Removal of island in the Snowy River at Orbost

In 1916 Carlo devoted some of his time to the Snowy River, specifically the removal of an island at Watt's gulch, near Orbost, which was impeding water flow and thus increasing the risk of  flooding on the surrounding river flats.  As reported - 
This obstruction was started about 1893 and was caused by a snag in a shallow bank. Not much notice was taken until it began to grow so much that people began to realise that it was a menace to the district. Now every landowner on the flats was anxious to get something done. The Public Works Department cut a channel through the island in 1909 in the hope that it would be scoured out by the current. This had not proved a success, for if the current would scour the island out it would not have allowed the island to form in the first place. (1)

Watt's Gulch and Watt's Gulch Bank are circled in red.

Snowy River survey. Surveyed by R.G. Davey, K.R. Culliton, H.C. Sanger ; drawn by J. O'Keefe.

State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, 1941

See the full plan at the State Library of Victoria here  https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/116748 

In 1916, the Orbost Shire Council consulted with Carlo and the Public Works Department regarding the removal of the island. This is an edited version a report of the Orbost Shire Council meeting held in September 1916 - 

At the council meeting last week letters were received from the Hon. Jas. Cameron and the Public Works Department stating that a battery for explosion purposes had been forwarded for the use of the council and would be available for two months.

Cr. James explained that when in Melbourne a month or so back the matter of dealing with the island at Watt's gulch was referred to. Mr. Cameron had seen Mr. Catani of the Public Works Department, and a proposal made to shift the obstruction by explosion had been discussed. Mr. Catani stated that explosive charges might be placed and connected with a battery by means of which they could be exploded when there was a fresh or flood in the river. He would move that the offer of the battery be accepted and charges put in to be exploded when necessary. Seconded by Cr Nixon.

Cr. C. Johnston moved as an amendment that the council apply to the Public Works Department to send up an expert to give advice before operations were commenced. It had been said that explosives would not work and that dredging would be necessary. It would be wise to start on a smaller project, as the result would not be so disastrous in case of failure. Seconded by Cr. Richardson.

Mr. Nevins, shire engineer, said Mr. Cecchi [sic] of the Water Supply Department had taken readings which showed that the current at the island was considerably more effective than above or below it. The only trouble would be in having to place the explosives and not being able to blow them off for an indefinite time. The explosives would have to be in watertight cases and would deteriorate in two or three months. Powder would have to be used.

Cr. Richardson had a good deal of experience with explosives, and said it would be useless to put them there and leave them only for a week. Powder would have to be used, as dynamite or gelignite would be useless in soft material. (2)

Mr Cecchi of the Water Supply Department was Carlo's compatriot, Ettore Checchi (1853-1943) who like Carlo studied Civil Engineering at the Technical Institute of Florence. They arrived in Melbourne together in 1876 and he was also employed at the Public Works Department; then from 1888 to 1927, Ettore was with the Victorian Water Supply Department, and later with the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. (3)

In November 1916 it was reported that the  Orbost Shire Council had received the following correspondence  - Dept. of Public Works, stating that Mr Catani will visit Orbost shortly to give advice relative to the removal of the island in the Snowy River.- Secretary to ask for date of Mr Catani's visit. (4)

I cannot find  a report of Carlo's actual visit, however in December 1916, in another Council meeting report there was correspondence from the - Public Works Department, forwarding copy of the Chief Engineer's report regarding the removal of the island in the Snowy River, and stating that the department could not contribute towards the cost of the work. (5)

Nothing appeared to happen for year, perhaps due to the fact that the community was concentrating on the War effort. In January 1918 a meeting of landowners interested in the removal of the island which has formed in the Snowy River at Orbost, was held. Mr H. James, president of the Orbost Shire Council occupied the chair.

Mr Catani, formerly chief engineer of the Public Works Dept, when here a few years ago, was positive that the island could be removed for £300. This was for labor only. A deputation waited on Mr Adamson, then Minister for Public Works, asking that his department should remove the inland, but had met with a refusal. Mr Catani claimed that it was a work that should be done by the property owners of the district. A further application made some time later was also refused. At last meeting of the council, owing to the change of Government, it was decided to interview the new Minister and see if he

would do anything. Mr McWhae at first refused to entertain the proposal, but said he would lend the necessary plant. After a lot of consideration, the Minister made an offer that if the local people provided the amount of Mr Catani's estimate (£300) the Public Works Department would carry out the work. (6)

The result of the meeting was that a committee was formed to raise the necessary funds and by March 1918 the council received correspondence from Public Works Department, stating that the work of removing the island at Watt's Gulch would be proceeded with. (7)

Two week later in March an updated report was published - Arrangements are being made to proceed with the work of removing the island in the Snowy River, about a mile below the bridge. Mr Clark, engineer of the Public Works Department, end Mr Herman, foreman of works who arrived in Orbost a few days ago, have made an inspection of the island in company with Mr Archibald shire engineer, and several councillors. The work, which is to be carried out under the supervision of the shire engineer, and involves the construction of two small bridges, is to be got under weigh without further delay. (8)

In April  it was reported -  The plant and timber required for the removal of the island in the Snowy River are now in readiness, and the work will be probably commenced on Monday. The first step will be the erection of one of the two bridges. (9)

As referenced in the above reports, two bridges were erected, I presume over the gulch to allow the removal of the soil of the island which was then used to build up local roads.  In August it was reported that -

The removal of the islands in the Snowy River has been completed as well as possible under present conditions, and the road across the gulch has been formed, and loamed, to enable grasses to take root and grow as speedily as possible. (10)

A later report said that the Public Works Department  left all the gear for removing the islands, in the Snowy river in my charge, comprising trucks, rails, etc. with the Orbost Shire Engineer.  (11) Whether the island was dug out by a small dredge or manually, the soil was dispersed by trucks running along a temporary rail system.

Carlo, who retired in April 1917 and died in July 1918, never got to see the work completed or to pass his professional opinion as to whether his suggested method of using explosives would have been more effective than the method chosen.

Footnotes

(1) Bairnsdale Every Week, January 31, 1918, see here.

(2) Snowy River Mail September 8, 1916, see here.

(3) Ettore Checchi - I have written about him here and here.

(4) Snowy River Mail, November 3, 1916, see here.

(5) Snowy River Mail, December 1, 1916, see here.

(6) Bairnsdale Every Week, January 31, 1918, see here; this report was an edited version of the original which appeared in the  Snowy River Mail, January 25, 1918, see here.

(7) Snowy River Mail, March 1, 1918, see here.

(8) Snowy River Mail, March 22, 1918, see here.

(9) Snowy River Mail, April 12, 1918, see here. There are progress reports - Snowy River Mail, May 3, 1918, see here;   Snowy River Mail, June 7, 1918, see here;  and   Snowy River Mail, July 5, 1918, see here.

(10) Snowy River Mail, August 2, 1918, see here.

(11) Snowy River Mail, September 6, 1918, see here.

Carlo attends a demonstration on the use of gelignite

On June 12, 1909, Major Charles Campbell (1), hosted a demonstration of the use of gelignite to remove trees at his property, Amesfield Park, in Mornington. Amesfield Park, was originally called Manyung and owned by Richard Grice (2) and was located at the 31-mile post on the Melbourne to Sorrento Road. (3).  Major Campbell had purchased the 288 acre property six months previously, in December 1908,  for £5,000. (4) He invited his neighbours and a number of officials, including Carlo Catani, to this demonstration.

Amesfield Park, previously Manyung, the property where Carlo saw the gelignite demonstration.

"Manyong" [i.e. Manyung, home of] Mrs. A. L. Grice, Mornington, 1895. 

State Library of Victoria image  H93.64/20 

It was an impressive attendance list  and Carlo was in the company of  Mr Reid, Surveyor General; Mr Crooke, Forestry Department; Dr. Cherry and Mr Kenyon, Agricultural Department; Mr. Barber, Victorian Railways; Mr W. H. Irvine, M.H.R.; Mr Livingston, M.L.A.; Mr. R. G. Fincham, National bank manager; Colonel Stanley, Victorian commandant;  Mr. Aitken and Mr. Drake from Dalgety and Co.; Mr W.F. Weigall, Brighton councillor; Mr. J.H. Taylor, the town clerk of Brighton and  Mr James Minifie from the Millers' Association. These guests were conveyed from the Frankston station to the scene of operations by cabs and drags, Mr J. Millard having been entrusted with the "transportation" arrangements. (5)

The Mornington and Dromana Standard of June 19, 1909 explained why Major Campbell decided to use gelignite - Since, purchasing the well-known property, "Amesfield Park," some few months back, Major Campbell has spent considerable time and capital in removing a great many of the thickly studded trees on the estate, erecting wire netting, installing windmills, etc., and in numerous ways going in for big improvements. The modern method of blasting has been chosen to remove the trees, and, in conjunction with Messrs Dalgety and Co., (as agents for Nobel Glasgow high explosives) the squire of Amesfield Park gave a demonstration on a large and effective scale. (6)

The paper continued their report with -
The object of the demonstration was to show how easily and cheaply trees could be grubbed by the use of gelignite, exploded by electricity. Mr R Sprague (of Dalgety and Co.) and Major Campbell superintended operations, and the agents were also represented by Messrs Allan and Dorecket. The first "blow up" was a "double event," two trees being removed by connecting the charges by wires, which were attached to the main cable and thence to the battery. When all was ready the crowd retired to a safe distance 150 yards away, and there was much speculation as to the result. Many were certain that the effect would be to merely shift the tree, but do no further damage to the butt. The signal to "Let her go" was given, the handle on the battery raised and lowered, and in an instant there was a terrific explosion. A shower of earth and chips shot into the air, and the trees heeled over and crashed to the ground. An examination of the result showed that the butt had been lifted clean out of the ground and shattered in pieces, and the trunk was opened up in numerous pieces. Two other trees were blasted out together, and three more were removed singly. The manner in which each tree was blown out of the ground was highly satisfactory, and the method is a vast improvement on the old style of grubbing by hand. The seven trees were treated with varying quantities of the explosive, and the cost would average about 3/6 per tree. The agents claim that trees can be removed by the Nobel-Glasgow method at from 50 per cent to 80 per cent cheaper than by hand labour. (7)

An advertisement for Nobel explosives for land clearing.

The Leader, April 10, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196899229

There were some finer details provided, in case you are interested in removing trees and have some sticks of gelignite lying around; even though apparently the sale of gelignite is now highly regulated and highly restricted -
In blasting trees or stumps, the first thing done is to find with a crowbar the best place between the roots to get under the body of the stump. If the tree is not too large, an ordinary charge, well situated and carefully tamped, will take it out, but if the stump is large and deep in the ground the hole must be larger than can be made with the crowbar, and charges must be carefully distributed in the best possible situation so as to get the best results. The operator digs down by the side of the stump, and then makes horizontal holes under the bottom of the stump as near to the centre as possible, disturbing the natural earth as little as possible. The charges are placed close to the wood; then are put in the primers and tamp. After putting the charges and detonators in, a little wet clay or dirt is placed at the bottom of the holes and in contact with the stump, thus filling up the entire opening. If the charges are not well under the stump, a small dam is made and filled with water. Wherever the charges are they must be well supported with water, mud, damp clay, or some other compact and weighty material. (8)

The article concluded with -
At the conclusion of the demonstration at large number of the visitors were the recipients of Major Campbell's hospitality, and the opportunity was taken by Mr Dorecket (of Dalgety and Co.) to thank Major and Mrs Campbell for their kindness, and to express the pleasure the visitors derived from the trip. The health of the host and hostess was drunk enthusiastically. Major Campbell acknowledged the sentiment, and expressed himself as pleased that they had found the demonstration interesting. He would always be happy to show anyone the details of the method, and if they were much interested they could bore the hole and fire the charge themselves. (Laughter and applause). The visitors returned to Melbourne by the evening train. (9)

I wonder what Carlo got out of the day? He was interested in land settlement and sympathetic to farmers, so he would have been able to add this new information about gelignite to remove trees to his store of knowledge and disseminate it when required.

Footnotes

(1) Major Charles Campbell  (1867-1936). Clearly the name Amesfield held some significance to Major Campbell as he used that name for three of his properties. Sale of Amesfield Park, Mornington - Dandenong Advertiser, February 17, 1916, see here; living at Amesfield, Huntingtower Road, Malvern - Frankston & Somerville Standard, August 27, 1924, see here;  Obituary - at the time of his death, at the age of 68,  he was living at Amesfield Park, Upper Beaconsfield -  The Age October 31, 1936, see here. See also his entry in Residents of Upper Beaconsfield - https://upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au/g0/p47.htm#i1384

Major Campbell's death notice

The Argus, October 29, 1936  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11930638

(2) Richard Grice (1813-1882) Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, see here. I have written about his son, Richard (1858-1911) here    https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/02/richard-grice-1858-1911-of-eirruc.html

(3) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 12, 1909, see here.

(4) The Argus, December 3, 1908, see here.

(5) Guest list compiled from these reports -  The Age, June 14, 1909, see here;  The Argus, June 14, 1909, see here and Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here. The quote about Mr Millard and transportation came from the Mornington & Dromana Standard.

(6) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(7) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(8) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here

(9) Mornington & Dromana Standard, June 19, 1909, see here