The Machavie Railway Accident.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 210, 31 May 1902, Page 3

The Machavie Railway Accident.

o TROOPER THOMAS’ ACCOUNT. Willing to Ids parents from Potchef room Hospital under date April Iff, 'ooperN. L Thomas gives the following const of the Machavie railway wstcr: " Whon e entrained at Volkhurst, Squadron was the last to be put on "Uwiis in the last truck. In frost of ro truck was the covered van in which 0 orderlies travelled. At EKndsfontein * station arrangements are like th sc hch existed at Oannru before the ‘lion was shifted, R.i from this point struck instead of being the last was e first, the one next the engine, the fieriies’ van being behind us. We were 'log along in great spirits that Saturday Wrong and were within a few miles of lr destination, Klerksdorp, when the nis fi took place. We came round a ltVe on to the other train and there was dime to avoid the collision. I was ‘tiling up when all of a sudden I felt, fef than noticed that something was ton g. Then I thought I saw the other '?>De coming. Our driver blew the ™ s tle and he and the stoker jumped '■ and 1 followed their example. It all *roed to happen in the fraction of a to ml When 1 Jumped I must have ®a down on mv left side, and was lc °t»cious for over half au hour. The ! *t thing I knew was that someone was doing tay head and someone else taking :r names. I asked the latter if he was a report and on his replying in Affirmative told him to set me down l! %hdy injured. I thought my leg Wken above the kee, but it was “y bruised. I got a bit of a knock on head and had my collarbone broken, " am now doing well. Then Tcm Benson, onfc of my section mates fe to me and asked how I was. I fel Tat I was all right. flo then , me that our two mates were both Two of of us had been in the fic-t «kin which all who were not killed ere injured. Thirteen were killed on 6s Pot and two have died since we came 1,6 hospital. The truck wo were in '? Weed right up on top of the engine '** the couplings between it and the ’«ed van in which Stephenson and | the orderlies travelled snapped, v&u being pitched off the line. Only

two men wo e inj.i e 1 a d that slightly Ji •. f >< • ' y and ano her K 'i| ta l man cor j nir o'U from under a truck. How I got Ih ;:■■■ I can’t make out, for my impre-ision : is lliat I jumped several yards clear of the trick. Our officers arc terribly cut 'up about the accident. The driver and ■i ke of our train evaped clear, but the drivei- and stoker of the other knew nothing of the danger till the smash took place. The stoker was firing up and the driver was stooping clown about something. They e-capod very luckily, however, the one with a black eye and some bruises about the bo ly, and the other with his nose flattened out. Bill Grant lias had a rough time, but is doing very well now. He had both legs fraci tired and soma Brighter injuries, hut. these did not trouble bun so much. His greatest danger and suffering are caused bv injury to his lungs. But ho has borne j it all like a Brito i, with iut complaint. 1 can tell you T am thankful fo • escaping las I did. If I had not jumped off it is almost certain I Giould not be here now for four men on on*; side of me and five on the other w-iV; kil'c If’

[ fro >psr \V. Gr.nit referred to above is a go n of Mr Gee. Grant, of Midfll,anarch, Otaro, and resided in Waimale till a few years ago, when the family moved South.]