SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN INDIA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 269, 3 October 1867, Page 3

SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN INDIA.

The most extensive viaduct on the Bhore Ghaut incline— the Pooagi aud Bombay line — has totally collapsed, sacrificing the labor of two years, and half a million of money. As the Syhadree mountains, or Western Ghauts, run parallel to the line of sea coast,, they cut off Bombay and other ports from, the interior of the country. Across these mountains, by a series of tunnels, viaducts, and gradients, some as steep as one in thirty-seven — the most magnificent, railway works in the world — goes the south-eastern line of the G.I.P. Railway. This Bhore Ghaut incline is 15 miles and 68 chains in length ; the level of its base is 196 feet above highwater mark in Bombay, and of its summit 2027 feet, so that the total elevation surmounted by the incline is 1831 feet, at an average gradient of one in forty-eight. Thif work consists of twenty-six tunnels (the total length of which is 3985 yards), and of eight gigantic viaducts, besides numerous extensive cuttings. The viaduct which has collapsed is that which crossed the Mhow-ke-Mvllee KMnd, between Wonee and Thakoorwada, and was thus the most important on the ghaut, connecting as it did the upper and lower ranges of hills. It was also the most extensive on the line, consisting of eight semicircular, arches of fifty feet span, and 139 feet above the surface of the ground; So far as the actual works were concerned, however, this" does not show their real height, because it was necessary to excavate to a depth of

twenfcy-feet before, a sufficiently solid foundation could be obtained. The viaduct was thus 163 feet high above footing,, and it was. built on a considerable cm-ve. It had been known to be at least superficially unsound for several years, cracks having been visible in two of the piers. Whether these ctacKs had been becoming large,, or whether others had been making their appearance elsewheie, we are unable to say ;' but, at any rate, some fears seem lately to have been entertained regarding the stability of the fabric, for a special examination of the viaduct' in question was made /three days before it fell. Ib did not. seem to them that there was any special cause for increased alarm, as the piers did not appear to be more extensively or fatally cracked than they had for years. This is the most unsatisfactory feature of the whole, tending, as it does, to ci - eate a want of confidence in the judgment of even the most experienced engineers. The cause of the fall of the viaduct is undoubtedly to be found in its faulty construction. Sound and substantial as the masonry may have seemed outside, any attempt at inspection when the work was proceeding must have shown the merest tyro in building that the inside masonry was disgracefully insufficient. The lime and water, too, used by the con-fcractoi-s must have been very inferior, probably owing to the terrible .scarcity of water at the time. So scanty was the supply, that there was not even sufficient to Supply the wants of the 24,000 0r25,000 men employed on the works, and who were decimated by cholera in consequence. The mortar' aud the stones being too dry, no care in buil-Jing could bind the courses of masonry together, hence the cracks and downfall of the whole. Though this accident was attended with no loss of life, the escape of two passenger trains ■was as astonishing as it is gratifying — one, which was ascending the ghaut, having been stopped just irAtime to prevent its being precipitated*, in to the ravine ; and another, descending the ghaut, having been apprised of the danger at the station immediately beyond it, and thus prevented from getting on the incline, when escape would have been extremely difficult, if nob, under the circumstances, absolutely impassible. The work of clearing away the ruins aud rebuilding the viaduct will occupy at least a twelvemonth, and meanwhile the traffic for about six miles must revert to the old route via Campoolee, crossing the ghaut in bullock-carts. The utter destruction of this great viaduct can only be regarded as a great public calamity for Bombay and the Deccan.