ACCIDENT AT THE BROTHERS LIGHTHOUSE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5377, 21 June 1878, Page 6

ACCIDENT AT THE BROTHERS LIGHTHOUSE.

A very distressing accident occurred at The Brothers lighthouse, in Cook Strait, early on Friday, June 7th. One of the keepers, named McGowan, who was on watch, was descending the stair on the bottom storey, when he slipped and feel to the floor, striking his right thigh against the handrail. The blow broke the limb in the place where it had been fractured in August last, and it would appear that the bone, although set, had never become thoroughly strong. McGowan was placed in a most painful and critical position, for he was suffering intense pain, and coaid not communicate with the other keepers, who were asleep in the dwelling-house, unless he climbed two sets of stairs or • ladders and reached the mouthpiece of the whistle by which signals are sent through a tube backwards and forwards. To crawl up the stairs with a broken thigh was a serious thing to attempt ; but if this were not done the unfortunate man might have to remain several hours unassisted, for the keeper who had to take the next watch would not b,e called. McGowan knowing that the machinery required winding up every forty minutes, and that the flash of the light would shortly cease

if some one did not come to raise the weight which moves the clockwork, resolved to try to climb np. With great difficulty he reached the first floor, when he fainted, and, after recovering consciousness he dragged himself up the other Stair, and at length gained the signal tube. His comrades were at once aroused, and soon came to his aid. After ha was removed to the dwelling, Mr. Nelson, the chief keeper, set the leg as well as he could, and McGowan on Tuesday seemed to think that It had been well done. However, naturally enough, he was anxious that a surgeon should visit him in order to see that all was right, and he was disposed to prefer remaining on the island to being removed to Wellington, as ho feared the journey. Nothing was known to the officers of the department abont the accident until the s.s. Stella arrived off the island on Tuesday with stores, and it is probable that a doctor will bo sent out without delay to see McGowan. He has been moat unfortunate at The Brothers, tor in August, only four hours after he had landed, the truck on which ha was going down the tramway was allowed to run down the incline, which is very steep, the result being that McGowan broke his thigh. Hu was unable to return to his post until the 21st May, and had been only a few days on duty when he met with the second injury. Mr. McGowan, was brought to Wellington by the Stella on the following Wednesday. A stretcher was placed on the companion, and so strapped down to it as to prevent as much as possible the sufferer from being shaken, and every kindness and attention was shown to him on the passage up. Dr. Johnston went on board immediately after the arrival of the steamer, and after some little delay Mr. McGowan was removed to the Hospital, where he now lies under treatment.