SERIOUS RAILWAY COLLISION

Otago Witness, Issue 1852, 20 May 1887, Page 12

SERIOUS RAILWAY COLLISION

NEAR MELBOURNE.

FIVE PERSONS KILLED —OVER FIFTY INJURED.

Melbourne, May 11.

The train from Melbourne to Brighton collided to-night with a preceding train between the Prahran and Windsor stations, at a short distance from the latter. Four persons were killed at once by the collision— viz., the driver and stoker of the express; Mrs Anderson, wife of a chemist at Windsor; Mrs Foster, wife of Dr Foster, South Yarra. Eight or 10 other passengers were seriously injured. Mr Parkes, of the Bank of Australasia, is amongst those injured.

Over 50 passengers were seriously injured, and counting lesser injuries the list swells to nearly 100. The killed are : The driver and stokerof the express and three passengers — William Printing, the wife of DrFoster (South Yarra), and Mr Parkes (superintendent of the Bank of Australasia), who had both legs broken, and died while undergoing amputation.

The first train was disabled by an accident to the Westinghouse brake. The express following got a signal "all right" from Prahran. Turning a sharp curve on entering Windsor, they saw the lights of the first train in front. The two trains came together with a tremendous crash. The engine of the express was smashed to atoms, the driver and fireman being killed instantaneously.

The following passengers were seriously injured: — Mr William Lemiere, laceration of the brain, condition hopeless ; Mr William Turner, of St. Kilda, paralysis, condition hopeless ; William Cosmo Newbery (Government analyst), fracture of the collarbone and injury of the spine ; Mr Brown (Government geologist of South Australia), shaking and severe scalp wound; Mr Scobie Gair (solicitor), slightly injured. The names of the driver and stoker, who were killed, are Frederick Maskell and James M'Nab.

Intense excitement prevailed in town when news of the accident became known, as the train which leaves Flinders streetat 5.40 p.m. is always filled with business men who live in the suburbs.

The passengers who weie killed or injured were all in the rear of the first train. The passengers in the express escaped without injury. Among the latter were Messrs Green and Speight, railway commissioners, who were in the foremost van. The driver and stoker of the express were both burned to death by the furnace. It has not yet been ascertained who is responsible for the accident, but it is found that two trains were admitted on one block section. The driver who was killed had arranged to commence his annual holiday to-day.

The following is a complete list of the injured : — Archibald Knight (Inkerman), Eedd (Balaclava) severely scalded, two or three ribs broken, and dislocation of the left shoulder ; Alex. Fraser, jun. (of the firm of Fraser and Son, auctioneers), leg broken ; R. T. C. Morgan, solicitor, Balaclava, leg broken ; Danby (of the firm of Danby and Gilmour, accountants), severely injured about the legs ; David Button (Prahran),severeinjuries to both legs ; Wm. Ryan (Windsor), injuries to legs ; Augustus Davy (Windsor), severe shaking and injury to the head ; Hector Reiining (of Balaclava), injury to the back; — Bushley (plasterer, Elsternwick), severely cut about the face ; F. Morgan (timekeeper, Balaclava), broken nose and shock ; W. Groom (Brighton), very seriously injured; Thos. Upton (Prahran), injury to legs ; E. Jenkins (ironmaster, Williams road), severe shock, serious case ; Jenkins Law (ironfounder), injury to shoulder and bruises on head and legs; Mrs Dunt (of Windsor), severe scalp wound andshock ; Mrs and Miss Robertson (Prahran), laceration, shock, &c. ; Richard Lowett (of Windsor), laceration of scalp and severely shaken ; Julia M'Sweeney (Brighton), contused wound about the eye ; R. Lynch (Windsor), injuries to back ; A. W. Horston (law stationer, Chancery Lane), injuries to legs and body ; David'Cumming (East St. Kilda), broken leg and injuries to head ; Henry Hillraont (Martin street, East St. Kilda) ; serious injuries, which are likely to prove fatal; Kinder (Balaclava), injuries to head (likely to prove fatal"; Brown (Adelaide), injuries to scalp; Rowden, slightly hurt, .suffering from shock, Wm. Dix (Balaclava), dislocation of shoulder ; J. W. Cosmo (Newbury, Government analyst), injuries to shoulder and baok and concussion of the brain ; H. O'Neill, injuries to head ; W. G. Lempsier (wine merchant, Balaclava road), injuries to head and brain and severely lacerated, supposed to be in a dying condition; Walter Watkins (shipping- clerk, Windsor), injuries to legs ancl arms ; Alfred Burgoyne, injuries to head and body ; Gus Davey (Windsor), severe shock; Herbert Ralph (bank clerk), injuries to legs and head ; two sons of Mr Carter, Alma road, East St. Kilda, were both injured, one sustaining an injury to the spine, and the other not being seriously hurt ; G. O'Hea (Bay'street, Brighton), seriously bruised ; W. R. Thomson, jun. (Brighton), injuries to leg and head ; John Detmold, not very seriously injured; A. Morris (East St. Kilda), scalp wound and severe shock ; Mrs Burrows (Brighton), scalp

wound and injury to.legj/Mrs.Siddai and a blackmith named Ross are also among the injured.

The persons injured in the railway accident promise favourably. The Herald stated the number of injured was 87, many of them being only slightly hurt. ■ Official reports re the railway accident throw little light on the subject, but generally point to the • fact . that a mistake occurred at Prahran, where the telegraph operator is a boy of 15, who had only been in the railway department a fortnight 1 .

The guard of the first train is blamed for not going back to warn the_ex'press when he knew his own train could not proceed. May 13. The Argus states that fully 150 persons have been injured more or less severely by the Windsor railway accident.

The Herald states that the number of persons injured in the Windsor railway accident is 189.

May 14. Mr G. Lempriere, wine merchant, died at the Alfred Hospital last night in consequence of injuries received in the Windsor -raifway collision.

The other sufferers by the accident are reported to be progressing favourably. Of the persons injured all are doing well with the exception of Cosmo Newberry, whose condition is rather worse.

May 16. The persons injured in the Windsor railway accident are progressing favourably Mr Cosmo Newberry, Government analysist, whose condition was considered critical, is somewhat better. Already a large number of claims for compensation for injuries sustained in the accident have been served on the Government.

Among the injured in the accident were two nephews of Mr W. Strachan, of this city. One of them, Mr William Runting, died from his injuries; but his brother, Mr Hector Runting, escaped comparatively unhurt. Mr W. Runting was engaged in the accountant business of Messrs Danby and Gilmour, and Mr Danby was also among those injured.