ACCIDENT ON THE FEATHERSTON RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 283, 29 November 1878, Page 3

ACCIDENT ON THE FEATHERSTON RAILWAY.

NARROW ESCAPE OF A GIRL. An accident occurred on the Wellington i and Wsirarapa railway yesterday, in which a j joung woman very narrowly escaped being killed instantaneously, the train which left the Summit station at 10 20 a.m., and was ; drawn by tho largo double Feirlie engine, had ¦ proceeded in due course until a point known as the Ladle Bend, about two and a-half miles - from Kaitoke, was reached, when the passengers were suddenly alarmed by hearli.g the sharp short whistles indicating danger, and ' conveying instruction to the guards to put on all the brakes instantly. At the same time a young girl was seen just in front of the engine. The driver ari<* fireman Shorter j and Egan, brought the heavy locomotive to a standstill with most praiseworthy , promptitude, but their utmost efforts failed to accomplish this before the girl had been struck by the buffer of the engine and knocked down. Both Egan and the guard, Payne, sprang off ' the train eveu before it stopped, and rescued her from her perilous position. She proved to be Mi-s Johnson, the daughter of a platelayer on the line 1 1 was found on examination that she had sustained no serious in ju lies, the worst being some bruises on her head aud body, received when the engine struck her. Her escape, however, was almost miraculous, and had It not been for the extreme quickness with which the engine was brought to a standstill, she must ha\e met a dreidful death or else experienced somo terrible mutilation. Great credit is due to all concerned, driver, fireman, and guards, lor the promptness and emrgy with which they acted on the occasion.