TRAIN DISASTER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144351, 16 March 1914, Page 3

TRAIN DISASTER.

HEART-RENDING ■ SCENES. HOW THE DRIVER BLUNDERED. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT, SYDNEY, March 15. Later advices state that confusion still exists in the identification of the killed and injured in tho disaster at Exeter, in which the Temora mail train crashed into a stationary goods train. The latest advices give the corrected list of the killed as follows: —Heaver, senr., Arthur Heaver, Alice Heaver, Mail Guard Bray, J. C. Minnis, Mrs. Minnis. G. L. Bollard, Mrs. Clarke, Bred Kurzonhagen, Misses Eglington and Shelly, Mrs. L. A. Parker, a youth supposed to bo named Walker, a woman believed to bo Mrs. JCurzenhagon. Nineteen were injured and placed in hospital at Bowral, where they are progressing favourably. Tho disaster was the most terrible m the history of the New South Wales railways. Reports state that at the moment of impact the goods train was being shunted on to a siding to clear the main line and allow the Temora mail to pass. Dense fog obscured tho signal, and tho mail crashed into tho goods train, telescoping two carriages. Neither engine left tho rails. Tho first arrivals state tho scene was one of indescribable horror. The mail van was reduced to matchwood, and there were ghastly heaps of human beings, and screams and groans of the imprisoned victims coming from tho mass of debris. A very sad feature was that the Heaver family wero travelling to Cootamundra to bury Mrs. Heaver, senior, whoso body was on tho train. The widower, his daughter, and daughter-in-law wero killed, and the son seriously injured. Bray, the guard on the mail van, was about to throw; tho mail bag, &nd was killed, while his mate in tho : same carriage escaped. Another sad case was that of a father, mother, and three young children buried in tho debris- The eldest appealed piteously to the mother for help, and sho replied; “Love, I cannot help you!” Tho children were ultimately rescued, but the parents are dead. . . The Acting-Chief Commissioner of Railwavs, referring to yesterday’s dis-. aster, states that tho signals, brakes, and everything else wero in proper working order. Tho drivers and firemen of both engines escaped with slight injuries. Driver Irwin, who had charge of tho Tomora mail, states that tho distant signal showed a green light, showing the homo signal was up, but owing to a thick mist ho was unable to sco, and reduced speed. As soon as he caught sight of tho homo signal at danger, tlio fireman shouted: “Hold her, for God’s sake!” He applied the brakes, but it was too lato to avoid the collision. SOME WONDERFUL ESCAPES. (Received March 16, 10.40 a.m.l SYDNEY, March 16. Some extraordinary escapes characterised tho railway disaster. Ono man and his wife escaped with a slight shock, while Minnis and his wife, in the opposite seat, wore killed. Another passenger, while sitting still, had two dead bodies thrust upon him. Several children in tho fatal carriages were thrown into corners or on the racks, and were lifted out little tho worse for their startling experiences. So completely wore the four compartments wrecked that it is marvellous any escaped.