TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

Dunstan Times, Issue 961, 17 September 1880, Page 3

TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

The following condensed account’ wo collect from our exchanges. On Saturday morning last the train left Qreytowfl at 5.30. and proceeded without mishap to Cross Creek at the foot of Rimatuku incline where the ordinary locomotive is detached, and the Fell engine put on to push the train up the two and a-hslf miles of the 1 in 15 ascent to the summit. The plan now adopted is for the luggage van and passenger carriages to he pushed in front, then the Fell engine, and next any goods waggons there may bo, and lastly the Fell brake van, which works on the middle rail. There were two passenger carriages and a luggage van in front, the engine in the middle, then two Waggons of produce, the

Foil brake van bringing up tba rear as Usual. Tlie train started on the ascent of the steep gradient, and had travelled as far as part of tlie line generally known as “Siberia, the piercingly cold blasts of winds which seem almost constantly to sweep down the mountain gullies which converge at that point. Here a strong N.W. pale was found to be blowing across the creek, and suddenly a terrific gust struct the train, over-turning the luggage van and passenger carriages. The couplings did not break, but slid held the carraige frames to the engine, which remained tightly gripping the middle rail, and luckily held firm, although visibly under a strain. The whole upper part of the carriages, however, was smashed into matchwood and tumbled over the precipice, the passengers and debris being scattered amongst the boulders down the side of the declivity, but not falling to the bottom. Foi a while, however, the wreck of the carriages hung suspended above them ; ami had it given away, or the engine fallen over, all must have been crushed to a jolly, as the gully at this place converges almost to a poiui nearly 100 feet below, so that had all gone down they would have been crushed into a compact mass at the bottom. Some of the passengers lay around for a time unconcioua, and those who first recovered sense described the scone as a fearful one—killed and wounded lying round in all directions covered with blood, and the train above suspended threatening every moment to fall on them, as the Fell brake van being detached to run down the incline for assistance, the two produce waggons were also capsized by the gale, and the engine had to stand the double strain of several vehicles hanging over the precipice at both ends, their full weight depending on the couplings, which fortunately held fast. Two of the children were hilled

"ii the spot. One was smothered in the debris. the other partially decapitated and its brains dashed out j the third one was picked up not quite dead hy Mr Herbert Hickson, one of tire passengers, who was himself much injured. He tried to carry her up the bank, but she died in his arms before he could reach the tup. Three passengers avere killed and six dangerously wounded ; also one severely and two slightly. The three killed were all children, aged respectively eleven, eight, and three. One was a daughter of Mr C. Pharazyn, and granddaughter of the Hon. C. .T. Pharazyn, and her sister also being injured. The second was a boy named Nicholas, his sinter also being injured. The third killed was a hoy named Quinn. The six dangerously injured were taken to the Gieytown Hospital. Two of them are believed to be mortally hurt - viz., Jackson, saddler (Masterton), who has his spine injured, J. Hare (Masterton), suffering from a severe scalp wound and concussion of the brain, &o. Tho other injured persons named, as far as 1 have been able yet to ascertain, are—W. Mackenzie, J. Goooh, 11. lliddick, J. B'akcsley, Herbert Hickson, J, Madden, G. Phillips, Mrs Turnbull, Mrs Page, Miss Pharazyn, and Miss T. Nicholas. An inquest was held ou the bodies of those who were killed in the railway accident, wlmn the following verdict was returned:—“ The verdict of the Jury is that after full consideration of the evidonee brought before them, tho deaths of Ada Pharazyn and Francis John Nicholas were purely accidental, and caused hy tho carriage being blown off the lino clown tho embankment on (lie Pdmatuku incline ; and in the opinion of the Jury no blame attached to anyone.”