RAILWAY COLLISION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1581, 11 October 1905, Page 2

RAILWAY COLLISION.

DISASTROUS WRECK.

JPer R.MdSs Sierra at 'Auckland.] San Francisco, Sept. 21.

Beoause someone blundered whon the second section of the weßt-bound overland train was held near Harney on Tuesday eveaing, September 19, one of the worst rear-end collisions in the history of the Southern Paoifio railway resulted. Two men are dead, one of them being billed instantly, and the other dying after 12 hours of agony, while over forty persons are injured, some of them seriously. For some reasoo, just after it had rounded a sharp curve circling a cliff, the second section of the overland was held for a quarter of an bout on the main line. All reports agree that a brakesman had been sent to flag the third section, which was known to be following nnder a fifteen mlnnte headway. The mission of this man, whose name is withheld by the railroad officials, resulted in disaster, whether it was from his own fault or the fault of tbe engineer in charge of the third section will not be known until a searching investigation has been held. He had bean called in by the usual signal, and wbb boarding the last ear of the second section when suddenly the third section swept aronnd tbe curve, and in an instant three coaches were demolished, the wreck of the engine telescoped within the rear sleeper of the Becond seotion, and the baggage and first ooach of the third section were converted into a mash of broken timbers. To add to the horror of tbe soene, the wreck took fire s and the steam eaicaping from the engine scalded those who were pinned down by the heavy frame of the coaches. That the list of dead is not greater is duo to the heroic work of the train crews, and the men who were in the other coaches. The. flames were subdned, and men with bleeding faces tugged at heavy timber until all of the injured were taken from the wreck.