THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN TASMANIA.

Kumara Times, Issue 3026, 15 July 1886, Page 2

THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN TASMANIA.

Melbourne, June 22. The first serious accident on the Tasmanian main line of railway occurred on Tuesday night. A large number of visitors proceeded from Hobart on the occasion of the opening of the railway to Pingal, and when returning late at night the accident occurred. The scene was about twenty miles from Hobart, near Brighton. The line is a narrow gauge, and the train was being driven at the dangerous speed of forty miles an hour, going down a grade of 1 in 90, and round a curve of six chains radius. The engine-driver put on brakes but the wheels skidded, and the train jumped clean off the line. The train was completely smashed ; the driver was killed, and the fireman, who was badly injured, died in the hospital next day. Both were sober, but the driver persisted in running at top spped in spite of the warning of the fireman. In the train were Mr Dodds, Attorney-General; Mr Burgess, Treasurer ; Dr. Agnew, M.L.C.; Mr Parker, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ; and Mr Grant, manager of the Main Line Railway Company; several members of the Hobart Council; several Press men, including Mr Nicolls, editor of the Hobart Mercury. Many passengers were hurt moro or less seriously. Mr Dodds was cut about the head, and sustained several contusions. Mr Burgess was bruised and cut, Mr Nicolls severely bruised, and has a rib broken; Alderman Harbottle has several ribs broken; Mr Wise, of the Marine Board, was seriously hmt, being cut on the head and having three ribs and his collar bone broken ; Alderman Crouch had his collar bone broken. The accident created much excitement thioughout Tasmania.