ALSGILL RAILWAY DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1847, 5 September 1913, Page 7

ALSGILL RAILWAY DISASTER.

e ' VICTIMS CHARRED BEYOND RECOGNITION. PATHETIC SCENES AT INQUEST. COMPANY'S LIABILITY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyriffht (Rec. Sept-ember 4, 11.15 p.m.) London, September 3. The charred remains of victims of tlio railway disaster liavo boon removed to Kirk by Stephen. The only means of identification are remnants of clothing 1 , jewellery, etc. Tlio bodies of John Patterson (an accountant, of London), three of tlio Morrison children, and two young ladies havo been identified. Tho remains of a nurso named Fargo were identified through a charred umbrella handle and her watch. Sir Arthur Douglas (tho ex-New Zealander injured in the railway disaster) passed a fair night. Ho is still in a critical state. Other victims of the collision are progressing. , Tho ninth body has been identified, One of tlio jurymen during tho inspection picked up a steel rule and took it to Kirkby Stephen station, where a wife happened to be inquiring for her husband. Slio immediately recognised the rulo and fainted. • An inquest was opened, but was adjourned till September 17. There were ■ pathetic scenes. v SUGGESTED SAFETY OF STATE lines: London, September 3. The Trades Union Congress condoled with those who had been bereaved by the Aisgill railway disaster. Mr. Chandler, of the Railway Clerks' Society, remarked that the lowest percentage of. accidents was on Germany's Statoowued railways. London, September 4. ! Experts are cmpliatic in declaring that one result of the accident will bo to compel tlio rnjlway companies to consider the question ot tho substitution of pre- | sent stock by steel-built carriages. EFFORTS TO TRACE THE VICTIMS. i "Times"—Sydney "Sun" Special Cables. (Rec..September 4, 6.50 p.m.) London, September 4. l In connection with tho Aisgill disas- [ ter, in one caso the only clue to tho ! identity of a man who had been wearing a gold watch and chain, were specks of melted gold embedded in the roasted flesh. In another case a girl's necklace was tho only traco to her identity. > The nearest hospital was at Carlisle, 40 miles away. One of the rescuers states that all tho carriage doors were jainraod, and the efforts of twenty men were unable to open them. Many of tho firo-cxtm-guishcrs on tho train failed to work. Tho Midland Railway Company states that it is willing to promptly meet all reasonablo claims. The president of the Trades' Union Congress (Mr. AV. J. Davis, M.P.), sit- , ting at Manchester, in a reference to tho disaster, sympathised with tho relatives of tho victims, and stated that tho catastropho showed tho responsibility attaching to all industrial undertakings. ____