the railway. The opinion was expressed that a railway to Tocumwal would be preferable to a road. (Berrigan Advocate, December 3, 1897, see here)

1897 December
Since the time of the Melbourne to Cobram railway construction a levee or low earthen bank, seldom exceeding 3 feet in height, has been built along the Victorian bank of the Murray for about 14 miles, which has converted a former useless morass into one of the most fertile agricultural areas of the colony. This work, the designing and carrying out of which Mr. Davidson the inspector General of Public Works, credits to one of his officers, Mr. Catani, cost altogether under £2000, and has reclaimed upwards of 10,000 on acres which this year has been grown some of the finest wheat crops of the Goulburn Valley. (The Leader, December 18, 1897, see here)

1899 May
In May 1899 a public meeting was held in Yarroweyah to take into consideration what steps were necessary to urge on the coming session of Parliament the construction of the line of railway from Strathmerton to Tocumwal.  There were two routes suggested  - one from Yarroweyah and the other from Strathmerton and one of the issues raised was that the Railways Engineering Branch had given an adverse report regarding the construction of the line; however Mr. W. Davidson, Inspector-General of Public Works, and Mr. Catani, engineer, had both said they would pledge their reputation that the levee would keep the water back, and it was therefore made plain that expensive earthworks were not necessary, thus entirely sweeping away the great expense that had been considered necessary, and was such a bar to the construction of the railway. Two members of the Public Works Committee had inspected the route, and they could not see anything to support the adverse report of the engineering department. (Numurkah Leader, May 19, 1899,  see here) In the end, the line to Tocumwal came from Strathmerton, not Yarroweyah, and was completely opened in July 1908 (5)

1899 August
Yarroweyah - The usual monthly meeting of the Progress Association was held on Saturday, Vice-President J. M. Breen presiding. It was decided to ask Mr Catani to examine the embankment along the Murray and have everything in readiness for a probable flood. The department is also to be asked to go on with the work of repairing the Tocumwal road, so as to be prepared for the wool traffic.  (Cobram Courier, August 17, 1899, see here) 


Victorian Railways map of Victoria, 1936, showing Yarroweyah, on the Numurkah to Cobram line and the Strathmerton to Tocumwal line (Tocumwal is on the New South Wales side of the Murray River)


In July 1905, Carlo returned to Yarroweyah.
The Levee Bank, Water reaches the Top.
Yarroweyah, Wednesday - The residents fifteen miles south of the Murray have been threatened by the river overflowing the levee between Tocumwal and Cobram, which in places is nearly 10 feet high. Mr. Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works department, arrived from Melbourne on Sunday last, and immediately put men on to guard the levee. The river rose on Sunday night some 4 feet. This rise was increased by the obstruction to the natural flow of the Murray by the Strathmerton-Tocumwal railway. On Monday about 100 persons interested, some of them coming from a distance of fifteen miles, set to work and strengthened the bank. It was thought at 4 a.m. on Tuesday that their efforts would be vain, as the river had then reached the top of the levee bank, but at this stage the turn came, and the water is now slowly receding. The Murray at this part is about two miles wide. Owing to the slow fall of the river, the levee is being guarded night and day. Should a break occur there will be thousands of acres washed away and many families will be rendered homeless. The Tocumwal railway is several feet under water between the levee and the river, and outside the levee at the Dairy Creek the ballast has been washed away. The river will in all probability, keep up until the snow water comes down in  September or October. A petition is being prepared for presentation to the Minister of Public Works, asking for the first section of the levee to be immediately strengthened. Mr. Catani returned to Melbourne to-day, leaving Mr. Connor, inspector of Works, in charge. (The Age, July 20, 1905, see here)


Murray River flood just breaking through the Yarroweyah Road. Photographer: S.T. Ellis.


Flood Damage 
Mr. Catani, engineer of the Public Works department writes: "The water rose over 19ft. at Tocumwal a greater height than the flood of 1870, there was some damage done. At Tocumwal the railway station yard was 2ft. deep in flood waters, and several temporary culverts were washed away along the line, the lowest part of which is below flood level. The volume of water was not so great as in 1870, but the level was raised higher, owing to its being confined by the levee banks, as well as by the raised road to Tocumwal and the railway. There are two extensive breaks in the raised roadway from the bridge, each about a chain wide. As soon as the water drains off the flats traffic can be resumed on one or other of the old tracks to Strathmerton. Traffic has been resumed over the Tuppal Creek channel, on the main road to Deniliquin, via Belubla and Tuppal stations. Although the water is 3ft deep in places, the metal road is sound underneath." (The Australasian, July 29, 1905, see here)


Breaks in the Tocumwal Railway Embankment in the 1905 flood


In August 1905, Carlo was commended for his sterling work in Yarroweyah. 
The Murray Waterway. Obstructions on the New South Wales bank
Yarroweyah, Wednesday - The credit of preventing the flood waters of the Murray from breaking through the levee banks during the recent rise is largely due to Mr. Catani, engineer of the Public Works department, assisted by a number of laborers and farmers, the latter volunteering their services. A meeting of the landowners and business men was convened here to-day, when there was a large attendance. The following resolutions were carried unanimously: - That in the opinion of this meeting the block to the natural flow of the flood waters at Tocumwal is caused by the New South Wales levee, the high level public road and the railway across the waterway near the same place, which have rendered the first section of the levee insufficient, and not the weakening of the banks by rabbits, as alleged. (The Age, August 3, 1905, see here)

Rural Topics
Reports received by the Public Works department indicate that there is further danger of floods in the Murray at Yarroweyah. Mr. Catani, engineer of the department, who rendered invaluable services a few weeks ago in preventing damage, again volunteered for duty and on Saturday last left for Yarroweyah. The Minister for Public Works (Mr. Cameron) has received from the inspector-general of Public Works (Mr. Davidson) a report, in which Mr. Catani's efforts on the previous occasion are warmly commended. Mr. Davidson in his report says that it was entirely due to Mr. Catani's efforts that a great disaster had not befallen the land-owners near the Murray levee. For 64 hours continuously Mr. Catani worked unceasingly, and he left the scene only when he was assured that his services were no longer required. Mr. Cameron has expressed high appreciation of Mr. Catani's self-sacrifice and zeal.   (The Australasian,  August 12, 1905, see here)

Carlo back in Yarroweyah in 1906
Yarroweyah was impacted by floods the following year as well and once again Carlo was on the spot and rescued Mrs Hart and her three children from their property at Koonoomoo, just north of Yarroweyah, and you can read about the rescue, here.

River still rising at Yarroweyah. Water flowing over the levee. Extensive damage.
Yarroweyah, Tuesday - The river has risen, so high as to completely flow over the levee in all directions. The settlers on the reclaimed land had a trying time all day removing their families to dry land. Mr. Catani, of the Public Works department, arrived here today, and found it impossible to attempt to do anything to the levee, as the river is still rising, and the Strathmerton railway and the raised road obstruct the waterway. Thousands of acres of crops are now lost, besides pigs, fowls and calves that were left behind. The residents on dry land have thrown their homes open for those whose houses have been flooded. (The Age, October 10, 1906, see here)

Railway Washed away. 
Yarroweyah, Wednesday - The river to-day is reported to be stationary, but the flood waters are creeping through fresh paddocks hourly and are now within a mile and a half from the town. Mr. Catani was out all day, but could not get near the levee hank. It is not yet known how much of the levee is swept away. He is forming a gang from the settlers to try and stop the breaches at the first possible opportunity. The Strathmerton to Tocumwal railway line has been washed away in many places south of the levee bank, which will relieve the pressure of water at the Koonoomoo settlement. Mr. Kermode, engineer from the Public Works department, has arrived to assist Mr. Catani. (The Age, October 11, 1906, see here)

Damage at Yarroweyah
Yarroweyah, Thursday - The river is still pouring through the levee on to the reclaimed area, but the Strathmerton to Tocumwal railway, which offered an obstruction to the course of the water, has been washed away. Mr Cope, whose property adjoins the Mywee station, has been flooded out. The greater part of the ground sold by the Government as reclaimed, at prices varying up to £3/15/ per acre, is under water. Some six months ago a public meeting carried a resolution asking the Premier (Mr Bent) to cause an independent inquiry into the Murray levee and it's surroundings, but nothing was done. The so called reclaimed land is now under water. The purchasers have put their all in improvements, depending on their harvest, which has been swept away. The Premier will probably be asked to reduce the price charged against the ground, or make the levee sufficiently strong to prevent a recurrence of the floods. Mr. Catani has returned to Melbourne, leaving Mr. Kermode in charge of the relief works. (The Argus, October 12, 1906, see here)

Carlo  produced a report on the levees in 1909 - 
The Northern floods. Improving the levees. Mr Catani's recommendations.
An amplification of his report upon the Goulburn and Murray levees was forwarded by Mr. Catani, Public Works Engineer, to the Acting Minister of Public Works yesterday. He points out that the Murray levee was built in 1895 for relief work for the unemployed. Since its construction a road has been put through a mile and a half of forest. A railway has also been constructed close by and the New South Wales Government has constructed levees of its own, which have cut off important streams, viz., the Barooga and Tuppal creeks, which used to carry flood waters. 

It was pointed out in 1905, when a fairly large flood occurred, that the levee above Tocumwal required strengthening and the then Treasurer authorised the expenditure of £1000 on condition that the land owners contributed £250. The work was started, but a month after, when it was found that the contribution from the land owners was not forthcoming, operations were stopped, and the levee has remained in an unfinished condition ever since. Mr. Catani says that £350 will repair all the damage
to the Murray levee, but the proper topping of the Cobram levee should also be undertaken at a cost of £700. If that were done the road from Yarroweyah to Tocumwal would be safe, as also would the railway, while the village settlers at Koonoomoo would be enabled to make a
living. 

The report continues with the cost of the estimates to the repairs to the levees £1,510 and Carlo also recommended the expenditure of another £1625 for the levees to be altered to withstand larger floods than the last one. The newspaper reports concludes - 
Mr. Catani expresses the hope that before long a bill may be passed to create a trust to carry out a larger scheme of improvement, which consists mainly in leading more water from the Goulburn through the existing creeks to the Murray, cutting bends and widening and strengthening banks and providing for the efficient maintenance of the works. (The Age, July 7, 1909, see here)

Carlo's involvement with the small town of Yarroweyah is just one more example of the very active and hands-on role played by public servants in the development of Victoria in the past; not only did they know where these town were, but they visited them to listen to their concerns. A marked contrast to today's Melbourne-centric bloated bureaucracy.

Footnotes
(1) Vision and Realisation : a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, edited by L.J. Blake. Published by the Education Department of Victoria, 1973.
(4) The Leader, December 18, 1897, see here and The Age, July 7, 1909, see here
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Friday, March 22, 2024

The Cattani family from Engelberg, Switzerland

In 1929, the Prahran Telegraph published some letters from St Kilda Councillor, G.H. Robinson, who was touring abroad. George Hardy Robinson, of Tiuna Grove Elwood, was the head master at Elwood State School; he was elected to represent the South ward of the council in 1926 and he was the Mayor in 1929/30, having been elected to the position while he was still overseas; he was installed as Mayor after his return in October. The loyal Cr Robinson was reported as saying that he had visited many places while on tour abroad, and he could say that he had seen no place that appealed to him more than St. Kilda (1)

Cr Robinson and his wife, Elizabeth, sailed at the end of April 1929 and he wrote about their visit to many locations in Italy, including Lido, in Venice where the bathing facilities are not equal to those of St. Kilda (says Cr. Robinson), but St. Kilda can learn much from Rhyl in North Wales. (2)

From Italy, the Robinsons went to Switzerland -
We motored from Lucerne to Engleberg. Attached to the Benedictine Monastery, founded in 1120, is a beautifully furnished church. The monks received us very kindly, and showed us through the building. In the graveyard of the chapel, I saw the family vault of Dr. Carl Catani, who is most likely a relative of the late Carlo Catani, of St. Kilda. (3)

This is the grave at Engleberg of Familie Dr Cattani, which Cr Robinson saw. The inscription on the left reads - Dr Eugen Cattani 14 Juni 1838 - 24 Dez 1910. Frau - Marie Cattani Amrhein 6 Nov 1848 - 21 Feb 1913. On the right - Dr Carl Cattani 1 Mai 1805 - 29 Nov 1869. Frau - Anna Cattani-Kuster 27 Feb 1820 - 9 Oct 1910.


The grave of Familie Dr Cattani at Engelberg, Switzerland, 
seen by Cr Robinson on his trip abroad
Photographer: Robert Savery from Find a Grave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189662562/carl-cattani

Engelberg was a noted tourist destination; one source notes that - 
Engelberg’s development as a tourist destination began in the 1840s when physician Dr Carl Cattani established Engelberg as a health resort and built the village’s first hydrotherapy hotel, the Engel. Cattani believed that the power of nature could cure diseases like tuberculosis and chronic catarrh if patients “took the waters”, were given hydrotherapy treatments, and got plenty of fresh air. (4)

There is other information about the Cattani family in Engelberg in a short history of the  Kempinski Palace Hotel in  Engelberg - 
The village of Engelberg has been characterised by tourism for over 100 years: In the middle of the 19th century, the village, located in the middle of the Central Swiss Alps, experienced a tremendous boom and first became known as a health resort for drinking and bathing cures. 

The hotel history of today's Kempinski Palace Engelberg began in the spring of 1890, when the hotelier and politician of the time Eduard Cattani (1841 – 1908) bought a piece of land from the Benedictine monastery in Engelberg and had a spa built on it. The connection of the mountain village to the railway network in 1898 – at that time the longest electric railway line in Switzerland – was followed one year later by the opening of the spa by the successful Engelberg hotelier Eduard Cattani. He had already realised the first luxury hotel in the valley in 1865 with the Hotel Titlis.

Since the spa could not be heated in times of winter tourism, which developed from 1903 onwards, Cattani commissioned his brother, the internationally renowned hotel architect Arnold Cattani (1846 – 1921), to construct the Grand Hotel Winterhaus – later better known as Hotel Europäischer Hof, which opened in 1905. Three years earlier, in 1902, the present Kursaal was built as a banqueting hall in the space between the two hotels. The Kuranstalt and the Grand Hotel Winterhaus were known as the most luxurious guest houses in Engelberg, with an excellent reputation far beyond the borders of Switzerland. The buildings, arranged in a semicircle with the Hotel Titlis, the Grand Hotel Winterhaus, the Kursaal and the Kuranstalt, were soon the talk of the town and known as "Little Versailles".

In December 1939, the brothers Eduard, Alfred and Arnold Cattani sold the "Grand Hotel Winterhaus with concert hall and bar annexe together with surrounding grounds" to the Obwaldner Kantonalbank (5)

We can assume that Cr Carl and Dr Eugen are related to Eduard, Alfred and Arnold Cattani, but are they connected to Carlo? It is easy to see why Cr Robinson made that assumption and the difference in spelling of the surname is neither here nor there as it is not unknown for branches of the same family to spell their names differently.

I am with Cr Robinson in this matter as there are connections or coincidences between the Swiss Cattani family and Carlo's family, apart from the fact that were all men of vision and enterprise.  Carl Cattani and his son, Eugen, were both doctors, as was Carlo's brother, Giulio (who I have written about here). As an Architect,  Arnold Cattani, combined the professions of Carlo - the engineer and his brother Ugo - the noted artist - as buildings need to be structurally sound and hopefully aesthetically pleasing.  Carlo enthusiastically promoted tourism in Victoria, as one obituary noted - To his energy and enthusiasm the development of many of the popular mountain tourist resorts are due, especially Mount Buffalo (6) whilst the Swiss Cattani family promoted tourism in the Alps. 

Hotel Cattani,  Engelberg
Detroit Free Press, February 16, 1910 p.6, from newspapers.com


Hotel Cattani, Engelberg
London Evening Standard, June 1 1908, p. 16, from newspapers.com


The only other reference to the Cattani family and Engelberg I could find in the Australian newspapers was in the Kalgoorlie Miner in 1906, when they published an account of a visit there by an un-named author -
It was on a day of brilliant, broken sunshine that I came over the Arlberg and down at night to Zurich. Here the moon was misty, and the lake spread a dampness in the air. Next morning dawned grey and cloudy. At Lucerne it was thawing nastily, and snow seemed to be not far off. However, snow or no snow, I meant to get up to Engleberg and see what sport and entertainment that happy valley, always so full of visitors in the summer, could afford in winter.

This is the first year it has been open as a winter place. The enterprising Brothers Catani [sic], who owned several hotels up here already, built another one specially far cold-weather guests. At Christmas time there were well over a hundred English visitors, who made up a merry party, and a good number have stayed on. (7)

Is Carlo related to Dr Carl Cattani and his family? One day, I may have genealogical proof either way,  but until then, my answer is in the affirmative.

Footnotes
(1) Sun News-Pictorial,  April 17, 1926, see here; Prahran Telegraph, May 31, 1929, see here; Prahran Telegraph, August 30, 1929, see here; Prahran Telegraph, October 25, 1929, see here; Obituary - The Age, July 13, 1939, see here; Sun News-Pictorial July 14, 1939, see here. 
(2) Prahran Telegraph, May 31, 1929, see here; Prahran Telegraph, August 16, 1929, see here 
(3)  Prahran Telegraph, August 16, 1929, see here
(6) Prahran Chronicle, July 27, 1918, see here
(7) Kalgoorlie Miner, March 16, 1906, see here.
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Sunday, March 17, 2024

Dr Giulio Catani (1848-1921)

Carlo's brother, Dr Giulio Catani was born in 1848 and was a doctor at the St John of God Hospital in Florence. The website Associazione San Giovanni di Dio, provides a history of the Hospital - 
This hospital, on the street of Borgo Ognissanti dates back to the 14th century. In 1382, its founder Simone Vespucci dedicated the hospital. Its name, Santa Maria dell'Umiltà (of Humility), probably comes from the nearby convent of the same name. Vespucci, a merchant and silkmaker was also the first administrator and patron of the hospital, along with being the great uncle of the more famous Amerigo.

In 1400, the hospital passed from the Vespucci to the captains of Bigallo; the latter had been given charge of the supervision and management of small hospitals in the city and surrounding countryside. The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God's involvement in this hospital's activity began on February 4th 1588 when Grand Duke Ferdinand I accorded possession of the hospital buildings and grounds to the brothers of Saint John of God. 
You can read more of the history here https://www.asgdd.it/antico-i.htm


Interior - St John of God Hospital in Florence, where Dr Catani was Superintendent.
https://www.asgdd.it/antico-i.htm

I found these reports of  Dr Catani's medical work in the Australian newspapers on Trove. The first one is from The Advocate, of October 31, 1891 (see here) and concerns the miraculous recovery of a patient. The treatment - Trepanning - involved drilling a hole in the patient's skull. 

ROME. OUR LADY OF POMPEII.
A correspondent (" F. K.") writes to the Weekly Register, under the heading "Our Lady of Pompeii" : -  A remarkable answer to the prayer of faith has been recently exhibited in the case of one of the English denizens of Florence, Mr. Campbell, a Catholic gentleman engaged in tuition, met just two years ago with a bad accident, by which he sustained a severe contusion of the skull, bringing on intense pain and paralysis. 

It was decided a few weeks since, as a last resource, to submit the patient to the operation of trepanning. When the decision of the surgeons was announced, Mr. Campbell's friends determined before the operation took place to make the matter a subject of special prayer; and, accordingly, a novena was observed, requesting the intercession of Our Lady of Pompeii. On the last day of the novena the patient was so bad that Dr. Baldwin said he must be trepanned at once. The next morning he awoke perfectly well as regards his head, and the doctors pronounced that the brain pressure was gone. The paralysis, however, remained as before; and Dr. Catani, the other physician in attendance, told Mrs. Campbell that there was absolutely no hope that her husband could recover the use of his limbs, and that he would always be paralytic.

In consequence, a second novena was addressed to the Virgin of Pompeii. No amendment (as in the former case) was observed at first, but on the tenth day Mr. Campbell arose from his bed, and walked, and jumped, and ran. On Monday (the 3rd of August) he walked up to Bellosguardo - a long ascent sufficient even to tire a person in health - and called upon a friend there.

The second report was published first in The Herald (see here) and then reprinted in the Kyneton Guardian, on November 11, 1915 (see here). As Carlo's son, Enrico, owned a farm at Kyneton, the report added this local connection.

Dr. G. Catani, formerly Superintendent of the Hospital of St. John of God, Florence, Italy, and a brother of Mr. C. Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, and uncle of Lieut. Enrico Catani, of Kyneton, has been recalled from retirement to organise No. 2 Hospital, Florence, for the Red Cross Society, in order to provide for the reception of 60,000 wounded soldiers if necessary. Despite his 67 years, he has entered upon his task with zest. He has been given the rank of Lieut.-Colonel by the Italian Government. Some time before war broke out Dr. Catani treated King Ferdinand of Bulgaria for throat trouble, and received a decoration.

Dr Catani died on January 22, 1921 and a death notice was inserted in The Argus, of March 21, 1921 (see here) - CATANI - On the 22nd January, 1921, at Florence, Italy, Dr. Giulio Catani, brother of the late Carlo Catani, C.E., Melbourne, and uncle of Ettore, Vera, and Enid Catani, St Kilda.

There is one other mention of Dr Catani and this was in regard to the shortage of lanolin for Red Cross work in Italy during the War and Carlo's efforts to remedy this; I have written about this here.

There are photographs of the St John of God Hospital here   http://himetop.wikidot.com/san-giovanni-di-dio-s-hospital and here https://www.florenceinferno.com/torregalli-hospital/

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Friday, March 15, 2024

Our Debt to Three Italians - Checchi, Catani and Baracchi

This nice tribute to Carlo Catani, Ettore Checchi and Pietro Baracchi (incorrectly called Guido in this article) comes from the newspaper Il Risveglio - The Awakening from June 11, 1947 (see here) The newspaper was published in Sydney and some articles were in Italian and some printed in English. It's an interesting article, even though I am not sure the opening sentence is correct, they could certainly read and write Italian and I presume they had some English.  Also of interest to me is the anecdote about Carlo on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp. Anyway, you cannot dispute the conclusion - This, briefly, is the story of three immigrants who adjusted themselves to the new world with singular success. Many would say they were great Australians.

Our Debt to Three Italians. Their Enduring Work in Victoria. 
By R.S.M.M.

About 70 years ago three Italians who could neither read nor write arrived in Melbourne in a sailing ship. They became valuable men in the development of Victoria. Two of them were closely associated with several of our most important public works, including some features by which Melbourne is widely known. 

Only last year the remaining survivor of the trio died, at the age of 93. He was Ettore Checchi, an engineer of considerable skill, probably best known for his work in connection with the harnessing of the waters of the Murray.

It was about 1874 when Checchi and his two colleagues, Carlo Catani and Guido Baracchi, came here as refugees from Italy, after spending a few weeks in New Zealand. They were vigorous, active young men, seeking fame and fortune. All rose to important positions, and left an indelible mark.

Catani was the most successful. The well-known clock tower on the Upper Esplanade, almost opposite St. Kilda baths, was erected in honor of his beautification work on the St. Kilda foreshore. A bust of him is included in the memorial. The gardens extending west from the Royal St. Kilda Yacht Club are known as the Catani Gardens, and at Mount Buòalo there is a Lake Catani.



Carlo Catani (1852-1918)
Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society


In Love With His Work
Catani had a gift for beautifying. He was one of those individuals who could dream of wonderful schemes and then apply the realism necessary to put them into effect. He was a small and wiry man, with an unparalleled enthusiasm for his work. Overcoming his early difficulties with our language, he became a master of word pictures, and could explain his ideas with such fervor and exactitude that his enthusiasm was contagious.

Most of Catani's work was performed as chief engineer of the Public Works department. He was prominent in the early days of the planning of Alexandra-avenue, in which his knowledge of native flora proved of additional value. The St.Kilda Foreshore Trust has, as already stated, remembered its debt to him. At one stage of this work funds became insufficient to give all the men employed their full pay. So that the work could continue, Catani paid them himself from his own resources.

Catani fell in love with Mount Donna Buang. He visualised it as "the poor man's Buffalo," and produced the drive necessary to develop the area. He engineered a bridle track from Warburton to the summit, although his grant was limited to a few pounds. The construction of the present motor road up the mountain can be largely attributed to his initiative. Lake Catani was so named after his artistic work at Mount Buffalo, where the lake was formed by the construction of a dam.

The Yarra Boulevard was his conception. The Heidelberg end was built under his direction after he had drawn the plans and had had the surveys made. His original idea was to construct a boulevard on each side of the river, one for outgoing and the other for incoming traffic. This plan, however, was considered rather too elaborate.

The opening up of the Grampians is another of this realistic dreamer's self-erected monuments. He was captivated by the rugged beauty of the country, particularly that of the Mackenzie Falls. Catani was also responsible for the draining of the Kooweerup swamp, about which some humorous stories resulting from his enthusiasm are told. This work was done on a small contracts system, groups of men having to dig channels to take away the water. To see that the channels were dug to a regular and prescribed depth, Catani would wade along them in gum boots. One group of men, deciding to have a practical joke at his expense, dug a hole in one of the channels. The result was that Catani, during one of his inspections, temporarily went out of sight and yelled to the men to rescue him from the murky water.

Catani's death in 1918 was hastened by the loss of his son in the first world war.


Ettore Checchi
Photographer: Johnstone, O'Shannessy & Co. Image from Cyclopedia of Victoria, v. 3.

Hume Reservoir
Like Catani, Ettore Checchi entered the Public Works department, where, in 1878, at the age of 23, he became assistant engineer. Twelve years later, he transferred to a similar position in the Water Supply department, which was eventually taken over by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission.

After being in charge of river gaugings for a number of years, Checchi, in 1912, was made available to the inter-State conference on Murray waters, which carried out technical investigations in connection with the potentialities of that river. In this capacity, he was responsible for the investigation of Upper Murray sites, including the site which became the Hume reservoir. His investigations also formed the basis of agreement between the three States regarding the distribution of the Murray waters, later embodied in the River Murray agreement.

Checchi spent no less than 50 years and three months in continuous service with the State - probably a record. Even, then, it was at his own request that he retired in 1927. He was able to work for so long because he was a man of amazing physical strength, said, in fact, to be one of the strongest men in Victoria. He died last July. A great deal of his work is perpetuated in the printed record of river gaugings in Victoria, which provide the basis for the State's large-scale water conservation projects.



Pietro Baracchi (1851-1926)
https://www.eoas.info/objects/D00036.htm

Among the Stars
Guido Baracchi lived among the stars - he was Government astronomer for a number of years. Particularly competent on mathematical problems, he was an expert on the use of instruments. He had control of the mapping of the positions of the stars; he was engaged at Darwin determining longitudes and obtaining star observations, and he headed an expedition to observe the solar eclipse. Baracchi, well-built and slender, never looked his age. He retired at 65 and died eight years later.

This, briefly, is the story of three immigrants who adjusted themselves to the new world with singular success. Many would say they were great Australians.
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