A NARROW ESCAPE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1125, 17 August 1882, Page 2

A NARROW ESCAPE.

We “ Waipawa Mail " are continually having to record the killing or maiming of cattle and horses on the railway line, and there appear good reasons for fearing that a terrible accident will happen some day by a train being thrown off the line by animal* straying upon it. The morning train from Woaipawa to Napier, lately ran down and killed a horse by the Te Aute hill, and a more aerloua occurrence still took place, on the same day, in connection with the morning train from Napier to the country districts. A horse got on the line between Clive and Hastings, and ran before the train for some time, straight between the metals, and clearing a cattle stop on the route Ilk* an Antelope, But when tlie train neared th* long bridge a short distance the Napier aid* of Tomoana, tho engine driver waa startled to see tho horse make straight for the bridge, over which it bounded from girder to girder, for a space of 30 yards, at last falling with its legs jammed between the open timbers. Fortunately, the efforts of the driver to stop the train wore successful, but it then beoam* a serious question as to how the hors* waa to be removed from hie position. It was St first decided to kill the animal and drop it into tho river, but an afterthought led to it being got out alive, and, indeed, apparently little injured. The guard of the train got * strong rope, and passed it securely round thfi horse’s chest and withers, and then driver, stoker, guard, and all the male passenger* unitedly, lifted the animal from Ills unwelcome position, and, partly parrying, and partly aupporting the horse, quiet from very fright, against the sides of the bridge, managed to get it to the end and give it a " flying start " into the paddock alongside th* line. Had it been dark when the horse got jammed in the timbers of the bridge, a terri-. ule accident would have probably occurred.