THE CHINESE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2662, 3 August 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE CHINESE RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

SINGULAR LEGENDS. The late accident on the Tientsin Railway line, by which about twenty persons lost their lives, is now known to have been due to the error of an engine-driver in proceeeding out of a siding before a train coming in the opposite direction had passed. Yefc the official directors of the line have been severely punished for the accident. The managing director has, by order of Li Hung Chang, had three black marks, or marks of gross error, put down against his niime in the official records. These will be a bar to promotion or to obtaining any new lucrative appintment for some time. The two othor directors have two such marks put against them. The dead were buried at the public expense, and the relation of each victim received about £50 each. Meanwhile, along the country side, in the neighbourhood of the accident legends are circuling respecting it. According to one, the people of a village near to which the disaster took place in the dead of the night heard the piteous wailinge of the spirits of the victims, which had been forced from their earthly habitations with such awful suddenness. The cries rose and fell, sonnding sometimes near and sometimes far away, as if tho spirits were hovering through the air looking for a place of refuge. The people lay atruko listening to this wailing, which was sometimes long and piercing, sometimes broken off abruptly, and their hair stood on eud with fear. Again, people looking up towards the bright moon aod stars saw a ghastly train sweeping on at full speed, then suddenly stop, and then vanish altogether. These and other legends ciculatiug round the accident show what a profound effect it has had on the minds of the people.