ACCIDENT TO COBB & CO.'S COACH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 345, 8 April 1874, Page 2

ACCIDENT TO COBB & CO.'S COACH.

[The following was published by us as an extra on Monday morning : — ] Lawrence was throW into a great state of commotion at five o'clock, on Saturday afternoon on the arrival of Mr. Greorge Roger 9 from the Beaumont Ferry with the news of a serious accident to Cobb and Co.'s coach from the Dunstan. On de»cnmLing the big hill on the v.cst side of the Beaumont, the brake gave way, nnd the coaci, which was carrying 13 passengers, including children, was pra ipitated down the hill, and upset, seriously injuring several of the passengers. The passengers on boar I were a» follows : — Mr. Anderson, manager of UelUnny Statiou, with his wife and four children ; Miss Aimbrige, from Clyde, ona\isit to her mother in Duuedin ; and six Chinese. Mrs. Anderson, Misa Aimbridge, and Master Anderson occupied the box seat with the driver, William Duff. In a rcmnrkoibly eliort time nf ter the arrival of tho messenger Mr. "Williams, Cobb and VoSa agent, dispatched a coach and four to the scene of the accident. Dr. ILdley, who luckily happened to be at home, weut in the coach, and on arriving at the spot found that Mrs Anderson's breast bone and some of her ribs were broken, and ouc of her children, a little boy four years old, had received a compound fractuie of the leg, and one of his arms broken also. One Chinaman received a scalp wound which laid his skull bare, and another received some ?evcre bruises on the face and head. The driver received a "cohenSsior. of 1 he 'brain, and remaiajje{}--very atupid for a considerable fcjme, Jhavingp lost all recollection o£ the tra-isiv'tibn.' :'?: ' ? ' About imie o'clock. on Saturda.yjnight, Dr. ITalley sent a message to Dr. Stewart to come to his assistance, as it would tte necessary to. amputate the bo^'s leg. Dr. Stewart, accompanied by Mr. Inspector fJfhomjjgou, then drove out to the spot. Mrs. Anderson and her boy wore taken to the house of Mr. George Rogers, where everything was done for them that could bo done in the circumstances. At daylight on Sunday morning th& poor little was placed under cliloroform, and liad his left leg ampufat%d» Thelittle suffered lost very little blood under the opex'ation^ which is so in favor of his speedy recovery. Tho coach wliich was sent on Saturday evening returned yesterday at noon with the driver and several of tho passengers. Mrs, Anderson and tho boy were brought in by Tommy Pope, Dr. Hallcy thinking it would be muchtJttter for both of them if they wero removed to the Hospital. On inquiry at thoHospital this morning, we were glad to bo informed that they were both doing very well. The two Chinamen who received scalp wounds, and were taken to the Hospital appeared to be taking it very easy. Wo regret, ho\ve\ er, to learn that another of My. Anderson's children, a little girl, has been badly crushed. Dr. Stewart visited her at the Station this morning, and found that she had received some serious- injuries ta her kidneys. Great sympathy is expressed for Mr. Anderson in this frightful calamity which has. overtaken his family, and* it is to be lioped that a searching investigation will be made into the real cause of the accident, and if found to be attributable to any negligence on the part of the coach proprietors or their servants, it is to be hoped they will receivethe punishment they deserve. The following appears to have been the manner in whi.h the a-cilent occurred: — Immediately on commencing the descent of the hill, the horses were going at a walking pace. The driver placed his foot on the brake, which snapped in two, throwing him 3n to the footboard of the coach, thus giving ;he horses their hea h, and allowing the full weight of the coach to run on the horses, vho immediately bolted down the hill at a uad gallop. Tt may be remarked that the-ior-e« mere uilhoul brewliing. The driver ■egained b.s *eir, an 1 endeavored to keep the earn straight, as it wa3 of r& u«e endeavoring o stop them with the full weight of a heavily aden coach on their haunches. One of the rheelers at the same time was ticking, and aused the coach to swerve to ons ?i le.' On, caching th<? bottom-'. of tha steep hill, on. learlylevel ground, the king bolt came out, cparating the fore-carriage from the Kody of he coach. The horses then bolted with the ore-carriage, the coach toppling over down iill, turning I 'completely' ovM- in a forward iirection. The leaders, who were galloping a ;ood. distance, ahead, came in contact with tha cam of Mr. Gawu'* waggon — the same rhich went over the bridge at Manuka Creek ome time back— dragging the harness off the .orses, and causing the team to take fright, rhich resulted in the breaking of the shafts, nd twisting of the axle of the waggon, and. oing other damage. We examined the brake iron, which is in ie possession of Inspector Thompson. It roke about eighteen inches from the top.,

The braCe^6nld"liave teen applied from the near side of the coach, but unfortunately the pusengcr sitting near it, being a female, -had not the presence of mind to do so, although she was asked by the driver." Most of the. passengera, the Chinamen especially, were paralysed with fright. Oue of the Chinamen reached round from the inside of the "coach and endeavored to catch the driver by the arm. An eye-witness informs us that tho Bcreams that arose from tho passengers were something terrible, suiticient to frighten the horses •yen had the driver had a chance of pulling them up. Duff deserves evepy praise for the plucky manner in which he Btuck to the reins. Had he not been possessed of a cool nerve, he never could have taken tho horses the distance he did. Wednesday. This morning Mrs. Anderson is more cheerful, and seems considerably better ; but her boy remains in the samo delirious stale.