MELBOURNE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3558, 4 December 1882, Page 3

MELBOURNE.

December 2.

A shocking railway accident occurred at 6.30 o'clock this morning on the Melbourne and Hawthorne railway line. A special train returning from a land sale at Boxhill passed Hawthorne station without stopping, and when it had turned the corner of Richmond Park came into collision with a train from Melbourne to Hawthorne travelling on the same line of rails at a speed of twenty miles an hour. The engine of the Melbourne train was driven through a first-class carriage next it, which it completely telescoped, the engine penetrating the greater portion of the vehicle. The second and third carriages of the Hawthorne train were likewise telescoped, the wheels of one carriage resting on the seats of the other. There were many passengers in the train at the time of the collision. Twenty to thirty are injured, and several very badly ; none were killed outright, however. December 3. Particulars received regarding the railway collision last evening show that two carriages in each train were completely smashed up, and the one next the engine of the train from Melbourne was driven right through the next carriage. The scare at the accident was most distressing. Several of the passengers were only extricated from the wrecked carriages with extreme difficulty, and many of the injured were fearfully cut about the head, and several have broken legs, arms, and ribs, and internal and spinal injuries. The total known to be injured is nearly thirty. Fi»e of the sufferers are now in the Melbourne Hospital, and several are in the Albert Hospital. So far as is known no prominent citizens have been hurt. The accident is attributed to the Bpecial train from Boxhill passing Hawthorne without stopping to allow the other train from Melbourne to pass. There is great excitement in town over the catastrophe, and the Melbourne newspaper offices are crowded with people anxious for news. According to the last information Mr Thomas has died from the effects of the injuries received, and Mr Ross is in a hopeless state. December 4. The total number of those iniurned by the Richmond railway accident is now known to exceed fifty, and by some the number is estimated at fully seventy. Many of the sufferers proceeded to their homes. The injured include Mr Taylor, auctioneer, and Mr Rye, his clerk. Mr Dalgety, a clerk, has his legs fractured, and Mr Andrew Jack is suffering from severe injury to his head. Miss Berry, a daughter of the ex-Premier, is suffering from a severe shock to her system, and Councillor Cavanagh from internal injuries. Messrs Orowther and Rosser are dangerously wounded, and their condition ii critical. Many others others are seriously injured. The Hawthorne collision has proved more serious in its effects than the accident which o«curred near Jolimont in August, 1881. More fatalities, however, were caused by the latter than are likely to arise from Saturday's disaster.