Some years ago now I published the story of Nenthorn, the boisterous and short-lived quartz mining town a couple of hours from Dunedin. The altitude at which the town was sited made water a continual problem. Water was needed to power the quartz crushing batteries and, when the batteries were powered by coal, needed to make into steam. Water was a problem for the miners underground and some mines became unworkable due to it. And drinking water was a problem. There was too little and sometimes it was contaminated. Some Nenthorn residents died from the contamination and young William Allen was one of them.
Mr William Allan, whose term of apprenticeship in this office expired a few weeks back, we learn, has bought an interest in the Nenthorn Recorder, a demy weekly published on the Nenthorn goldfield. We wish our young friend luck, and hope that his venture may prove as successful as the good points of William Allan deserve. -Dunstan Times, 25/7/1890.
It is with regret we record the death of William Allan, eldest son of Mr John Allan, Springvale, which took place at the Naseby Hospital on Saturday last, at the early age of 19 years, after a short illness. Deceased served his apprenticeship at this office, and by his obliging and pleasant disposition was greatly respected by his fellow workmen and all those with whom he came in contact. On the completion of his apprenticeship deceased severed his connection with this office, and after a short trip from home with the intention of looking around him, he bought an interest in the newly-established paper at Nenthorn, the Nenthorn Recorder. The paper had but a short life, and deceased had almost concluded arrangements with respect to the settling up, when he was seized with typhoid fever. His parents were led to believe — both from letters received from the lad himself and also from those who had charge of him — that he was fast recovering from the fever, and that he would soon he able to be removed to Springvale. Both Dr Fletcher (of Middlemarch) and Dr Whitton (of Naseby) had been called in and both agreed that the attack was a very slight one, and that no danger need be apprehended. As time wore on, and he did not seem to improve, Dr Fletcher was again sent for, and he recommended his removal from Nenthorn — at the same time expressing a wish to be sent for us soon as his father arrived. His father arrived on Sunday, the 16th. Dr Fletcher had already been sent for. On Monday he wired that he would come on Tuesday; however, he did not come, and on Wednesday he wired: “Can't possibly come to-day"; and as the boy appeared to be getting weaker every day, his father obtained a covered express and in it poor Willie was brought to the Naseby Hospital on Thursday. But too late; a relapse of the fever had set in for some time, and he gradually got weaker and weaker, and expired on Saturday morning, at 7 o’clock. The body was interred in the Clyde Cemetery on Sunday afternoon, and was followed by a large concourse testifying to the esteem in which deceased had been held. Mr G. McNeill, Alexandra, read the last sad rites. -Dunstan Times, 28/11/1890.
No comments:
Post a Comment