RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2629, 22 June 1887, Page 2

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Owing to an accident to a goods train on the Wellington-Masterton line last evening, the up train did not reach Masterton tili nearly two o'clock this morning. i The following particulars were kindly furnished to our reporter by one of the passengers" We left Wellington station at 5.20 p.m., and reached liaitoke a little after seven, at which place we were detained three I hours, the Masterton down train being also detained for' alike period at tin Summit. Prom what could be seen'of 1 the accident there was no realnecessity of delaying the trains more than about 20. minutes, but they were not allowed to proceed and meet •, each other till a lot of useless telegraphing to head .quarters had been indulged in, the result being nothing more than could have been accomplished in the first instance, viz., running the two trains to the scene of the and allowing tlie passengers from 'the up and down trains to alight , from-one to thie other. . The , spot where' the accident occurred is about'four miles from the Summit on the Wellington' side, and near a small tunnel-. From what our informant could see in the dark, he was under the impression that about half a dozen fcfuoks and an engine were off the line, the whole of them standing upright. The extent, of the slip was about fifteen yards. Within a few feet of where the engine stood, there was.a ravine about' twenty or thirty feet deep, at the bottom of which runs ; the Pakuratahi river, Had the train'goiip but a few; feet further, .it'- must;'" ; have been; precipitated'bejow. The "whole affair.' is regarded as miraculous,. From the! position in which • the; engine and: trucks were standing, it is surmised; that the train was going cautiously! along at the time,, and ran into, the slip, the concussion throwing the. engine and trucks off the line; Both' trains had a considerable number of' passengers on board, the greater portion of which were composed .of women and children. The occupants of the up train fared better than those' who were in the. down one; from : Masterton,' the former having & good fire, and plenty to eat and drink at the Kaitoke Refreshment Rooms, whilst the latter had'nothing but the scant covering afforded in the railway carriages to prot'eot them from a cold southerly wind and pelting rain, which must be experienced to be described, to say nothing of the squalling of ;the youngsters.. The line is expected to be again fit for through traffic during to-day,