FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 26, 22 May 1876, Page 2

FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

A BOILER BUBST,

We regret to have to record a terrible boiler explosion, which occurred tliis morning at S.lO, at the Junction of the Waia-

relca and Maheno Lilies. The engine belonging to the contractors, Messrs. Morrison unci Cormack, arrived at the scene of the accident" at eight o'clock, and at once Itastiiio attached to the waggons standing on the line. This operation had scarcely been when the engine, from some cause at present unexplained, -blev» r lit). At tlxe time of the accident, the Clerk of 'Works, Mr. Alexander Taylor, v.'as in the act of giving orders to the driver of the engine, and was about to start the train when the explosion took place. Mitchell (the driver), and On* (the stoker), were standing on the engine, with Mr. Taylor alongside. Four or live other persons were also in close proximity t.> the scene of accident. One piece of iron, weighing some CrOlb., was hurled a distance of 2H5 yards, and several other pieces were scattered about in all directions. The safety valve, strange to say, was tied down by a thick piece of rope, the cause of which will. Ave trust, be duly elicited at the oflicial inquiry. The body of the unfortunate Mr. Taylor was carried $ distance of tliirt3 r yards, and when discovered it was found that he had been lifted clean out of hi 3 boots, which were found in close proximity to the engine. , The s^ererg^g^^oncejron^^^

to the Oamaru hospital, and they have received every care and attention at the hands of Doctors Waitt and De Latour. We regret to learn that the recovery of Mitchell is extremely problematical, the internal injuries received by the unfortunate man being of the most severe chafacter. Orr, the stoker, was conveyed to his own home, and at the time of our making inquiries, vras in an unconscious state. Two other men, named Alfred Robinson and William Johnston, were also slightly injured, having received some superficial flesh wounds. At the time of our going to press, one person was reported as killed, and six more or less injured. The excitement attending an accident of this nature renders it very dimcult to obtain anything like a full report, but the facts as stated by us will be found correct. A few seconds previous to the accident, a man living in a canvas tent ! within six yards of the engine was standing alongside the unfortunate deceased (Mr. Taylor), and, at his request, went into the tent to prepare him a cup of tea previously _to the starting of the train. Had it not been for this strange coincidence, this individual would certainly have met the same fate. As it was, a heavy bar of iron was hurled through the canvas of the tent, and passed within a couple of inches of Irs head. This accident demands a must searching public inquiry, and pending the same, we refrain from making further comment. The engine was one formerly used in Duneuin by Mr. Cairns, the contractor for some reclamation work being carried out near the Kail way Station, it was taken out of service there about the beginning of March, and shipped here in the Samson.