COACH ACCIDENTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 520, 18 May 1869, Page 2

COACH ACCIDENTS.

Two serious accidents occurred on Satur day to Cobb and Co.'s coaches, running between Greyiuoutlu and Hokitika, and Chmtchurch and Hokitika, in both <f which happily ho lives were lost. In the case of the Greymoutk coacfy it left town at 7 a.m., with a number of passengers to join theTaiarua, at Hokitika, and arrived at : the Teremakau safely. The heavy rains which continued to fall during the day and the previous night had considerably swollen all the creeks and rivers, which were rising rapidly, and some difl - culty was experienced in crossing tie Teremakau, where the coach; toHokitika was joined. It had proceeded as far as the Waimea Creeks which Nyas found to be so swollen and running so swiftly that a consultation was held as to whether a crossing should be attempted. While this was taking place, Mr Cullen, storekeeper at the Greenstone, rode up to the opposite bank, and from him we gather the details of what afterwards happened. Mr Smith, the driver, put the horses to the stream, and they had not gone far when the leaders sank in a quicksand, and were seen to roll , over several times. They were then j carried away by the current and dragged the other horses, coach, and passengers with them out to the surf, where, providentially, one of the horses got foul of a wheel of the coach, and put a stop to its drifting seaward. To save this horse which had fallen from being drowned, Mr Smith, jumped off and endeavored to cut the traces, but while so engaged he was carried some distance out into the surf I and became embedded in the quicksand, I struggling hard and holding one hand 1 above water. Mr Oulleu rode into the surf some distance, but could not reach Smith, as the stream from the creek was running too swift. He then returned to the hotel kept by Mr Wm. O'Donnell at the Waimea Creek, and procured a piece of rope, but, on riding back and throwing it to Smith, found it was too short; Mr O'Donnell, who had. accoinpauied him, got, on Cullen's horsej rode>. back to his

hotel, got another piece of rope, returned with it, and proceeded into the surf, still on Cullen's horse, where Smith was still seen. Cullen ventured in on foot with the rope tied to the horse and round hia waist, and managod to lay hold of Smith and dragged him ashore, after having been in the water twenty minutes. He was then quite insensible, but .„ restoratives were speedily- applied, "which had the effect of bringing hiiu to consciousness. Meantime the passengers had remained in the coach, close.to the surf, making every preparation for the worst by taking off their boots and superfluous clothing. Mr ;M'Ciae was about tv leap out, but was warned not to do so. ,, Mr Daniel Collins a miner, had by this time "arrived on the scene, and with the others rendered every possible assistance. Mr Cullen rode out and managed to throw the rope over the coach. ItwascaughtbyMrM'Crae who fastened it round his body and' was' thus dragged ashore. In dragging ashore a young lad named Browne, he was nearly carried off tosea, as he hadnot the strength to hold on to the rope while being hauled through the stream of the creek; and waa saved by Mr CuUen catching hold of him by the leg, and thus bringing him ashore. Mr Nancarrow came ashore last. The passengers were then taken to Mr O'Donnell's public-house, where they were treated with every kindness and consideration, and afterwards proceeded to Hokitika. On the following day the coach waa got out, the mails were saved, but one of the horses was drowned. -Messrs Cullen O'Donnell, and Collins have been publicly thanked, as they certainly deserve to be, by the passengers for the bralerythey displayed on the occasion. The other accident to which we referred is thus related by the W. O. Tikes -.— The Christchurch coach left on Friday at six a.m., and the Waimakariri was reached without meeting with anraccident. At this place the river was found to be very high, and the conveyance /was detained until Sunday morning. Haying passed that river, the coach caiue on to the Arahura without mishap. ' Found the Arahura very high, and, when : the 'coach had nearly crossed, it was upset by the force of the stream. The body became detached as it turned over. The driver meanwhile, stuck to Ihe reina of the horses, and with them and , a, portion of the vehicle was carried about 200 yards down the river, when he could hold on no longer, and was obliged to let go the reinp. By some means he got on to a; shoatbank' where he remained until releasedffroni his dangerous position by a boat which came to his assistance. There were two passengers in the coach, Mr Lee, the Revising Officer, and Mr Collins, formerly of the Auld Reekie Hotel. When the coach capsized, Mr Lee tried to grasp a tree • but, not succeeding, was carried down the river about twenty yards, when lie waa fortunate in reaching shoal-water, iaM was. rescued by the boat, Mr Collins, who .was insid^Jie^coadKonfinding It turningover, scrambleTlfirouglr the opeoiisg j» the side, and sprang towards, the bank, but not succeeding in reaching it was also carried down the river, about sixty yards, and there managed to get hold of the bank, getting safely on shore. One of the horses (the. off pole) was drowfiea, the other three getting safely ashoife.i Mr Stobie was found to be, when landed, in. an exhausted state, and much hurt. " The others were also severely shaken, and thoroughly drenched with water. The latter portion of the mails were brought into town last night, and the other portion was expected to arrive during the night. The passengers, as soon as they had-suffi-ciently recovered, walked into towtt.-. We may mention that Mr Mitchell, the general manager, on hearing of the circumstances, rode" out to the. scene of the accident in order that every means might be taken for the recovery of the mails and other property.