TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3496, 28 April 1890, Page 2

TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

COLLISION OF TWO TIUINE

SEVERAL LIVES LOST.

Svdsby, April 25. A terrible railway accident happened at Batburat to-night. A groat crash like an explosion was heard about 7 o'clock proceeding from the gates in Russell-street. A engine was (build with the front crushed to atoms, as were the carriages and trucks, and several dead bodies were found lying about,

It appears that's mixed tri n left for.Sydnoy at C.30 p,m,, and when near Raglan several truck couplings gave way, and many trucks camo down from the Zigzag, passod Raglan •>t a great speed, and dashed through Kelso Station. At Bathurst a goods train, just about to start for Syduey, failed to got out of tho way ol tlio runaway trucks, and a terrible collision resulted.

The loss of life at present is indefinitely known, but live bodies have been d iscovered. Some of these had been killed by the shock, while others were dreadfully mutilated. Lateu, The guard's and passenger carriages were telescoped by tho engine and tho train from Bourke is nothing but splinters. So far as is known several children named O'Connor, who were returning from school, were all killed. Mrs Franklyn [and the driver of the Bourke, train were also killed. A child named Noonan was severely injured.

April 2G. The driver of the Bourko train was not killed aa at first reported, but he sustained severo injuries, Two firemeu were also seriously injured, and had a miraculous oscapo from death. Those killed are:—Michael Downey, Wis Franklyn, andHeniy O'Connor. Maudo Radford, Miss Godfrey, and two others, whose names have not been mentioned, sustained injuries from which they are unlikely 10 recover, The stationmister at Englan, when he saw the runaway, wired to Bathurst of ibe danger, but the tremendous speed at which the detached portion of the train travelled left no time for the Hue to be cleared. Tho stntionniaster at Bathurst states that when Kelso wired No, 26 broken away, the up goods train had left for ICe'so. He at onoe rushed on the platform, and saw the runaway crossing the Hacquarjo river at a terrific pace. No time seemed to have elapsed before he heard a droadful crash followed by tho noise of escaping steam and smashing timbers. The runaway train consisted of five tracks, loaded with goods and sheep, one empty horsebox, one six-wheeled carriage and composite brake van, The two latter, besides several of the trucks, were smashed to atoms, and some portions of them thrown over the top of the engine on to the tender. The engine itself was broken and crushed up to tho tubes of the boiler. Whareama Road Board. The ordinary meoting of the above Board \m held, on Saturday, the 26th insfc, at Blairlogio Junction. Present—Messrs Buchanan.Toogoocl, Moore, and. W, Trickell. The minutes of last meeting wo read and confirmed,

Correspondence was reoeived from tho Manager of Bank of New Zealand re overdraft; from County Clerk re balauce-slieets A, and L.; from Colonial Secretary, re gazetting result of election,

Mr Buchanan moved, and Mr Moore seconded, that Mr 'l'ocgood be authorised to employ a man to clear out the water tables from Berkett's to Whiteis, and repair quivprts, Carried, '" '' ' ' '"' Oh the. motion of Mr Buqhauan, seconded by Mr Toogood, 'it was decided to strike a .'general rate of one farthing in the J! throughout the fjite,'' '"* _ ' "'■"" . It was also decided to proceed against the owners of the Beaumont's property for the recovery of rates due to (he Board, The' pxt mating of the Board wan appointed to he held on tho 23rd May, Tliß meeting then adjourned, Uliampion Spulluig Race-PMP-V, pPTBBBQS. [United Press Association.] SywiEY, April 25. Tlie sculling race between Peter *«d Kiel iiuttersoa, for a-side, and tho champiwlSl!!]) °f the world, was rowed over the championship course on the Papmattft River thjs afternoon.' "Therg- was a jarge jitteii.dpcp of flie jpublic at all vantage points afoDg'the river banks, and the steamers which followed tho raoe wero well patronised. Both men wero in excellent fermi From a splendid start Kemp dashed away, pulling fortythree strokes to Maltnsou'sforty-one, .add is the tot few strops bad forged

slightly ahead. Mattersonwas rowing splendidly, but could make no headway against Kemp's steady swinging strokes. At the mile post Kemp had a lead of two lengths, and from this out the race may be saidto have been virtually over, as Kemp nevor allowed Matterson, who appeared to be thoroughly exhausted, to got near him, and he rotfed in the easiest of winners by quite 250 yards. Time, 21minl8Jsec. The betting was in favor of Kemp.