GOODS TRAIN SMASH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 February 1910, Page 5

GOODS TRAIN SMASH.

i LINGERING DEATH. SERIOUS CHARGES AS TO STATE OF BRAKES, ■ENGINES'PILED-TIP AGAINST THE "DEAD-END." By Telejrarli—Press Association—OoDyriaht Melbourne, February 7. Further particulars are to hand of the railway accident Bt Beaufort (128 miles north-west of Melbourne), -where a goods tram from Ararat, draw by two engines, instead of drawing up at Beaufort, ran into the buffer stops or "dead-end," causing three deaths. : . ,

.Signalman's Story—Another Version. It was cabled yesterday' that the signalman stated that he saw tho train was. travelling at a.terrific pace, and in order' to prevent a collision with a goods engine . which was standing on tho line he switched the Ararat train on to the "dead-end." It now appears that the signalman's -.story shows, that, tho stationary engine had nothing to do witty the .disaster. Tho .line had - been made clear for. goods. He went down the platform with the staff, but when tho train was within fifty yards of the station ho saw that it was travelling too: fast to pull up at the station. He ran back .to the signal-box to turn it off the loop on to the main line, but-was too late. The .train was over the intersection, and making straight for the "dead-end." 1 When the, engines pulled up, he heard Gjlliard (fireman of the first engine) cry out: "For God's sake hit-mo on the head—put me out of this!".... Ho (the signalman) thon ran for the doctor.

, Ttrribls Sufferings of Injured,

The driver (Coward) and the fireman (Russoll) of the second engine were killed instantly. The fireman (Gilliard) of tho first engine died subsequently, while tho driver (Gronn). of . the loading engine was badly scalded.

Gronn was scalded from hip to toes. His book and loins were crushed and his hand broken. Coward was. nearly cut in two, while Russell, tho fireman, had his hoad almost severed.

( Gi(liai;d endured awful suffering/ He was pinned in. the wreckage m an up-, right .position, : and was pot to . terriblo pgony. by the ■ heat of' the'-boiler,' while a 'hook piece of metal ' penetrated his back. Ho lived four and a half hours. ■ Superhuman efforts were . made to release him. Ones or. twice he encouraged the ..rescuers who were' doing their beat for him,, but occasionally a cry was wrung from him by the pain canted by scalding water from the boiler. ■ Daylight found him • in tho, same state: A doctor: was standing by administering morphia,' but Gilhard died before he was extricated.- . . . . . . "Not Properly Braked." Tha survivor, Gronn, driver of the first engine, complained that before leaving Stawell his engine was not properly braked. ; It appears .that f.bo engine was praotically without brake power on the fatal jouru«y.' Tho railway: officials ad--l nut that tho seoond engine was of: low brake power..': . ■ Gronn etatea that when • the acoident occurred there was a Scotch'■ mist, and the rails were slippery. As he came , down ; the Beaufort bank the first thing he knew was that the tram-was on the No. 2 line. He called out: "Good God I I Charhe, we are on No. 2„ There-is- a I dead-end.: Jumpßut before either I oottfdjjunip. the crash : came,i and • the I hugS-\engines, ; with a heavy wheat train t behind,-were piled up. .- i \ He : wai|. jammed, between 1 the lever 1 l frame ana the inspoctor pipe bytho foot i.The gauge-glass burst and began to scald him. It was awful, but the steam made i his .boot slippery, and he was able to I wrench , his foot out, and. get on to the permanent way. ...