FURIOUS GALE AT WELLINGTON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1745, 20 January 1888, Page 3

FURIOUS GALE AT WELLINGTON

Wkli,ii»gton, J »nuary 19. A heavy g«'e, which sprang up last evening, has been blowing throughout to-day with unabate 1 fury, but no damage is report jd m the city. A sensation wus caused m town, however, about noon, when a telegram roached town from Featherston that the train from Wellington to Master ton had been blown off the rails near Pigeon Bueh. Tho train which left town comprised an eogine of the H class, two long passenger carriages (with 8o far as can be ascertained Mrs Orr, Mispes Bidewell and Ripe, Inspector Brooks, | Messrs Hopkirk (2), Dorselt, Hammerich and Allen) four trucks and breakvan All went well until crossing the plain from Cross Creek towurds Feathers ton, when it was found that a furious gale was blowing, and when the train had reached a point half-a-mile on the Feathers to a side of Pigeon Bush, a terrific squall struck the train j dislodging both passenger carriages and the four goods trucks but both engine and vau remained on the rails. Help was at onco extended to the passengers, but beyond two of the malo 'passengers receiving slight scratches it was found that none had received injury, and the engine was employed m taking the passengers along with their luggage into Featherston, where a train was placed m readiness to take them on to their destination. As showing the force of tin wind it may bs ' explained that the foremost of the trucks was very heavily laden, its' burden consisting of about 5£ tons of flour, th enext m order contained about 5 tons flour, and eaoh of the other two bore about 4 tons of general merchandise. The two pass nger carriages were lying on their sides near the rails, and wete not much injured, hut a couple of trucks receivtd serious damage. The down train from Alatterton passed the scene about an hour before the train whioh came to grief, and reports that a furious gale was blowing. Tne late-train from the same district is also expected to arrive without mishap. Residents m Featherston give it as their opinion that to-day "a gale is the hoavi est experienced for yeara.