TERRIBLE DISASTER IN ITALY— AN EXCURSION TRAIN BURIED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2567, 22 December 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

TERRIBLE DISASTER IN ITALY— AN EXCURSION TRAIN BURIED.

Details arrived at Rome on Sunday October 26th of a terrible disaster to a passenger train at Grassano, in South Italy, the previous Friday. Grassano is a small rural place in Potcn7.ii, and one of the main lines from Naples runs through it. On that day the ill-fated train, crowded with excursionists who hatl been to Naples to witness the naval review and fetes in connection with the German Kmperor's visit, was travelling northwards, when, as it passed through a mountain gorge, a vast mass of rock, some 50 metres in depth, fell from the mountain side with a thundering crash upon the railway. Ten of the fourteen carriages of which the train was made up were crushed, ami the others together with the engine, overturned like mere toys. The scene which followed is described by eye-witnesses as awful. Wild shrieks rose from those of the terrified and injured passengers who wme not silenced for ever by death, while in the midst of the scene of terror such aa could make their way out of the wreck used every endeavour to extricate their fellow passengers. These efforts were, however, of little avail, most of the passengers being completely buried. Unfortunately, the telegraph lines were broken by the falling earth, and no communication could be made for help. The nearest dwellings were a considerable distance from the scene of the accident, and assistance had to be fetched by one of the passengers who set out on foot. It was. however, not until after a lapse of two hours that help arrived, when a body of workmen and engineers reached the spot, and at once began busily removing the rocks and soil from above the buried carriages. Their labours soon revealed the sad immensity of the disaster. Corpse after corpse was brought out as the huge pieces of crag were removed, until 20 dead bodies, all of them terribly mangled, many wholly unrecognisable, were recovered. It will probably be found that of these many were near relatives, as it is known that the train contained several entire families, who had made the excursion to Naples together. Fifty living persons, bruised, maimed, and mangled, were in time, and with much difficulty, released from the fallen mass. But it is only too certain that we do not yet know the full extent of the awful calamity. Among the killed are two railway employe's. The Government sent prompt assistance, and are doing all in their power for the sufferer?. Later intelligence from Grasasno shows that so far 90 corpses have been recovered from beneath the mass of rock. The number of wounded is 70. There is general sorrow at Taranto, Brindisi, and Potenza, where the majority of of those killed resided.

A telegram from Rome on Tuesday says the first accounts of the Grassano railway disaster were exaggerated. Only 19 dead bodies have been found up to the present, the number of the injured being 55. It is, however, thought there are more wounded, and also there may be other bodies under the debris.