Improvements In Coraki.
Courtesy of Trove Richmond River Herald 8 July 1887
It is at once both pleasant and instructive to note the growth and progress of a community, and more especially it is so when we have to a certain degree identified ourselves with that community and endeavoured to aid in its development.
The growth of Coraki, whereby we mean the additions and ramifications which go to make up a whole, have not been either very large or of usual extent, but compared with any other town on the Richmond River, except Lismore, may fairly be said to have eclipsed them as regards growth, population and improvements. We purpose in this article to give a synopsis of the improvements in and around Coraki, during the last year and the existence of this journal therein. We mention the two subjects conjointly, because they have been to a certain extent dependent one on the other. We will first of all deal with what may be called
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Of these, first in priority and extent is the School of Arts, in Bridge-street, erected by W. Yabsley Esq., J.P., in response to the wishes of a large number of the inhabitants of Coraki and at a time when no institution of the kind was in existence, excepting a little snuggery about 20 x 10, in the same street. This building, which has now had to give place as a School of Arts to one recently erected on the Government site in Adams-street, is an exceptionally good one, constructed of admirable material, has a splendid hall with the necessary outlets provided for in the Theatres Licensing Act, a capacious gallery capable of holding between two and three hundred people, a roomy stage, with wings, and having two entrances apart from the main hall, a well-lighted reading room, library, and a ticket taker’s box. The floor, which is composed wholly of teak, is an unusually excellent one, and taken altogether the building is the most perfect in Coraki, and although situated in rather a backward position is not only a credit to the town but a monument to the energy and pluck of the owner. Owing to an unfortunate cabal, no sooner was the building almost finished than a rival one was started on the Government site in Adams-street, and to which eventually the Government subsidy was granted, and the one we are now writing about closed as a School of Arts. It is admirably adapted for lectures, concerts, theatrical entertainments, and quadrille assemblies, and for the latter purpose it is now used.
Of the architectural excellence of the School of Arts in Adams-street not much can be said, whilst its management is certainly not on a par with that of the new-old one; the library and reading room being sadly deficient in the matter available in the latter. This, however, is of course within the power of the committee to remedy and they alone are responsible for the defects alluded to. The dimensions of the building are fairly good, the accommodation consisting of a large hall with stage, and two small rooms, one on either side of the entrance hall, used as a reading room and committee room. A lamentable error was committed in laying out the building, it being placed on the exact alignment of the street and the allotment adjoining, thus debarring the committee from providing the outward-opening doors necessary under the Act referred to in describing the Bridge-street School of Arts building. The building is constructed of hardwood weatherboards, with walls 14 feet in height, and galvanized iron roof. The necessity for the lining of the whole building is painfully apparent, and certainly the two front rooms should at once be lined if only to preserve the books, maps &c., from the aggressions of the weather. The site is an admirable one, being on the point of a sandstone ridge overlooking the river and within a stone throw of the present main street.
The only other public building which has been created (and banks usually come under this category) is one built by Mr. T. King, of Woodburn, at the intersection of Richmond Terrace and Allwood-street, for the Australian Joint Stock Bank. The building is an unpretending one (too much so for the very prominent site it occupies) of the ornamental cottage type, and build of hardwood. It contains a bank capitally fitted and finished, manager’s room, sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, servants room, bath &c., and ample stabling and offices have been provided at the rear.
To keep ourselves within the limits of the year we cannot do much more the an refer to the commencement of the now Courthouse, a building of certainly more pretensions than Coraki ever saw before, and which the contractors, Messrs Gabriel and M’Morrine, have made every provision for starting, and only await the advent of the Government Clerk of works to peg out the actual site for the building. The building when completed will be a great addition to the street architecture of Coraki, but the design, unfortunately, has two very grave defects, namely, the want of a retiring room for magistrates when in consultation, and the necessary accommodation for the officer in charge; provision being made in the plan for one bedroom only.
Another building of considerable importance fairly comes under this title, although erected as a private speculation, and that is the Oddfellows’ Hall in Bridge-street, erected by W. Yabsley Esq., and adjoining the School of Arts first referred to. It is a substantial wooden structure of about 40 x 22, and has a convenient lobby and retiring room attached. The front portion of this building is at present used as a private office. Before leaving the matter of public buildings altogether, we may mention that strong application has been made for the erection of a new Post Office, and, if Ministerial and other promises are any good, we may look upon that as an accomplished fact before the end of another year. Perhaps it would be as well while treating on public matters and before referring to private buildings &c., to refer to what has been done in the matter of
PUBLIC WORKS.
And just here we may, with a sigh, almost lay down the pen, and consider what unutterable wickedness, the Corakians have been guilty of that they should be treated with such miserable neglect in respect of their roads &c; for in reality almost nothing has been done to tender passable some of the worst roads in the colony. Whose fault it is it is hard to say, but there can be little doubt that, until the advent of the HERALD, little exertion was made to place the needs of the people in this direction plainly before the Government, and the people have been themselves therefore a good deal to blame. But we are, and have to be thankful for small mercies, and within the last month or two something has been done in the shape of clearing Coraki-street, widening Richmond Terrace, and improving the approaches to the punt. And there the public works in Coraki may be said to have arrived at their limit, wonderful as it may appear compared with the private improvements made therein.
PRIVATE BUILDINGS, & C.
The first of these on the list, in point of antiquity at all events, is the RICHMOND RIVER HERALD office and the building erected along-side as a residence for the owner. But, as the chronological order of development may make our description more intricate than is desirable we will finish the Bridge-street buildings before we proceed to others perhaps of earlier growth and more importance. These are not many, owing to the major portion of the land being locked up. Amongst them, however, may be noted a very neat cottage residence erected by Mr. P. Casey, and now in the occupation of Mr. T. Eustace, additions to Mr. M’Donagh’s clothing emporium, a plumber’s and tinsmith’s shop for Mr. Stirgess, a new roomy cottage dwelling for Mr. R. Bugden, and a butcher’s shop for the same gentleman.
Leaving Bridge street and going up Allwood-street, towards Raymond Terrace, we come to a row of new and neat buildings erected by Messrs. Casey, consisting of a neat cottage residence in the occupation of Capt. Storey, agent for the C. and R.R.S.N. Co., a shop and dwelling in the occupation of Mr. Reynolds, bootmaker, and an elegant cottage residence nearing completion, intended for the residence of Mr. Harding, a partner of Mr. Quain’s. these gentlemen being the contractors for building the same. This cottage demands another word of note and praise, as being the first departure from the everlasting flat, sloping, unpainted verandah roofs which do not ornament our streets. The iron on this verandah having an upward curve in front, not only gives an apparent additional height and imposing appearance to the elevation, but is loftier and more airy underneath — no mean advantage in a climate like this.
In Richmond Terrace, which is the present main artery of the town, and which abuts on the river bank, the most imposing and important new structure is the new two-storey building erected by Mr. Jefferies on the site of his former store, which, with the HERALD office and Mr. Mobb’s butcher’s shop, was destroyed by fire on the morning of the 12th May 1886. This building is constructed to form a large general store, offices & c., below, with ample accommodation for private purposes as a dwelling house &c., above, a highly ornamental balcony giving the elevation a most elegant appearance. A large baker’s shop and a commodious wholesale store have been built at the rear and the property is a handsome and complete one.
Alongside this store Mr. Jefferies has recently erected a four roomed building, used as an office of the C. and R.R.S.N. Co., and by Mr. John Benaud as a jeweller’s shop. A neat cottage erected by Mr. John Whyte, on an allotment beyond the Coraki Soap Factory, completes the tally of new buildings erected in Richmond Terrace. In Coraki-street two neat villa residences have been erected by Mr. A. Keith and Mr. P. Claffey respectively, and are capital specimens of both style and workmanship, and as being comfortable homes for persons of moderate means. The architecture of Adams-street has been supplemented by a spacious cordial and aerated water manufactory recently erected by Mr. M. Nolan, and which is now being fitted with all the necessary appliances for that business. In Minto-street is a neat cottage residence of Mr. R. Smith. Mr. Chalmers has also erected a neat and roomy cottage a little beyond Mr. Yabsley sawmill, and several cottages are “planted” in what is called “the scrub”—a wonderfully fertile bit of land—close alongside. This we think completes the tally of the town improvements, and is certainly not a bad one, but with a little more energy amongst the people might have been better. Of any suburban improvements we will deal later on.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
These have unfortunately been restricted to the exertions of one property holder, Mr. W. Yabsley, who, at some cost and at considerable convenience to the public has bad constructed some hundreds of yards of footpaths made of earth and kerbed with sawn timber. This footpath also forms a drain and extends along two sections in Bridge-street, and one in Allwood-street, to Richmond Terrace ; and whereas before their construction no person could walk dry-shod in wet weather from one to the other of the two last mentioned streets, it is dry and comfortable travelling at the present time.
Mr. Yabsley is deserving of every credit for the public benefit he has conferred by their construction, and it seems a pity that other owners of property do not follow his example in improving it and thereby adding to its value, and the general appearance of the town at the same time.
We purpose dealing with river improvements and suburban in our next.
