HORSES ON THE RAILWAY TRACK

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 6

HORSES ON THE RAILWAY TRACK

. : ■..";:-BADLY. INJIJRBpJ, •;■/((■ , ■'.' (By. Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) . ■ .' V .Chrlstchurch, July 16. A" serious 'accidont happened at Broken Itiver. on Wedriesdayjto : a number of horses belonging to Mr. l ■'■■■B;'. ll Cassidy,; 'coach.■'.'' proprietor. The/horses , ,';about'ten , in 'number, were ruaning in the , river-bed; close to iho railway; ■ and just , before. the' afternoon train .was duo scrambled lip'the embankment ,pn', to,'the railwayitrack.tOnrthe approach'of tb,e - train, ther. animals/.became brightened';-' and galloped offiih; the .direction'-of the rail-' way bridge., The driver of the train:somded. his;whistle, with'a view.to driving the horses , off tho, line, ; and brought: his 'train to a stand. ; Tho ' animals, however, ■ instead; , of I going down,the bank,. attcmpted.to cross the i bridge,.,which is only planked on the sides to a width', of about 3 feet, the centre being open sleepers. about a ■. foot' apart.;. The' planks were thick with frost, and after going a, short distance the leader/ came- -down ■ I bringing,' four or five others down , on top or him. , Tho' poor : brutes struggled" furiously' to regain their legs, but the,narrowness of the platform 'and. its -slippery condition prevented them doiiig so. In their struggles,: two of'them gottheir legs between :'the railway' sleepers, breaking aieg; in- eaoh case, while two otheVs'.had .the: flesh torn off the bones in a shocking .manner, .. A constable and the statjonmaster organised a gang ofi menj lind. the, animals/were /removed '.from; th : e\ bridge, two! to.-be placed on.-a railway tarpaulin and-hauled'off; by the train: ongine. The two. horses..most seriously, in- , -: jured were shot,, and probably itwo niore.Tv'ill!] have to! be destroyed." ; • .The, horses, were .used I j by: Mr.- Caesidy-for■!the.-West:.Coast'••coach: traffic, and' were' valued- at I ;about. £35,each^