THE ROTORUA ACCIDENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8882, 6 August 1907, Page 2

THE ROTORUA ACCIDENT.

Press Association. Auckland, August 5. A jury was empanelled this morning for an inquest on the guard who lost his life in the Botorua Hallway accident, but before taking evidence they proceeded to ; the scene of disaster. Tho grade down | which the train ran is for tho most part i one in thirty-live. At Roll’s siding where 1 the metals wore left there is an S curve. Tho train rushed down the hill passing Ngatira. at over seventy miles an hour, still gathering speed. After passing Ngatira, the first dangerous curve was negotiated safely, and Guard Lowe exclaimed ; “If wo get round the next curve, wo are right.” But it was not to lie. The van and trucks left the lino 1 with a sickening rush, and tho guard’s van was stood right up. Tho four men in tho van suffered most, and Guard TjOwo only lived a few minutes. Dr Engloborger, of Matamata, attended to the injuries of the men.

Farther Details. IvOTonuA, August 5. Further particulars show that the accident happened at the forty-eighth niilo peg, two miles from the water tank between Ngatira and Avihiwi. The train consisted of two engines, two guard's vans, a passenger carriage and twenty-eight trucks. When ascending the hill the second engine appeared to be dragging and the train was pulled up. Taylor, driver of the first engine, uncoupled the guard’s van which was next to the second engine, previously applying the brakes to several of the trucks as well as to the van. The first engine then steamed ahead slightly drawing the second behind it with a view of

ascertaining the defect. The driver of Ilia second engine then noticed the trucks and vans moving, and the whistle was blown, “ put on brakes.” The engines immediately followed after the trucks but failed to keep pace with them, A distance of six and a-quarter miles was covered before the trucks left the line, which was at a sharp curve. The guard’s van at the roar shot clean over the bank, and fell on its side. Lowe, the guard, was killed, bis forehead being smashed in ami his head badly battered. A largo truck stood on end above the passenger carriage, which was half buried in the ground, only sufficient space being available for the. passengers to crawl from under the roof, which kept intact and thus saved their lives. The coal trucks and other trucks containing lime and hay and several cattle trucks wore all piled one on top of the .other and some broken to splinters. The guard’s van, which was next the engine, foil on its side. Forty-live cattle were lulled and thirty-seven saved. Thp coal and hay took lire. Between Putaruru and Mamaku there is a rise of twelve hundred foot, and the accident took place at a steep grade about halfway between the two places. Thu whole of the rolling stock was smashed to nieces.

The three men injured are doing fairly well. Kingdou is now partly conscious but rambles in his speech. A gang of men are at work on the wreckage and a considerable quantity of hay has been saved.

There is no explanation so far why the brakes failed to act. Passengers assort that the brakes wore ippliod and that the guards wore perfectly cool. They also say that the trucks attained a speed- of eighty miles an hour. Very little damage was done to the lino and tho goods and express tram passed through all right to-day. The passengers who wore on board are merely suffering from nervous shock. Tho damage is estimated at about .£o,ooo. It is estimated that tho train weighed about 230 tons, and all these trucks broke away and went over the embankment.

SURVIVOR S’ NARRATIVES. Charles Henry Tyor, porter, stationed at Mamuka, who is now at the Sanatorium accident ward, badly out and shaken, but not seriously hurt, says:— “ When wo got to tho top of the hill past Ngatiia tho engines, I believe, were uncoupled and wont on to tho tanks to get watsr. All of a sudden we heard tho engines whistle for brakes, and the train began to move backwards. All tho brakes were applied promptly. Kingdou and Guard Loire shoved all the brakes on hard, but there was no effect. We must have passed Ngatira at tho into of eighty miles an hour.’ All tiro men were perfectly cool, and poor Lowo said as we swung round one bend : ‘One more bend —if wo get over that we will be all right.’ Yvhnt happened next I hardly know. Lowe lingered for about a quarter of an hoar.”

James Thomas Dwyer, who was badly out about the head, and had an arm broken, said they left Putaruru at about ten minutes past seven, arriving at Ngatira all right. Tho train climbed the last portion of the hill to the tanks. “ None of the traffic men uncoupled the engines when wo wont forward to take in water. This I am positive of. The engines whistled for brakes, and the train started to come back. Tho brakes wer put hard on. Lowo shoved on tho brakes and called to me to do tho same. There was no confusion, and everyone was cool. It was a terrible ride.”

, Kingdom the ganger, had not recovered consciousness up to noon to-day. Tiio body of Guard I,owe is at present in the morgue at the Sanatorium, The deceased was a popular msai of fine soldierly appearance, and a good officer to the department. Ho was single. Dr Eaglobcrgcr and 11.I 1 . Drouigool woro in the carriage next the guard’s van. They heard the train stop to take in water. Both were lying down sleeping when the caniago smashed into the guard’s yarn a few minutes later. The carriage was splintered to pieces. Mr Dnuugool rolled down the embankment and was not much hurt. The doctor said, “I’m all right,” and though covered in splinters lie received no injury, and attended 1° the other Messrs Me Commons and Purser, who arc at the Grand Hotel, are very sore.

“THEN CAME THE SMASH.” Mr Purser says ;—“I’ll never forgot that ride as long as I live. That ten minutes was like a whole lifetime. All the forgotten passages in my history cams up in front of me. The acting guard came along, and wo asked him what was tho matter —wore wc uncoupled ? Ho did not reply, but simply put on the brakes for all lie was worth. • The men on the train did their duty without doubt. Mr McCommons and I gripped the side of tto car and held on. Then camo tho smash, and the nest thing I remember was being’pulled out by Mr McCommons,”

Mr Willis McCommons, who was pretty badly shaken, says:—“lt was a dreadful

experience. The guard was a fine chap, indeed. It was only at Putaruru I was chaffing him, and asked him how long would we bo getting to llotorna. Ho said about half-past niuo. I said I will juiiip out and walk if you don’t go faster. When wo stopped later on, 1 hoard Hip engines’ whistles. We were in a firstclass carriage at tho time. I knew by the whistles that thoro was something wrong, and thought to myself ‘ we’re not hitched up. ? I knew- tho whistles njeanjj to apply the brakes, and that we v.c. o going backwards. I wanted to jump out but my friend would not let use. I could have easily jumped out then—tho train was only going four miles an hour. Then wo wont right into the second-class carriage and braced ourselves for the smash. The next ten minutes wore awful. When the train took her last plunge the partition I was against went through. I took it with my right shoulder and left eye pretty hard. Then I struck the land, got "up nn’d pulled my friend out of "tho sido of the carriage.”.—N.Z. Times.