THE SYDNEY RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 36, 18 February 1901, Page 3

THE SYDNEY RAILWAY ACCIDENT

<{Bi Electric Telegraph —Coptright.)

many killed and injured.

[PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Received 16, 1.30 a.m.) Sydney, February 15. There wes much {excitement and ■any pathetic incidents in tbe city. Heavy rain set in shortly after the accident, and the night being dark considerably impsded the rescue operations.

The railway authorities are unable to account for the accident. Several trait;s passed oyer the Übo shortly before the accident.

The following are amcngst those injured Matthew Dojle, F. Jock*), Charles Beverley, 0. Spacer, F. Rolfe, R. W. Wildsmith, 0 Lake, J. Cunningham, 0. Tiller, J. Nicholson, J. B«kaa«de, F. Pollard, S. Go-dall, A Beattie, i F. Griffiths, D. McMillan, F. Clarke,' A. Gelding, J. Dillon, Taylor, E. Cbap-1 man, G. Mort, P. Bray, and L. Rear- j don.

Ready handa gaTe willing afsistance and soon axes were at work catting up the carriage.

Tbe driver shut off steam to prevent an explosion, and all fears of fire occurring were fortunately soon at aa end,

TURTHEB DETAILS, Received 16, 9.10 a.m. Sydnky, February 16. The accident occurred on a straight track. The train was crowded, chiefly with workmen and clerkg returning home from work.

The cause of derailment is still a mystery. The theory ef a leading railway official is that the brake was suddenly applied as the train passed the Spot,

Eye witnesses state that the engine tore along on the ballasting for 50 yards when it suddenly swe; ved down the embankment and rolled completely over. The couplings connecting the engine with the train snapped. The first ear coming on with terrific momentum mounted and crashed clean over the staggering engine, sweeping off its dome and funnel, and landing on its tide fifty feet further on.

The eßgine, after t?ppling over, swung right round, crashed through the fence, and stood up on its wheels just where the street crosses the line.

The first car was complitely wrecked. Help was immediately forthcoming from a hundred sources. The line runs close alongside the dwellings of residents, the crashing and grinding of the shock gave warning of the disaster.

The work of reacna was a difficult one. As the wounde'l were "x'mVetl they were carried av.ay to the hospital, but the carriage was so smashed and its t-'mbers so iottrjoined that it was a & laborious task to get some of the bodies free.

Some of the bodies were mutilated, Many of the passengers were helpless with broken limbs.

Fortunately there were few or to women aboard the train.

One of the first pi' k*d up was Fire-' man King, a mere ymrh, uho w.i - lying clear of tbe wreckage. He had. apparently b°en thrown out of the engine when it first fell over. He uvs | quite dead. Driver Doyle was found c'ose to the engine, bad'y hnrr. | AN BYE WITNESS'S ACCOUNT. | Received 16, 9 44 a.ta Sydney, February 16. I A. gentleman residing close to the ] scene of the accident givs a graphic description. He was out j

of his window and saw the train appraachiog at a rapid re Su ldeoly the engino jumped oli mo rails, and ploughing along>id t th«lini gridually worked to the tdga of the einhnnkment, and rolled over tiro or three ti ma', falling with a fremenduous thud to th« side street below. Bhe joUed the first cars with her, but a tremendous jilt esuted the couplings to part, the whole of *tke passenger !ad<>n carnages would have been telescoped Whan tbe train stopped ont pour-d the affrighted prssengers, and hundreds instently sett) wo k to render to tbe injured, whose grams and diss Were heartrending. One man who was riding on the foot of tha wie ked car was B»nt flying 'own ths (munkment and jumped on his feet. !I« was little the worse for hi j pxpTienc-i. Received IS, 2 49 p.m.

Sydney, February 1G The remain ng victims of th.i accident have bfen identified as J<>liu Jameson Morrison, engineer, Now South Wales Railways ; Herbert HeDry Darnley, stnreman, r.'sid'ng in thu suburbs, aod a you-.h, Wil'inm Mortname. The boy whose name was previously given as Teek3 is now st ''ei j to he Albe-t Wadewi, and the eigh r h ' victim is Ohar'es Things Spenee, n young unmarried man, who died tiiis saorniog. Received 17. 5.14 p.m. Sydney, I'Vi.imuy 17. Iha inquest on the railway accident was opened and adjourned to the 26th. Jacka 1 , the nit'th victim, is dead.