It is believed that Doig, the commercial traveller from this colony who was killed in the railway, accident in New South Wales, is a young man, Henry Doig, who was in the employment of Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen here for some years and left Dunedin for Australia about the month of Augusfc last. He used to live at Green Island and was frequently in the company of a woolscourer named Cassidy; and the latter, who used to live at Burnside, is supposed to be the man of that name who was with Doig at the time of the disaster. Doig's mother lives at Timaru with her daughter, who is married to Mr D. Stuart, grain merchant. -Otago Daily Times, 29/4/1892.
He held on by the carriage window with his left hand, and with his right endeavoured to find out whether his friends were still in the carriage, at the same time calling out "George" and "Henry." There was no reply, and ho neither saw nor heard of them again until their dead bodies were discovered between the carriage and the cutting. To release the bodies it was found necessary to raise the carriage by means of screwjacks. The whole side of the carriage nearest the cutting was torn out and smashed to atoms. The carriage was leaning towards the cutting at an angle of about 45deg., and must have travelled about 100yds after leaving the rails. The time elapsing between the derailing of the carriage and the stoppage of the train could only have been a very few seconds. The train was pulled up very smartly. It must have been travelling about 15 or 20 miles an hour at the time of the accident. He believed there was a slight incline at the spot, but could not say positively. The relatives of the deceased George Dishington resided in Chicago. He (Cassidy) had known him for about five years. He was about 20 years of age, and had originally been a clerk in Glasgow. Since coming to the colonies, Dishington had been employed as clerk and storekeeper on the Earnscleugh station, province of Otago (N.Z.). Witness had known the deceased, Henry Doig, since he was a child. Doig was about 25 years of age, and was born at Green Island, a suburb of Dunedin. He was employed as a draper in the Dunedin house of Sargood, Butler and Nicholl. He (witness) recognised Henry Doig and George Dishington, and also recognised the body of the stranger travelling in the same compartment. Both Dishington and Doig were unmarried. -Auckland Star, 10/5/1892.
THE SECOND ACCIDENT.
NINE PASSENGERS KILLED.
The next morning, Wednesday, April 27, witnessed a second and more appalling disaster, which led to the loss of nine lives and caused injuries more or less severe to 11 others. The train was the mail train leaving Sydney for Bourke at 8 o'clock in the evening. It was drawn by one of the new Baldwin engines. When the train was entering a deep, rocky cutting about three miles from the Tarana station the enginedriver felt a bump, as if some mishap had occurred to the air brake and caused it to be involuntarily applied to the wheels. Looking back he saw the latter portion of the train swaying in a fashion that at once suggested a serious mishap, and he immediately reversed his engine. The train, however, travelled 60 or 70 yards before it could be pulled up, and the scene for this short period will never be forgotten by those who saw it. The wheels of the carriages which had left the rails, whirling over the blue metal forming the ballast, generated sparks, which fell in all directions, and created a fusilade reminiscent of volley firing. This noise was speedily drowned by the crashing and smashing of the woodwork and glass in the carriages, which were being torn to pieces against the rocky siding, as well as the screams of the passengers, who were being mangled in a most shocking manner. As soon as the train was brought to a standstill there was a hurried exodus of officials and uninjured passengers from the carriages, and prompt assistance was at once rendered to the less fortunate. As an examination showed, the sleeping-car, mail van, and luggage van had got off the rails about 100 yards from where they were then standing, and tilting over against the side of the rocky cutting they had been smashed past all repair. The last two carriages were torn almost to pieces, and through the debris the bodies of the wounded and dead could be discerned. By good luck Dr Kirkland, of Bathurst, chanced to be a passenger in one of the foremost carriages which escaped without damage, and under his directions the injured were released from their perilous positions, and whatever could be done to alleviate their sufferings with the meagre appliances at hand was accomplished. The side of the damaged carriage was torn out, and the bodies of the wounded and dead were strewn about the place. Some of the killed were jammed between the carriages and the side of the cutting, from which were projecting huge boulders.
The official information shows that all the persons killed were in one compartment of the mail van. The compartment held 10 persons. Only one of them, a man it is said, escaped alive, and he was not seriously hurt. When the carriage left the line it must have been travelling at a high rate of speed, and flying off at a tangent, struck the granite wall with tremendous force. The side of the carriage was stove in, and the passengers who by the impetus would be crowded to that side must have been hurled against the rocks and dashed to death.
The following is a list of those who were killed: — Millie Ashwell, of George street, Marrickville, who had her head smashed and limbs terribly mutilated. W. Ware, who was proceeding from Sydney to Bourke. He had his skull fractured, and was breathing when first found. H. Doig, of Dunedin, a passenger from Sydney to Nyngan, whose right arm was broken, his skull fractured, and his face battered. Mrs McDonald, a resident of Spicer's Creek, and a passenger from Rookwood to Wellington; injuries, a fractured skull and contused knees. George Dishington, passenger from Sydney to Nyngan, a fractured jaw, injuries to the head, right leg broken. Carl Kersten, engine-driver, left thigh fractured, and fractured arm and skull. Charles Tailby, passenger from Rylstone to Dubbo, fractured skull and limbs torn off. Mrs Cowell, of Ben Bullen, ribs of right side driven in and skull fractured. Mrs McDonald, of Kiama, terribly mutilated.
Three of the killed were found under the brake-van, and in order to extricate the bodies a screwjack had to be brought into play to raise the carriage. Most of the others who lost their lives were found in sitting postures in the "grip" or waterway. The bodies found in the waterway were all badly cut, and the limbs were horribly mutilated. -Otago Witness, 12/5/1892.
GREEN ISLAND NOTES.
[From Our Own Correspondent.]
The members of the Green Island Football Club assembled on the ground on Saturday afternoon in expectation of doing battle against the Ravensbourne Club. The weather was very cold and disagreeable, which perhaps accounts for the fact that their opponents did not turn up; but certainly the weather does not excuse them for sending no notice to that effect.
The remains of the late Henry Doig, who met his death in the recent railway accident in New South Wales, were interred in the Green Island Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. A very large number of persons followed the body to its last resting place. Deceased was born at Green Island, and his widowed mother is a very old and respected resident of the district. The burial service was conducted by the Rev. Mr Ryley in the absence of Dr Watt. In connection with the accident referred to above, it is, I believe the intention of Mr A. Cassidy, who was the sole survivor in the carriage in which Mr Doig was killed, to claim damages from the New South Wales Government for the mental and physical shock he is suffering from. Mr Cassidy escaped without a scratch; so that his claim will be somewhat novel. -Evening Star, 17/5/1892.
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