ALFORD FOREST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 143, 24 August 1880, Page 2

ALFORD FOREST.

(From our Own Correspondent.) LOSS OF THE' MAIL COACH. The mail coach starting from here for Methven about nine o’clock on Saturday morning met with a mishap in crossing the Nor f h Ashburton River. In consequence of the approaches to the new bridge being unfinished, the mail driver, Henry Cross, took the usual ford with a pair of horses, just above the new bridge. The stream was swollen , alarmingly by the snow-water from the hills and the furious nor’-wester, and when nearing the centre horses and coach were swept swiftly towards the piles of the bridge, striking which, the pole fortunately snapped, setting the animals at liberty. The driver clung tenaciously to one of the piles, and was rescued by means of a rope thrown to him by the bridge workmen. The horses anded safely, and two or three of the coach wheels were saved, but the coach body, with its contents, including the mail bag, were swept quickly down stream in the direction of Ashburton. Altogether the loss to Mr. Tisch, of the Alford Forest Hotel, who contracts for the conveyance of the mail, cannot be less than L4O, and it is considei’ed very fortunate indeed that the driver escaped with his life. This is a positive proof that the recent improvements by way of bridge communication have not been finished one day too soon.