A FEARFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3643, 16 March 1883, Page 4

A FEARFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

At the Tochachipi Summit, 352 miles south of San Francisco on the road to Los Angelos, at 2.30 a.m. on January 20, Avhile tho south-bound train was standing- on the track without the engine, which had gone on to a turntable, a high -wind started the train doAvn the gradient. The breakesmen was off the train, Avhich ran about three miles, AA'hen tAvo sleeping-cars, the mail-car, and.eight bag-gage and express cars left the track, and simultaneously took tire. Five of the cars Avere entirely burned. Of this dreadful oecurrrence a reporter of the Post says:—"Ten miles above the commencement of the famous ' log- at Teke-a-chipe Pass', just at the summit of the mountain there is an exceedingly steep gradient. A train once started on it must rush down Avith frightful velocity. Here has just occurred one of the most horrifying railroad accidents recorded in California. The situation must haA-e been terrible in the extreme. The train reached the summit all rig-ht. An extra engine had been placed next to the baggage car aud behind the regular engine, to aid the train up the grade to the summit. That point reached, tho engines were detached from tho train to allow the helping engine to get on the side trock and return. The train was thus left alone, and from tome unknoAvii cause it suddenly began to roll back sloAvly at first, but increasing gradually in speed, uutil it aa .is soon beyond tho control of the brakesman and tho other hands, and went flying doAvn the grado at lightning ?pecd, the greatest terror being created amongst the passengers. The tram still sped on until the utmost velocity Avas attained. When a distance of four miles had been traversed the two sleeping-cars, the baggage van, and the express van jumped the track and fell broadside, throwing the terror stricken passengers out of their berths and against the seats, as tho case might be. To add to the horror of

scene some of the cars took fire through the stoves haA-ingbeen over-turned, and soon the whole train was in flames. When the crash came many of the passengers were so badly bruised and injured that they could not creep from the Avreck, and, AA'ith others avlio were jammed between the heavy debris, Avere burned to death. The shrieks of the Avounded and the agones of the dying Avere fearful. It is kno.vn that seventy-five persons perished.