RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1346, 20 September 1886, Page 2

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Invercargill, September 19. A serious accident occurred yesterday evening at the railway crossing in Canon street. A man named Thoa. Patterson, a market gardener, of Appleby, was driving his dray homewards, and got to the crossing as the express from Dunedin wbb coming along, Patterson was sitting in the bottom of the dray, with his back to the train, and a strong wind was blow in ?In his face. He did not appear, t > hear the whistle till the horse had cr<fsei the line, and then, in his confusion, he jumped up, caught the reins, and brought the horse momentarily to a stand. Tne consequence was that the cow-catcher struck the wheel of the dray, snapping the axle short off. Patterson, with several bags of feeding stuff, was thrown clear into the cross street, about fifteen yards off, the dray was poshed aside by the engine, the horse was thrown, and fell with his feet under the carriages, receiving such injuries thar he had to be killed. Patterson was picked np Insensible and evidently much hurt, and taken by train to the hospital. He is Injured internally, has several ribs broken, and is in a precarious state. No blame can be attached to the engine driver, as the alarm whistle was heard all over the town. Public feeling is strong that gates and crossing keepers are now required on these streets. The train pulled np In about one hundred yards.