FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Temuka Leader, Issue 2609, 18 January 1894, Page 3

FRIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

The Melbourne Age reports: —" An accident singularly painful in its circumstances took place on the Brighton line last iiight (December 26th), and occasioned the death of a boy named George Salary, aged 12 years. The unfortunate lad had been spending the dayat a family picnic at Brighton Beach with his father, mother, brother, and two Bisters. The fam?'y party commenced the reiurn journey to Melbourne at 8.35 p.m. They were seated in a second class compartment, which, like all the carriages on the train, was densely crowded. The journey as far as Richmond was without incident, but after leaving that station the passengers crowded the carriage window to get a view of the pyrotechnic display which was taking place on the Melbourne cricket ground. The lad, George Salary, who was seated next to a window, with his mother beside him, also tried to get a sight of the fireworks, and in his anxiety he leaned out of the window. He had been in that position but a few moments, and was absorbed in watching a rocket, when the 9.10 p.m. down train from Melbourne to Brighton began to pass, and he partially drew into the carriage. Almost at the same instant there was a shock in the carriage as of some slight collision, and George Salary fell back across his mother dead. Subsequently it was ascertained that he had been struck by an open door on the passing train. It was soma moments before Mrs Salary realised what had happened) but the blood which was streaming from the shattered head of her son soon aroused her and the other passengers to action, but It Was at once apparent that the boy must be dead, for the head Was crushed out of Bhape and the brains were protrudiug. There was a terribly painful scene in the carriage whilst the train completed the journey to Melbourne, the grief of the unfortunate boy's family being uncontrollable.