A Terrible Disaster

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 219, 16 March 1914, Page 5

A Terrible Disaster

AN INDESCRIBABLE HORROR MAIL TRAIN CARRIAGES TELESCOPED. MANY KILLED AND INJURED By Cable —Press Association —Copyright Sydney, March 14. There has been a train smash at Exeter, on the southern line, but full details are not available. It is believed that seven were killed and twenty injured. The Temora mail from Sydney crashed into a stationary goods train,, telescoping a passenger car and sleeping car and derailing the engine. The wildest confusion resulted. Relief trains conveying officials and doctors were despatched. Rain and mist obscuring the signals are believed to have caused the collision.

Among the killed are Fred Keezeegogan, of MittagOng; Alice Eva, of Coot.imundra; James Eva, of Parramatta, and two women and one man whose names are unknown, also the mail guard.

LATEST DETAILS. THE DEATFI ROLL INCREASING. SOME OF THE SADDEST SCENES. 1 Received 15, 5.5 p.m. I . SydHey, March 15. Later advices state that confusion still exists in the identification of the killed and injured in the disaster. The latest advices give the corrected list of the killed as follow: Heaver, senr., Arthur Heaver, Alice Heaver, Mail Guard Bray, J. C. Minnis, Mrs. Minn'.s. G. L. Pollard, Airs. Clarke, Fred Kurzrnhagen, Misses Eglington and Shelly, )•#. L. A. Parker, a youth supposed to be named Walker, a woman believed to be Mrs. Kurzenhagen. Nineteen wur-j injured and placed in hospital at Bowral, where they are progressing f' vorably. The disaster was tho most terribi • •" the history of the New' South Wales railways. Reports state tha,t at the moment of impact the goods "(rain jras being shunted on to a siding to clear the main.line and allow tin- iVmon, mail 'o pass.' Denße fog obscured the eignsi?, and the mail crashed inn the goods train, telescoping two carriages. Neither engine left the rails.

First arrivals''state the scene was on? of indescribable horror. The mail van was rcducad to matchwood, and there were ghastly heaps of human brings, and screams anil •■■•:■■•'■ '!>■■ imprisoned victims coining from the mass of debris. A very sad 'feature was that the Heaver family were travelling to Cootainundra to bury Mrs. Heaver, senior, whose body was on the train. The widower, his daughter, and daughter-in-law were killed, and the son seriouly injured. Bray, the guard on the mail van, was about to throw the mail bag, and was killed, while his mate in the same carriage escaped.

Another sad case was that of .1 father, mother, andthree young cvililren burieti in the debris. The eldest appealed piteously to the mother for help, and she replied: "Love, 1 cannot help you!" The children were ultimately rescued, but the parents are dead.

"TOO LATE!" THE DRIVER'S STORY. , "FOR GOD'S SAKE. HOLD HER!" Received 16, 1.45 a p m. London, March 15. The Acting-Ohief Commissioner of Railways, referring to yesterday's disaster, states that the signals, brakes, and everything else were in proper working order. The drivers and firemen of both engines escaped with slight injuries. Driver Irwin, who had charge of the Temora mail, states that the distant signal showed a green light, showing the home signal up, but, owing to » thick mist he was unable to see, and reduced speed. As soon as he caught sight of the home signal at danger, the fireman shouted: "Hold her, for God's sake!" He applied the brakes, but it was too late to avoid the col-