FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE WELLINGTON RAILWAY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 13 September 1880, Page 2

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE WELLINGTON RAILWAY.

FULLER PARTICULARS.

(by telegraph.) Wellington, September 11. Information was received in town shortly before noon to-day of a most dreadful railway accident on the Welling-tou-Greytown line. The train left Greytown for Wellington at 8.30 this morning, and reached Crosse's Creek without mishap. Here one of the Fell engines was put on to push the train'up the incline. All went well till reaching a point about half way up the incline named Siberia, when it was found that a strong northwest gale was blowing, accompanied by terrific gusts. The two passenger carriages, which are said to have been full of passengers, and also the luggage van, were blown off the line and hurled over a precipice 70 feet in depth. The carriages fell with a fearful crash, but the couplings giving way liberated the falling train, otherwise the engine and break-van must have followed down the embankment. The engine-driver and stoker rendered what assistance they could to the unfortunate passengers, while the guard returned to Crosse's Creek to obtain assistance. From Crosse's Creek a telegram was sent to Wellington informing the stationmaster of the mishap, whereupon the excitement was intense, as it was known that Saturday trains generally were crowded. The telegrams at first were very meagre, only recording the accident and that several were injured. The Minister for Public Works immediately telegraphed for full particulars, but it was not for some two or three hours after that any reliable information came to hand as to the nature of the injuries received by the passengers. The second telegram brought the sad news that the Misses Pharazyn and Nicholls, of Featherston, and Miss Quinn, of Greytown, were killed. Prior to this, JV-Jr, Ashcroft, stationmaster, with commendable promptitude, made arrangements for a special train to proceed to the scene of the disaster. The special left Wellington at noon, taking Dr. Gillon, Diver, Tripe, and Ivestewin. A large number of passengers were severely injured. The names of the injured, so far as yet known, are Messrs. Jackson, W. Mackenzie (dislocation of shoulder), James Gooch (severe scalp wound and injured leg), Hare (serious scalp wound and other injuries), Catherine Phillips, Mesdames Turnbull and Rye, Messrs. P. H. Hickson and Madden, Misses Pharazyn and Nicholls. The special will arrive with the wounded to-night, when full particulars will be obtained.

FURTHER INFORMATION. September 12. The special train returned from the scene of the railway accident }ate last night. It appears that the train left Featherstone as usual yesterday morning, there being two carriages and a van in front of the engine, and two loaded goods waggons and a break-van behind, '.i he train reached half up the Rimutuku incline in safety, but immediately after emerging from a deep cutting a terrific gust caught the first carriage with first and second class passengers, and threw itover an embankmeut. The second carriage followed, and the weight of the two drew the van over. Fortunately the couplings of the carriages and the van held, and thus prevented the train from going to the bottom of the embankment, which is stated to be nearly 200 feet in depth. Immediately the accident was noticed, the break-van in the rear of the train ran down the incline by its own momentum across the creek for assistance. Almost instantaneously after the first carriage left the line its body was carried away from the rest, and literally smashed, the passeng&rs being' thrown to the bottom among the debris. It was at first feared that the whole of the passengers (fifteen in number) were, killed. Assistance being at hand,.the work of rescuing

the passengers commenced. In the second carriage, which had been thrown over on its side, it was found that out of twelve occupants, one lad named Quinn, aged three years, eon of a publican at Greytown, was killed, and it is supposed through suffocation. The other passengers, some • of whom were rather severely injured, were got out of the wrecked carriage as soon as possible and placed in safety. Among those who were thrown from the iirst carriage, Miss Pharazyn, aged«eleven years, daughter of Captain Pharazyn, a well-known station-holder at Featherston, was killed instantaneously, and it is thought, as she bore no marks of injury, her neck was broken. A lad named Nicholas, aged seven years, was also killed, he having the back part of his head torn away, and his brain exposed. The remaining passengers were more or less injured, those not seriously injured doing all in their power to alleviate the sufferings of the others. The injured were removed on to the line, where a train was waiting to bring them on to Kaitaki. About an hour after this, medical assistance from Wellington arrived, and the wounded were attended to, after which, two of the wounded, named Hare and Jackson, and a man name unknown, were sent to Greytown Hospital, their injuries being more serious. The others came on to Wellington. The force of the wind may be imagined when it is said that the two loaded waggons in rear of the engine were subsequently capsized, but fortunately were not thrown over the embankment. The line was cleared again at a late hour last night. Those killed are Miss Pharazyn, aged eleven ; John Quinn, aged three ; Master Nicholas, aged seven. The injured, so far as can bo ascertained, are Mrs. Philips, dislocated wrist and internal injuries; Mesdames Bodge and Quinn, slightly bruised; Miss Pharazyn and Master Nicholas, injured about head, not serious ; Messrs. M'Kenzie (drover), left shoulder dislocated, right hand injured, besides injuries to head ; James Crouch, badly cut head and legs ; Quinn, publican at Greytown, bruised about the body ;'Walter Dunn, who, it is said, has two or three ribs broken ; Madden (blacksmith) bruised about the head; Hare (runholder), Masterton, large wound on forehead, it is feared erysipelas will set in ; Jackson (saddler), Greytown, concussion of the spine and partly paralysed ; man, name unknown, and Donald of Featherston, severely injured about the head ; A. Blakely, clerk, Wellington, contusion about head and hips ; Roddrick, of Featherstone, injured about the head, not seriously ; Mrs. Pye, aged sixty, bruised and shaken, and internally injured ; four of Mrs. Quinn's children slightly injured. The report that the hon. Mr. Rolleston's daughter had been killed by the accident is incorrect, as she was not in the train. An inquest will be held at Featherston to-morrow.

TO-DAY'S NEWS. Wellington, September 13. A man named Bishop, a carpenter, was one of those injured through the railway accident, having an ear cut off and his face badly bruised, A telegram from Grey town this morning states that the injured are progressing as favorably as could be expected. Mr. Lawson, the Commissioner of Railways, held a private enquiry into the accident yesterday for the purpose of submitting the report to the Minister for Public Works. It is understood that Mr. Lawson has issued instructions that when there is any wind at all the trains going up the incline must have an engine in front and one behind. Young Nicholas, who was injured through the train accident, was delirious last night. It is doubtful if he will recover. Mr. Jackson, is still in a critical condition.