FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT INVERCARGILL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 834, 16 December 1878, Page 2

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT INVERCARGILL.

(FROM THE DAILY TIMES COKRESPOSTDE^fT.) Ikvercargi ll , December 15. -• At-a quarter, to ,four o'clock, yesterday afternoon ProuSfoot alid C o.'s ballast en - gine, with ten loaded trucks, was run-' ning at the rate of 15 miles an hour between Pukerau and Oteri Stations, 52 miles from Invercargill, when four cows were observed by the engine-driver to be on the line. One of them made an attempt to cross the line, but halted, then faced the engine and ran towards it. The engine-driver at once sliut off steam, but the brute was caught by the cow-catcher and dragged a distance of two chains, when it got wedged between the sleepers and the bottom of the cow-catcher, and lifted the engine off the rails. The engine then went about 30 feet, and cap- J sized over a six feet bank into swampy ground. Three of the trucks followed, piling themselves over each other in one heap of debris. Mr. Proudfoot's carpenter, a young man named John Mainland, belonging to Clinton, who was returning from his work at Gore, was seated on the ballast in the first truck. When tlie wreck was examined he was found with, liis body under the first truck, which was turned upside down, and his legs protuding.. The poor fellow must have been instantaneously killed. John Hough, the engine-driver was carried down with the engine. How lie escaped he cannot tell. His face was severely scalded by steam, and he received a nasty shaking, but no bones were broken. Peter Oliver Webb, the stoker, had a most miraculous escape. When the engine went over the embankment he was thrown off backwards, and then dragged and buried amongst the rubbish. After becoming conscious, he discovered himself doubled up with his head between his legs. By a little effort he found that the gravel gave way from his feet, when he got some fresh air and managed to crawl out from between the first truck and the cow-catcher. Some of the linesmen at once commenced to operate on the pile of debris, with the object of getting out the dead body. These men were shortly after assisted by a gang of men brought by train from Gore. Nearly two chains of the plates were displaced and twisted into all kinds of forms. The passengers by the through train from Duncdin were transferred to a carriage and brought on by the Gore engine, and reached Invercargill. two hours late. The general opinion is that such accidents can never be rendered impossible until the line is fenced.