A SENSATIONAL CLIMB.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4548, 25 May 1889, Page 4

A SENSATIONAL CLIMB.

♦ The passengers m the expresa train from Melbourne' arrived at Albany one niaht last weak m a state of great excitement It ap|,e:ired that when the train was a few miles from Wodonga tho occupants of several compartments were alarmed by an extraordinary dound as of repeated knocking on the floor of the carriages. 'Che blows eventually became 3,1 violent that the passengers expected overy moment to see the flooring burst up, and so much alarm was felt by the occupants of one eu'-'ipartment that they endeavored to comn.umcata with the guard of tho train : but tiii-ro being no electric apparatus m the compartment, they sought other means to attract t'le attention of that official. They opened thi- uoor, and triod to attract the driver's attention, and could not make him hear. Sparks were then observed flying out from under tha carriage, and then fl.imos hurst forth, ami appeared to extend tho full length of the iMrri.ige. The passengers m the other carriages then noticed the fire, and within a tV.v iniuuU-3 ull the carriage doors were '■lHjiiod and the occupants screaming for help, hie I rain was going at thurnte of about forty iu:,«i an h.uir and the shouting failed to reach either the guard or the driver, and at length ■ . , f .n James Johesor., of tho W. F. Witzni.inn, an American vessel, now at Sydney, climbed out of the window of the carriage, and after encountering some difficulties m making his way to the engine he succeeded m informing tho driver that the train was on lir,-. To his surprise his report was replied to by * ivipg that he would be locked up on arrival" of the train at the next station. He was not arrested, however : and the driver on tiie contrary, admitted that the captain had iloue right, id making for the engine, i'he train wiis stopped and the firo extinguished.