RAILWAY ACCIDENT. TRAIN OFF THE LINE NEAR PUKEKOHE. PASSENGERS INJURED AND TRUCKS AND CARRIAGES DAMAGED.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 51, 24 May 1884, Page 3

RAILWAY ACCIDENT. TRAIN OFF THE LINE NEAR PUKEKOHE. PASSENGERS INJURED AND TRUCKS AND CARRIAGES DAMAGED.

From tlio Auckland " Star," May lfl. An accident of a rather serious nature happened on the Waikato railway line on Saturday morning. When within a mile of the Pukekohe station, the goods train was thrown off the line by a cow. Extensive damage was done to the engine and trucks, while some of the passengers were injured. Fatal consequences were fortunately averted, but the escape was a very narrow one. The train to which tho acci dent happened was the goods train, which left Auckland for the Waikato at G. 20 a.m. It consisted of no loss than twenty-nine trucks, two carriages, and a guard's van, the whole being drawn byoneof the largo engines: recently imported. Tho engine-driver was Mr Koot, tho fireman Mr Kobinson, and the guard Mr J . Stewart. Amongst the passengers wore Mr E. Hornsby (Laurie and Hornsby), Mr J. Fisher (manager of the Frozen Meat Company), and a Mr Gray. About two hours after leaving Auckland, tho train was in the vicinity of tho bridge, about a railo from the I'ukekohe station. Whon the ongino rounded the sharp curve, it was seen that there was a cow on the bridge, and beforo speed could be perceptibly checked a

Violent Collision took Place. The cow M-as cut to pieces by the ongino, but the sudden stoppage had the effect of throw ing the locomotive off the rails, and it rolled into the swamp beneath, dragging with it three or four of the trucks. Several trucks also went oft' on the other side. The carriages still remained on the line, but as might naturally have been expected, theshock was very severely felt by the occupants Messrs Fisher and Hornsby rose simultaneously to see what was the matter, when the shattered glass from the windows struck them on tho faces and disfigured their visages with slight cuts. Mr Gray who it may be mentioned, is not the well-known salesman employed by Messrs T. and S. Morrin and Co., was thrown some distance from the platform on which he had beon standing to the ground on the oppo&itc side from the swamp, and fortunately, for him, sustained no more serious injury than a lacerated hand. The train hands all had most miraculous escapes. Keet, the engine-driver, jumped on to the land side, and thus escaped immersion in the swamp. His head struck some hard substance in falling, and ho was stunned for a short time, but has now recovered from the effects. Robinson, the fireman, was precipitated into the swamp, and partially sank in the soft mud. There was just a possibility that he might have been smothered or drowned, but he was extricated with some difficulty. His escape w as a very narrow one, considering the rissk he incurred of being buried under the locomotive. The spectacle presented immediately after the occurrence was that of a complete wreck. The bridge was covered with "blood, and meat, and hair;" rails were torn up ; splintered carriages on each side of the embankment; while the scene was rendered more effective by the appearance of several woebegone-looking individuals covered with slimy mud, and others whose bleeding faces justified them in concluding that they had sustained injuries of a painful and serious character.

Inspection of the Damage. When the unfortunate passengers and oltieials had reassured themselves concerning the soundness of their own limbs and the trifling character of their injuries, they proceeded to examine the extent of the damage. It was found that several rails had been torn up, the bridge wan seriously damaged, trucks were lying on either side of the lino, A\hilo the locomotive had disappeared from view under the mud in the swamp. The passengers proceeded on to the Pukekohe station on foot, and information of the occurrence was forwarded to the General Manager in town. Assistance uas sent up without delay, and the line was cleared and placed in order for traffic again yesterday. Passengers by the up and down Waikato trains were transferred at the sceno of the catastrophe, and forwarded on to their respective destination.

Statement by a Passenger.. Mr E. Uornsby, one of the passengers, having returned to town, was interviewed to-day by one of our reporters, and courteously supplied the following particulars respecting the occurrence : — He says— The only occupants of the carriage in which I was were Mr Fisher and myself. A young man named Gray, not Messrs Morrins' salesman of that name, was on the platform. When the locomotive was crossing the bridge, we felt a slight bump, and naturally rose up and proceeded to look out to ascertain the cause. Immediately we got our faces to the window, there was a violent concussion, and the glass Avent smash. The consequence was our faces were scratched with the fragments of glass. We got out.and found the greater portion of the train off the line, although the passenger carriages were still on the rails. The engine and tender and some of the trucks had gone to the lefthand side, and while the trucks lay on the side of the embankment, the engine was completely buried in the swamp, and the tender partly immersed in it. The depth of the embankment coald not have been more than about fifteen feet. Several trucks were also on the right hand side of the line, having been forced off there by the shock. The remainder of the trucks, the carriages, and the van remained on the line. Some rails were torn up, and the bridge and several trucks were splintered. No serious injury was sustained by anyone on the train. My impression respecting the accident itself is that the cow was caught by the catcher, because we felt a slight bump or conussion before the shock. I suppose the catcher carried the animal a few yards, and that its legs were then caught between the gratings of the baidg-e, "which are used to keep the cattle off. This obstacle prevented the further progress of the train, and the sudden stoppage threw the 'engine off the line. The cow was cut into shreds, not a piece as big as your hat being left. There were portions on the bridge, engine, wheels, and in the creek.

The Damage.— Fencing the Line. It might appear upon first thoughts that the loss to the department will not be very serious, but reflection will show that it cannot face far short of £1,000. The locomotive was worth something like £3,000, and it now lies buried in the swamp. Besides this, there will be the expense of clearing the line, the cost of repairs to trucks, carriages, and the line itself, not to mention the loss and inconvenience to which consignees and shippers of goods are put. Apart from this, the present accident and another of a similar nature which happened a Bhort time ago have imparted a , sense of insecurity in the minds of the travelling

public, which can only bo removed by tho fencing of tho lino. A " penny wise and pound foolish policy " has, within a few months, resulted in the loss of quite as much money as would havo completed tho neces sary fencing, while human lives have twice been exposed to extreme danger, and have, in fact, been miraculously saved. Wo arc informed on good authority that scores of cattle aro annually killed on this line, and that the loss to settlers has beon so great that many of them havo been compollcd to fence at their own expense in protection of their interests. Now that two of the Cabinet Ministers are in Auckland, it is to bo hoped that the attention so forcibly drawn to, Avhat almost appears to be criminal neglect on the part of the authorities, will not be without some eftect.

A Country Settler on the Subject. A country correspondent sonds the following reflections on the accident : — " On Saturday last an accident occurred on the railway which, wore it not for a providon tial circumstance, might have been attended by appalling results. A valuable engine now prostrato in tho swamp a few yards from a bridge, and several waggons lying shattered hero and thoro, of themselves bespeak what might have happonod had the latter been passenger carriages. Query : Why not fence tho lino ? Which is likoly to bo the more economical finally— to fence oft" throughout, or run the perpetual risk for damages for life and limb and valuable property ? Wouldany jury in the country exculpate tho Government or Parliament from wilful and gross negligence if tho cow-catcher should fail to protect human life whilst the precaution of fencing, off is ignored? Unless natural justice is entirely set aside by some wise piece of New Zealand legislation, the verdict undoubtedly would be as in Victoria on a similar occasion— that a Government clinging to a monopoly of railway traflic are committed to the same responsibilities as any other • common carriers ' Human life is perhaps of less account here than beyond our &ea.«. Stupidity only will attach blame to drivers or heads of departments. The defect is in radice. As much has been lost by this last 'unimportant' accident as would probably fence the line from Drury to Mercer, if not much further on. Still more, thocommon sense precaution here suggested might at any moment prevent an emerging loss to the country equal to a sum sufficient to enable Government to increase for several miles from the capital the ridiculous speed now attainable ; give the citizens of Auckland the inestimable advantage of country habitations, and =.'ivc our provincial line from the taunts and .tiL'iited ridicule of visitors from abroad. — 1 am, »S.c., J.A.C., Tuakau."