THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 15 September 1880, Page 2

THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

(by telegraph.) Featherston, September 14. The coroner's inquiry was continued today. John Richardson, pointsman at-Cross Creek, sworn, said : I saw and spoke to the driver aud stoker of the Fell engine before they went up with the train. They were both perfectly sober. I saw the guard ; he was sober also. I saw the incline guard immediately after the accident. I returned to Cross Creek with the incline brake for assistance about five minutes to 10. When I arrived, I saw the driver and stoker. About an hour afterwards they were all three perfectly sober. There was no direct communication with Wellington except through Featherston. I sent a message to Wellington about the accident about five or ten minutes after 10 through Featherston. Mr. Ashcroft said : I felt keenly on the subject, as charges had been made against officers of the department, and where dirt is thrown some might stick. I could, if the jury wished, produce evidence of the sobriety of the men, and their soberness on this occasion. The jury said they were perfectly satisfied that there was no foundation for the charge. George Ross, foreman in charge at Cross Creek, corroborated Richardson's evidence as to the sobriety of the men in charge of the train up the incline. He said : I never saw them otherwise in public or private. They are sober, steady men, who, all three, bear first-olass characters. When the incline breaksman came down, I went up the inoline with ;issistance seventeen minutes after, with ail necessaries to assist the wounded. When I arrived, I found the officers of the train, and all able to move about, doing all they could. Assistance from Wellington did not arrive until 2.30. My present instructions were to take every precaution by all means in my power against accident. I believe a scheme is now being devised by my superior for vention of similar accidents in future. I am at liberty to use an extra eugine when I see tit. I have been five or six years on New Zealand railways, and two years in Australia. I know of no such line in the world as the incline, and can suggest no protective works. Henry Osborne,, guard of the 8.3.0 a.m. tpin, (ro,m Qreyto.wn on the Hth, sworn, said ; All was in good order when we left Cross Creek. I noticed stones blown against the carriages when neay Siberia. I felt my van leaving the rails, and going I did not know.where,- As soon as the van was still, I got out, and saw the whole train in front of the engine lying down the embankment. The first carriages were smashed aud bottom upwards, the second carriage on its side, and my van nearly so, all lying at right angles to the line. I looked in the second carriage, and asked if the passengers were much hurt. I was told one child was' dead. I said, u Keep quiet; I have sent for assistance." Binney then called out, " I jirq going to Cross Creeli for assistance.'' I saw the two Pharazyn children, and thought they were both dead. I then saw the two boys Nicholas, and took one, still to the bottom and put hiffi shelter. J" went baf,!: and got a rop'e attached to the rail. I let it down, and' told the passengers to get out and pull themselves up by the rope. By this time assistance had arrived from Qross Creek. I helped the injured •passengers up, passed them along the embankment .to a sheltered place in the tunnel, and asked them whether they would go on to Wellington. I then put the Featherston and Greytown passengers into the covered van, and sent them away about 11.50. The dead bodies were sent with the same train for Welling' ton,.which left at 12.50 and got Wellington at 3.52- We \yere delayed at the waiting for the signal " line clear," there being no direct communica-tion-between the summit and Kaitokij*but through Cross Creek and Featherston. At last I was instructed at Cross Qreek to use my.own discretion and start, giving the. driver, instructions to use great care and to blow the whistle frequently in case the special with the doctors should come along. We met the special at Kaitoki, and the doctors dressed the wounds of the injured passengers. • In answer to questions put, witnega further said : The four children were in the smoking compartment by theraqelyea, as there was. qo room in the others, When Binriey started for Cross Creek for assistance I noticed that the two vans betw.een the brake and the engine were upright on the line. . When I oame up the embankment afterVatteip-dipg .the wounded I saw them on their; sides, but I did not see t them; go oyer. I examined the line after getting the passengers up, and'Tnotjcedvoothing wrong'with-th'e permanent way; and there were no marks of carriages running along the road after leaving the rails.

I believe the train went bodily round. I heard but little crushing until the carriages were down the bank. It seemed to be all done instantly. I think all the carriages left the rails together. I have; travelled on the incline daily for about 18 months, and have felt heavy gusts on former occasions, but never thought them hard enough to blow the train oft". I never noticed there or elsewhere the wind so violent as on this occasion. The wind j was unusually violent on the incline all day. It was gusty, but not unusually so when we left Featherston. I believe the wind capsized the train. I can give no ; other reason, as the wheels and rails bear no marks of injury. I think the wind j lifted the first carriage completely off the ; line. The roof of a covered -van was blown oft' on the plains at Featherston about 12 months ago. George Bartlett, driver of the Fell engine, sworn, corroborated Osborne's evidence. Replying to questions, he said : I believe the gust was the cause of the accident, I have been the incline driver during 18 mouths, and I have not experienced such heavy wind there before. I examined the rails of the permanent way after the'accident, and they were not the least damaged. There was no truth in the suggestion that myself, the fireman, and the guard had taken any drink that day. Ido not think any of the men were teetotalers, but they were not in the habit of taking drink on duty. Michael Binney, incline breaksman, said : I acted in that capacity on the morning train from Cross Creek on Saturday last. All was in good order when we left. I first felt the gust of wind strike the van when near the second tunnel. I then felt the train stop. I opened the door and looked out, and saw the carriages hanging down the embankment suspended by the couplings from the engine. I put the van breaks on, and got out and went to the engine to see the driver. He said, "Go back for assistance." The driver helped me to uncouple my van. I went to the creek for assistance, and informed Forman Ross what had occurred. I got all requisite bandages, etc., and went back with him and others. When I left the train, the goods van between my break and the engine was standing on the rails, and when I got back it was lying over on its side. I and those with me used our best endeavors to assist the injured passengers. I had no warning of -the accident. 1 never felt the wind so strong there before. I have been at work on the incline before and after the opening, nearly four years, and I have felt it blow, but not nearly so hard as no this occasion. R. C. Black, telegraphist, was then examined as to the delay reported by the guard Osborne, in forwarding telegrams through Featherston, and showed conclusively that the delay did not occur in the Featherston office. George Ashcroft, district engineer, deposed : I received a telegram about the accident at half-past 10, when near the rail way station, Wellington. I instructed the porter who handed me the telegram to tell the foreman at the engine shed to get steam up in an engine. I sent the other porters for doctors, blankets, &c. I met the Commissioner of Railways, and asked him to wait until the doctors came, and then to come on by special train to Petone, I going on by the ordinary train just starting. I could not get the line clear from the summit. The telegraphist there told me that the men were fighting for the wire. I told him to hold his key down and repeat " D.R." signifying danger, which gave me right to precedence on the line on all occasions. About 1.40 I got a telegram through lo Featherston from the summit, telling me not to come on, as the ordinary train had left the summit with the wounded. When the train arrived the doctors attended the wounded, and I instructed the guard, when they had finished, to go on to Wellington. I waited a short time, and took Drs. Diver and Kestiwen on with me, Drs. Tripe and Gillon returning to Wellington with the injured passengers. On arriving near the scene of the accident, it was blowing so violently that I stopped, and walked with considerable difficulty along the embankment, having frequently to drop down and hold on by the central rail, the workmen with me having to do the same. Replying to questions, witness said : I . am sure the overturning of the train was j owing to the sudden and unusually I heavy gust of wind. I saw the rails gauged ; they were in good order after the accident. I have had over 20. years' experience of railways in France, Belgium, and Egypt on railways resembling the incline. There was one over Mont Cenis, but it was a much slighter constructed one. No precautions were taken against wind there. I Hover heard of a railway where it was necessary to take | special precautions against wind. To thg Foreman : I have no doubt that two engines would add to the safety of the train, but would not say that would secure absolute safety against such a wind as that was, and there are somo perils of their own attached to this course. Wooden sheds, if strong enough, would be protection. Mr. Bunny drew attention to an article appearing in the Wairarapa paper to-day, saying that, the officials at Cross Creek always expected an accident on the incline. Mr, Ashcroft denies that any one had spoken to him on the subject, as would have been their duty, and does not think I the report has any foundation.

THE VERDICT. Featherston, Sept. 15. The verdict of the jury is—" That, after a full consideration of the evidence brought before them 3 the jury decide that the deaths of Ida pharazyn and Francis John Nicholas were purely accidental, and caused by the carriage being blown off the I line down the embankment on the Rimutaka incline ; and that, in the opinion of the jury, no blame is attachable to anyone." The following riders were added to the verdioi; :— <{ 1. That in the opinion of : the jury the Government should take ! immediate action, by the construction of 1 wind sheds or other protective means, to protept, as far as possible, the recurrence of similar accidents on the dangerous parts of the incline, and that direct tele.graphio communication be at once established between the summit and Kaitoki. 2. That the gravest censure be passed on the witness Quinn for the statements he made without any corroborative evidence that' the driver and stoker were in possession of a bottlo of brandy before the accident, that they were hands, and that the carriages were Hot properly coupled, especially as the evidence shows that the driver and the stoker were perfectly sober, and instead of being new hands, had been engaged working these engines on the incline for the last 18 months, and that on the occurrence of the accident the railway authorities and their rendered every, possible assistance in their power j and the jury are of opinion, from the evidence adduced, that the management of the line is most efficient."