Fatal Train Smash

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 8, 28 May 1914, Page 5

Fatal Train Smash

On Main Line 10 Miles from Mercer

Northbound Express Collides with Goods Train

Scared Travellers Grope in Darkness

The most serious accident on the New Zealand railways since the Bakaia smash some sixteen years ago occurred before daybreak on Wednesday morning on the Main Trunk line, at Whangamarino, ten miles from Mercer, and fifty miles from Auckland. Three passengers were killed, and several seriously injured. The escape from wholesale slaughter seems in the circumstances to have been nothing short of miraculous.

THE FIRST REPORT. BAKE STATEMENT OF FACT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Wednesday. The Secretary of the General Poßt Office has received information that a collision occurred at Whangamarino, between tho north-bound express train, which left hero at mid-day yesterday, and a goods train. The collision occurred at five o'clock this morning. It is reported that two passengers were killed and several injured. A STRANGE CROSSING PLACE. Wellington, Wednesday. The Main Trunk express from Wellington to Auckland crashed into the 12.50 a.m. goods train from Auckland, to Frankton, cutting the latter in two. The two trains usually cross at Kawhitu (late Waerenga), at 4.45 a.m., but owing to the goods train running late and the express being well up to time, the latter was signalled to steam on to Whangamarino station.

South Canterbury, farmer; and D. M. Sutherland, of Waimato, South Canterbury, farmer. AN EARLV ARRIVAL DESCRIBES THE SCENE. WHAT THE TABLET PORTER SAW. SENSATIONAL PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPES. THE ENGINE LEAVES THE LINE. Auckland, Last Night. Describing the railway disaster, the Star's Mercer correspondent telegraplis as follows: Wkangamarino station, THO SCEN'E OF THE COLLISION, is a place between nine and ten miles from Mercer. The accident was due to tlie Main Trunk express coming into collision with a mixed goods and cattle train, which was being Bide-traekcd to allow the express to pass. Apparently owing to some misunderstanding with regard to the signals, the express, travelling at 35 miles an hour, ran into the goods train, which was going across into the loop line. The express cut right through the goods train. The engine then overturned into one of the marshy swamps which fringe the bank of the Waikato river. The mail van telescoped with the sleeping car, with the result that eight out of the eleven occupants were cither killed or injured. The reporter on arrival at the scene of the accident found, everything in a hopeless state of wreckage. The big 72-ton engiae of the express had completely Overturned, and was lying in a swamp six feet below the track. On the engine itself rested the remains of a cattle truck, end up, while the postal von and sleeping car had been completely telescoped. The roof of the postal van was quite intact after the accident, the sleeping car behind having telescoped over the van so completely that the car roof fitted neatly 011 to the van roof.

THE CASUALTY LIST. THIRD MAN DIES IN HOSPITAL. Auckland, Last Night. The complete list of the killed and injured in the railway disaster is as follows: KILLED. Orton Stevens, of Wellington, manager in New Zealand for the National Mutual Life Association o£ Australia. Died before being released. Cuthbert i'. Peterson, of Melbourne, representing the .lames F. Mackenzie Proprietary, Ltd. Died soon after being released from the wreckage. George N. Grimstone, lately of Wellington, recently transferred to Auckland to the position of Registrar of the Tokcrau Native Land Court. Severely injured internally; succumbed in the hospital at Hamilton at 3.30 p.m.

SOME PARTICULARS OF THE KILLED. Mr. C. Peterson, who was killed, belongs to Melbourne. He carried introductions to a commercial firm in Auckland. Mr. Orton Stevens, who was also killed, was one of Wellington's heat-known citizens. He had been in the service of |the National Mutual Life Association [for a great many years. He came from Australia about 15 years ago, and assumed the position of general manager for Xcw Zealand. He was formerly Mayor of the Lower llutt, chairman of the Hutt River Board, president of the llutt Bowling Club, and it is understood he was to be the Reform candidate for the llutt. lie married a native cf Australia. He was nearly 50 years of age.

In the sleeper, all the compartments were jambed concertina-wise into one tangle (if wreckage, from which the injured passengers had to lie extricated. TILE PORTER JL\ T CHARGE. Among some lemarkublc escapes recorded that of Tablet-porter William Donaldson was probably the most extraordinary. He was in charge of Whnng'amarino station last night, and when seen by the Star representative this morning lie had an extraordinary story to tell. He declined to say how the signals stood at the time of the accident, but said that when the .smash occurred he was sitting on the points, sidetracking tile goods train, with which the express collided. It was while he was thus occupied that the express came thundering through, catihing the {roods train fairly amidships. The big express engine crashed straight through the trucks of the freighter, and passed right over him. He was carried *ome distance amid the debris, am! found afterwards in an unconscious condition lying amongst the wreckage of tlie destroyed goods and cattle trucks. 11c sustained a broken arm, and was badly cut about the face and body, but his escape from instant death and mangling was trulv remarkable.

IN'.! I 1 RED. .iohn Swinson, of Lower Hutt, liiana ger in Wellington for Chandler and Co Right thigh fractured, extensive bruis ing; making favorable progress in hos pital at Hamilton. H. <"!. Mackay, of Melbourne, inspect or for the Commercial Bank of Aus Ualia. Suffering from severe shock Xow resident at the Crand Hotel, Auck land, under medical attention.

Kqually sensational and equally providential were the escapes 01 l'\ I'aldington and J. .Stone, the fireman and driver 011 the express, and of Scott and Bristol, otliecrH in the mail van. When the collision occurred the train was travelling at a. speed of well over 30 miles an Injur. After pacing through the goods train, the engine I LISAPED INTO SPACE, AND TURNED TURTLE in the swamp below. Vnder the circumstances the escape of both the driver and fireman was miraculous, They were both thrown clear of the cab of the engine into the swamp, and escaped almost scatheless. The officers in the mail van (which was immediately behind the engine, and which telescoped with the sleeper) also escaped without serious injury. The driver and fireman "f the goods train, Hill and Collett, also escaped juryGuard James Wilson, when interview-

11. A. l*'ox, of Wellington, managing director of the Offices and Appliances Co. A crushed fool, severe abrasions; now in hospital at Hamilton. Wm. Donaldson, railway porter at Wihangamarino. Fractured arm. ]•', S. Uoldiugham, of Palinerston North, merchant (member of the firm of (Joldingham and Beckett). Chest and shoulders severely brui-ed, cuts on head and forehead, and general shock. 0. K. Howard, of Calliope road, Devonport, accountant in the Auckland office of the National Mutual Life Association. Minor injuries to face and head,! and exposure. W. J. R. llill. of Auckland, member of the Herald reporting' staff. Injury to left foot and bruises. Harry Scott, of Auckland, sleeping ear attendant. Ceneral bruising. Two other passengers in the Bleeping car escaped without any injury at all. Xkyy werg James Borrie, of Waimate,

Ed at the scene of the accident, eaid tliat the first intimation of anything wrong wns "when the Wcstinghouse brake whs suddenly applied. It was a remarkable thing, however, that even when the collision took place practically no impact to .speak o£ was felt b}' those at his end of the train. lie ascribed this to the effect of the West-ing-house brake. When the express had come to a standstill, he immediately went to tlie front of the train, where he was .surprised to find the engine lying on its back, and the two front cars telescoped. Piteous cries came from the occupants of the wrecked sleeping carriage. The guard rushed back to the iiiiavd'a van for a light crowbar and The interior of the sleeping car was but a heap of wreckage. All compartments had been jambed together, and several of the passengers were caught between the shattered fragments of woodwork and the ceiling. The passengers from the other care worked like trojans to assist in rescuing those injured. Those who were caught in the debria, and who were still conscious, were calling for help, and urging' the rescuers to use every possible haste in their work. Mr. Petersen was one of the first to whom assistance was rendered. He was caught between the shattered walls of the car, with his 'head projecting through one of the compartment windows. Crowbars and axes had to be used to release him. Death occurred shortly after Petersen was got out.

Mr. Stevens had evidently died before anyone could get to him. The bodies were conveyed to the little wayside station, where it could he seen that both had been terribly injured. Stevens had sustained a terrible crushing, his skull being almost, crushed in. Petersen bad also been fearfully crushed, and that there would have been no hope for either was clear, even had 110 time whatever been lost in recovering them from the wrecked car. The injuries were confined to occupants of the sleeping car. SEEN FROM .THE SLEEPER WAGGON.

GRAPHIC NARRATIVE BY AN EXj NEW PLYMOUTH BOY. AN AWFUL AWAKENING. Auckland, Last Night. A graphic account of the disaster, as it was observed from the sleeping car, was given by Mr. W. J. Hill, a member of the Herald stnfi', who was returning from the south. "I was only dozing when the express ran across the Whanmamarino swamp," said Mr. II ill. ''The first warning of the disaster was a grinding crash, followed by thes plintering of glass. During an appreciable, interval nothing .further was hoard, and then came a succession of crashes, apparently caused by the shattering of, the wooden partitions as the postal van PLOUGHED THROUGH THE SLEEPER. The train bumped and jolted severely, and then came to a standstill. As it stopped, it seemed as if the whole carriage had collapsed upon us. The lights were, extinguished by tho shock, and we were.left in darkness, ignorant of what had happened, and confounded by ignorance of what might happen. I tried to move, but found that my shoulder was pinned by part of the carriage wall and other wreckage. Someone called out, "Strike a match!" but others- shouted a warning, as the gas was escaping and filling tiie car. "'I have been in a smash before, and if anyone-strikes n light 'THERE'S NO HOPE FOR US,'

someone exclaimed. For ft long time everyone lay .still, until at Inst the silence was broken by groans, and one of the injured passengers called out, 'My Cod! Lift this up!' Then I managed to get out of my bunk, and found Mr. Borrie already standing up. In every direction our hands encountered woodwork. I found a boot, -and one of the other men took it from me and smashed the oulv window that was at nil clear, Then we cleared away matt of the broken glass, and crawled out. "By this time, other passengers had come to the front of the train, but the only light was a lamp curried by the guard, and the full extent, of the disaster' could not be appreciated in the darkness. JACK OF LIOIIT.

Only two men were groaning, and we could not imagine that any others had escaped alive. Then an acetylene lamp was brought, and those who had already started to release tlu« imprisoned passengers were able to see a little better, though the lack of light, owing to fear of using matches, severely handicapped their efforts. The few wiio had escaped injury had forced their way' out of the wreckage, and with the assistance of some other paseengers were hard at work in endeavoring to break a way in to the injured men. Thenar steward had been imprisoned between the Hoon; of the telescoped cars, and his iirst eW|iiiry on crawling out was for the safety of tlic passengers. Till; FATALITIES. "A lead was given in the rescue work by Mr. Borrie." and after laboring for halt an hour Mr. Stevens was brought out. He was already dead. The wreck was so complete that the debris had to bee nt away in pieces until the men were found in turn.

arm when he was found unconscious ! alongside the. truck. I "\Vhoii the cilia were telescoped Mr. ; Goldinghum was driven through the partition into the last compartment, and we found him thrown on one of the berths, bleeding from a out on his forehead and unconscious. vVe wore able to pull him out through the broken window, and his injuries were attended to. "We expected to find tho men in the postal t;ir all killed, but they had eaeaped injury. They were discovered in the forward end of the van, imprisoned by wreckage and soaked by water which had escaped from the tank in the roof of tie van. They were drawn wit through a window, and it was found that the only injury was a rut above the eyo in the case of one man.

THE SIGNALS CLEAR FOR TUB EXPRESS. MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF MAIL VAN STAFF. Wellington, Last Night. The passengers in the rear of the train were scarcely aware that anything had happened until the express came to a standstill. It iij stated that the signals at Wljangamarino flag station, which is in char#! of a tablet porter, were clear for the Wellington train. As the express was flying by the lights of a locomotive were seen on a siding and two short blasts on the whistle sounded, the signal for immediate danger. The urgent signal was from the engine drawing the 400 tonsi goods train, which left Auckland at midnight, bound for the Waikato. Brakes were applied, but the goods train had not quite cleared' the main line; in fact, the porter, Donaldson, was sitting on the lever keeping the points open. Nothing could avert a collision.

| PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL. A HAMILTON ACCOUNT. Hamilton, Last Night, J The scene at the wayside station was : one of great confusion. A ponderous engine, which a few 1 minutes before had ! been steaming steadily along, was now I lying broadside on to a slowing incline, , while behind he were the splintered i postal van and the telescoped sleeper, about a dozen empty cattle trucks twistled and broken into fantastic shapes and piled up on the other flank. TaMet-porter Donaldson, who was at his post when the collision occurred, had his arm badly smashed. The driver of the express was Stone, and Guard Wilson Hill had charge of the goods train. Tho gaurd, whose name waa Doyle, saw the catastrophe coming when the two trains were within a few yards of each other, and managed to jump clear.

"A TERRIFIC CRASH." THE CAR ATTENDANT'S NARROW ESCAPE. Auckland, last Night. H. Scott, the sleeping car attendant, told a reporter that lie was standing by the cabin door, about the middle of the car, next the door of a compartment occupied by Mr. Orton Stevens. He had just come through from the train, after changing the towels, when without the slightest warning there was a terrific jcrash. He felt a weight against hl« | back, and was jambed into a corner ' with piles of debris on top of him. Af- | ter recovering his senses, he worked his j feet free, and smashed a window, callI ing for help. Guard Wilson, who was ! passing at the time, handed in a lamp, i the light from which veveafed a terrible i scene of confusion. Scott saw a pair | °f 'efflSS (probably Stevens') near him in i the debris. Help soon arrived, and the I bodies of tho killed and injured wore j found under the debris in ihe centre of . the car. Splendid relief work was done j by all present.

"Mr. Petersen was the last reached. Owing to lack of proper tools the work luiil progressed so slowly that it wan nearly eight o'clock before lie was found. Throughout nearly three hour, ho had lain with an iron rail across his throat, forcing hi* bead back, ami with one of the ceiling' lamps. crushing his eliset. He was freed at last only by cutting i away the wreckage below. A. MIKSE AT HAND. Fortunately for (he relief of the ; _ injured men. one o'f the passengers on the train was Nurse Sirs. Melville White, of Temawhai, near Te Kniti, and slie worked heroically in directing measures for the alleviation of their pain. Mr. Petersen was alive when he was released from the, wreck, and on her advice two men worked for nearly an hour in endeavoring to restore respiration. He seemed to recover consciousness for a moment, but immediately collapsed. Mr. (Irimstone was also found to have been very gravely injured. He stated that heh' ad no sensation in the lower part of the body. Mrs. White did all she could to relieve his sufl'ering. She I also temporarily set the porter's broken