- continued from part 3
Gave up his holding
At the same time as his son started work, Mr Krebs son "turned in" his holding at Back Creek, and went to Prospect Dam contracting for the government.
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Later, he carried on a boarding house for employees, and was subsequently engaged on contracts both in this state and Victoria.
After a couple of years, Mr McArthur giving up his produce store for farming, Charlie Krebs devoted himself to jockeying and horse-training.
He achieved a triumph when he rode his mount, the late Mr Jim O'Leary's "Forrester", to victory in the first Wambanumba Cup.
He rode at Murringo, Wambanumba and Wombat.
In those days sports were readily pronounced at most of the stations, and "there was money in it" for a good footrunner, or a good jumper, or a man with a good racehorse.
Men on stations readily look up challenges and there were large attendances at the various contests.
In this way Mr Krebs first met Cr HGM Thackeray, now president of the Burrangong Shire Council, who still refers to the incident as "the sweetest 'fiver' I ever made".
Challenge taken up
Mr Krebs was with a party who included a footrunner who was looked upon as something out of the box, and through a spokesman the stations hands approached Mr Thackeray, who was the boss of an out-station at Jerilderie, for permission to take the challenge up.
Mr Thackeray happened to know that a Melbourne champion footrunner was visiting the head station, and he took the challenge up for five pounds aside.
When the contest was staged, the Melbourne boy won easily, much to the chagrin of the touring party.
On another occasion, Mr Krebs recalls, they had with them a young man who could leap 6ft 4ins, and, feeling certain that no-one could equal him, challenges were freely issued at the various stations. After a long run of successes, a jumper named Williams came into the picture.
When Williams suggested the bar being placed at 6ft for a start, the contest began to take on a more than usually serious aspect. Both contestants jumped 6ft.
The bar was raised to 6ft 2ins and both clear it again.
At 6ft 4ins the touring contestant to the astonishment of his mates failed, and Williams cleared the bar and took the 10 pounds wager.
After a rest the beaten competitor jumped 6ft 4ins with ease and Mr Krebs put down his failure on that crucial occasion to the shock he got on meeting a man who could jump the height.
William was related to Mr W McKay, the present overseer of relief works at Young.
These sporting contests, Mr Krebs relates, after flourishing for many years, gradually came to an end, owing to the swindles that began to be introduced.
Sold his horses
However, to return to Mr Krebs' ventures in these contests. He admits that he never had much luck, and soon had sense enough to turn it in.
With his horse "The Gambler" with which he toured the Riverina, he won a little, and subsequently sold it to the late Mr Comerford.
A second horse he sold to Harry Brown, of Cowra, and he then took up shearing for a few years.
When he was 22, Mr Krebs began seriously study for surveying and engineering.
Meanwhile, he entered the employ of Messrs, Gough and Holworthy, builders and contractors, and a fellow-employee was Mr Jack Taylor, now with Messrs. W.S Millard and Son, Ltd.
Mr Taylor coached Charlie in mathematics, etc. - his father had won scholarships honours in England - and on the practical side Young's future overseer of works learnt from Henry Hosie - surveyor, the man responsible for the alignment of Young's streets as they are today.
Fees never changed
Mr Hosie did not stint his time in coaching the young man, lessons extending nightly from 7pm to 11pm, and no fee was ever charged.
"A wonderful chap" is Mr Krebs' memory of him. In the day time Mr Krebs was kept busy, at one time being engaged on building "Blair Athol" (today the residence of Mr TJ Collins MP) for the late ex-mayor John Russell, solicitor, and at another in building a new woolshed for the late Samuel Tout.
In February, 1909, when Mr Krebs was 25, he entered the employ of the Young Municipal Council as leading hand, under Mr Dibbs, subsequently he became Municipal foreman.
With the growth of traffic, the roads were soon occupying practically all of Mr Krebs' time. Roads had to be formed, drainage provided, culverts and bridges planned and carried out, in addition to the ever growing maintenance.
Tarring started
With the coming of motor traffic, Mr Krebs felt he could see no hope of making proper provision for it by the old methods, and strongly recommended the tarring of the main street.
The council approved of this, and Mr Krebs went to Goulburn to learn how it was done.
On his return, tarring was started for the first time at Young.
Twenty-one years ago, Mr Krebs secured his certificate, and became overseer of works.
Some time after that the Main Roads Board started, a notable development in the history of road construction in this state.
Burrowa Street is always look upon as Mr Krebs' most notable achievement.
Its excellent surface is a matter not only of pride to local citizens, but on the part of those of other towns.
Gradually the council came to the view that the roads should be tarred from boundary to boundary. First the Temora and Burrowa road works were carried out.
During more recent years the tarring has been carried along Campbell Street to the Wombat Road, and along the new Grenfell-Cowra road, embracing part of Zouch, Burrowa Street east, William Street and the Monteagle Road to the boundary.
- Brian James supplies his column each Tuesday on behalf the Young Historical Society Inc. This article: Young Chronicle (Friday, October 1936)