Observer (Adelaide, SA: 1905 - 1931), Saturday 16 November 1918, page 18
SENSATIONAL LAND SLIDE.
THREE MEN KILLED.
A sensational landslide, which resulted in the burial alive of James Roebuck, Horace Press, and Michael Toohey, occurred at the Tod River water scheme on Saturday morning. So far only meagre details of the tragedy have reached Adelaide. The scene of the accident is what is known as the "open cut," near White's Flat, about 22 miles from Port Lincoln. In that section of the works a channel is being dug, the bank on one side being about 20 ft. high, thence forming part of a hillside wall. On the other side it is about 10 ft. in height, and the bottom is about 10 ft. wide. In that locality on Saturday morning the Concrete Steel Contracting Company had nine men employed in carting stone and earth. At about 10.30 o'clock, without warning, a section of the bank on the 20-ft. side, two chains long, gave way, and about 300,000 tons of earth fell into the excavation. Six of the men and a horse and dray had just moved off with a load of soil. One of their number sustained an injured leg. Roebuck, Press, and Toohey, who were in the bed of the pit, had no chance of escape, and they were buried alive.
Messages were sent immediately to neighbouring settlers for assistance, and that was quickly forthcoming. Dr. Goode was summoned from Port Lincoln. After three hours the first body was recovered from the debris. It was fearfully battered. A medical examination revealed that every bone in the body had been broken, and that death must have been instantaneous. The other two corpses were extricated after about four hours had elapsed. They were found lying in the bed of the channel. Toohey and Press recently arrived at the works. It is believed that they went there from Adelaide. The bank was supposed to be quite safe, and it came as a shock to the Adelaide officials of the company to know that such a tragedy had occurred. A representative of the company arrived at Port Lincoln on Sunday by the steamer Quorna. An inquest was to have been conducted at White's Flat on Sunday.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164167031
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1954), Friday 29 November 1918, page 12
Country News.
Port Lincoln November 22. A dreadful fatality took place at the Tod River Waterworks on Saturday morning, when three Catholics were killed by a fall of about 200 tons of earth into an open cutting that was in course of formation for the main outlet pipes. After four hours the bodies were unearthed. Horace Press, 26 years of age, was killed instantly. James Hollingworth (47) and James Toohey (38) were smothered in moist clay. The three coffins were conveyed on Sun-day evening to Port Lincoln after Benediction, and placed before the altar, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon the whole town followed the remains to the Catholic Cemetery. Twenty-four comrades of the deceased carried the three coffins in procession from the church to graveside, where Father Kelly officiated. A collection amounting to over £50 was taken up for the benefit of Mrs. Press and her two little children. The scene at the graveside was one of indescribable sadness. Rest in peace.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166988966
Contributor:Al Staunton(48389830) •
SENSATIONAL LAND SLIDE.
THREE MEN KILLED.
A sensational landslide, which resulted in the burial alive of James Roebuck, Horace Press, and Michael Toohey, occurred at the Tod River water scheme on Saturday morning. So far only meagre details of the tragedy have reached Adelaide. The scene of the accident is what is known as the "open cut," near White's Flat, about 22 miles from Port Lincoln. In that section of the works a channel is being dug, the bank on one side being about 20 ft. high, thence forming part of a hillside wall. On the other side it is about 10 ft. in height, and the bottom is about 10 ft. wide. In that locality on Saturday morning the Concrete Steel Contracting Company had nine men employed in carting stone and earth. At about 10.30 o'clock, without warning, a section of the bank on the 20-ft. side, two chains long, gave way, and about 300,000 tons of earth fell into the excavation. Six of the men and a horse and dray had just moved off with a load of soil. One of their number sustained an injured leg. Roebuck, Press, and Toohey, who were in the bed of the pit, had no chance of escape, and they were buried alive.
Messages were sent immediately to neighbouring settlers for assistance, and that was quickly forthcoming. Dr. Goode was summoned from Port Lincoln. After three hours the first body was recovered from the debris. It was fearfully battered. A medical examination revealed that every bone in the body had been broken, and that death must have been instantaneous. The other two corpses were extricated after about four hours had elapsed. They were found lying in the bed of the channel. Toohey and Press recently arrived at the works. It is believed that they went there from Adelaide. The bank was supposed to be quite safe, and it came as a shock to the Adelaide officials of the company to know that such a tragedy had occurred. A representative of the company arrived at Port Lincoln on Sunday by the steamer Quorna. An inquest was to have been conducted at White's Flat on Sunday.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164167031
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1954), Friday 29 November 1918, page 12
Country News.
Port Lincoln November 22. A dreadful fatality took place at the Tod River Waterworks on Saturday morning, when three Catholics were killed by a fall of about 200 tons of earth into an open cutting that was in course of formation for the main outlet pipes. After four hours the bodies were unearthed. Horace Press, 26 years of age, was killed instantly. James Hollingworth (47) and James Toohey (38) were smothered in moist clay. The three coffins were conveyed on Sun-day evening to Port Lincoln after Benediction, and placed before the altar, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon the whole town followed the remains to the Catholic Cemetery. Twenty-four comrades of the deceased carried the three coffins in procession from the church to graveside, where Father Kelly officiated. A collection amounting to over £50 was taken up for the benefit of Mrs. Press and her two little children. The scene at the graveside was one of indescribable sadness. Rest in peace.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166988966
Contributor:Al Staunton(48389830) •
Observer (Adelaide, SA: 1905 - 1931), Saturday 16 November 1918, page 18
SENSATIONAL LAND SLIDE.
THREE MEN KILLED.
A sensational landslide, which resulted in the burial alive of James Roebuck, Horace Press, and Michael Toohey, occurred at the Tod River water scheme on Saturday morning. So far only meagre details of the tragedy have reached Adelaide. The scene of the accident is what is known as the "open cut," near White's Flat, about 22 miles from Port Lincoln. In that section of the works a channel is being dug, the bank on one side being about 20 ft. high, thence forming part of a hillside wall. On the other side it is about 10 ft. in height, and the bottom is about 10 ft. wide. In that locality on Saturday morning the Concrete Steel Contracting Company had nine men employed in carting stone and earth. At about 10.30 o'clock, without warning, a section of the bank on the 20-ft. side, two chains long, gave way, and about 300,000 tons of earth fell into the excavation. Six of the men and a horse and dray had just moved off with a load of soil. One of their number sustained an injured leg. Roebuck, Press, and Toohey, who were in the bed of the pit, had no chance of escape, and they were buried alive.
Messages were sent immediately to neighbouring settlers for assistance, and that was quickly forthcoming. Dr. Goode was summoned from Port Lincoln. After three hours the first body was recovered from the debris. It was fearfully battered. A medical examination revealed that every bone in the body had been broken, and that death must have been instantaneous. The other two corpses were extricated after about four hours had elapsed. They were found lying in the bed of the channel. Toohey and Press recently arrived at the works. It is believed that they went there from Adelaide. The bank was supposed to be quite safe, and it came as a shock to the Adelaide officials of the company to know that such a tragedy had occurred. A representative of the company arrived at Port Lincoln on Sunday by the steamer Quorna. An inquest was to have been conducted at White's Flat on Sunday.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164167031
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1954), Friday 29 November 1918, page 12
Country News.
Port Lincoln November 22. A dreadful fatality took place at the Tod River Waterworks on Saturday morning, when three Catholics were killed by a fall of about 200 tons of earth into an open cutting that was in course of formation for the main outlet pipes. After four hours the bodies were unearthed. Horace Press, 26 years of age, was killed instantly. James Hollingworth (47) and James Toohey (38) were smothered in moist clay. The three coffins were conveyed on Sun-day evening to Port Lincoln after Benediction, and placed before the altar, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon the whole town followed the remains to the Catholic Cemetery. Twenty-four comrades of the deceased carried the three coffins in procession from the church to graveside, where Father Kelly officiated. A collection amounting to over £50 was taken up for the benefit of Mrs. Press and her two little children. The scene at the graveside was one of indescribable sadness. Rest in peace.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166988966
Contributor:Al Staunton(48389830) •
SENSATIONAL LAND SLIDE.
THREE MEN KILLED.
A sensational landslide, which resulted in the burial alive of James Roebuck, Horace Press, and Michael Toohey, occurred at the Tod River water scheme on Saturday morning. So far only meagre details of the tragedy have reached Adelaide. The scene of the accident is what is known as the "open cut," near White's Flat, about 22 miles from Port Lincoln. In that section of the works a channel is being dug, the bank on one side being about 20 ft. high, thence forming part of a hillside wall. On the other side it is about 10 ft. in height, and the bottom is about 10 ft. wide. In that locality on Saturday morning the Concrete Steel Contracting Company had nine men employed in carting stone and earth. At about 10.30 o'clock, without warning, a section of the bank on the 20-ft. side, two chains long, gave way, and about 300,000 tons of earth fell into the excavation. Six of the men and a horse and dray had just moved off with a load of soil. One of their number sustained an injured leg. Roebuck, Press, and Toohey, who were in the bed of the pit, had no chance of escape, and they were buried alive.
Messages were sent immediately to neighbouring settlers for assistance, and that was quickly forthcoming. Dr. Goode was summoned from Port Lincoln. After three hours the first body was recovered from the debris. It was fearfully battered. A medical examination revealed that every bone in the body had been broken, and that death must have been instantaneous. The other two corpses were extricated after about four hours had elapsed. They were found lying in the bed of the channel. Toohey and Press recently arrived at the works. It is believed that they went there from Adelaide. The bank was supposed to be quite safe, and it came as a shock to the Adelaide officials of the company to know that such a tragedy had occurred. A representative of the company arrived at Port Lincoln on Sunday by the steamer Quorna. An inquest was to have been conducted at White's Flat on Sunday.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164167031
Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1954), Friday 29 November 1918, page 12
Country News.
Port Lincoln November 22. A dreadful fatality took place at the Tod River Waterworks on Saturday morning, when three Catholics were killed by a fall of about 200 tons of earth into an open cutting that was in course of formation for the main outlet pipes. After four hours the bodies were unearthed. Horace Press, 26 years of age, was killed instantly. James Hollingworth (47) and James Toohey (38) were smothered in moist clay. The three coffins were conveyed on Sun-day evening to Port Lincoln after Benediction, and placed before the altar, where a Requiem Mass was celebrated on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon the whole town followed the remains to the Catholic Cemetery. Twenty-four comrades of the deceased carried the three coffins in procession from the church to graveside, where Father Kelly officiated. A collection amounting to over £50 was taken up for the benefit of Mrs. Press and her two little children. The scene at the graveside was one of indescribable sadness. Rest in peace.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166988966
Contributor:Al Staunton(48389830) •
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