Papurau Newydd Cymru
Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru
23 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau
23 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
^Earful accident AT LOUGHOR.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
^Earful accident AT LOUGHOR. THREE MEN KILLED THRILLING STORIES BY VICTIMS. 0 disastrous railway ac-cidcnt occurred Monday afternoon on the Great 1^tern Railway, resulting in the loss of eB lives and more or less severe ^juries to fifty other passengers. The am which met with the disaster was morning mail express from New b !ford to Paddington, vriiieh was drawn te i eng^nes at the time. The express ached Llanelly ail right, but just as it as Hearing Loughor at a high rate of jP^ed tiie leading engine seems to have ei] the rails. By the impact one of the gines—a banker—was smashed, two of A 6 leading coaches were overturned and ^ttibled over t'he embankment, and two aches were telescoped and roduced to 'atch\vood. The driver of the banker in + e was cut in two and killed • the fireman succumbing to his ^Juries later, and one passenger also killed, whilst the permanent way II as torn up for a considerable distance 8 tJ.d tramc interrupted. Heartrending Des were .witnessed. og; 6 Great Western Railway Company's J^cials and breakdown gangs were hard ^rork all through Monday night with e task of clearance, and this had so far ^.°°ee<Ied that by 2.30 o'clock on Tuesday f ernoon the down line had been prepared w traffic, and the Great Western Rail- y y train service beyond Cower ton was soon after vastly improved. ■'■he inquest on the bodies cf the 0n?eased driver and stoker was formally .juried at Llanelly on Tuesday, and on « body of Mr. Oliver Sallard on Wed- v-^av, before the deputy-coroner, Mr. ^artin Richards. Most of the injured, Jj 15 gratifying to learn, are doing well, jg t the condition of one or two of them Very precarious.
STOHY OF THE ACCIDENT.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
STOHY OF THE ACCIDENT. tEnRIBLE SCENES OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. terrible accident occurred to the London t0ll ess running from New Milford to Padding- j>e_ 011 Monday afternoon, whereby three 8fcri °'ia Vv'€re killed and about fifty otherb Ijj injured. The train was one of the ^'Portant running on the Great Western <W *ay through South Wales, and on this it was more heavily loaded than if" It was drawn by the famous engine locntreal, one of the latest types of express tf^P^Qtives, which, it is interesting to note, selected by the company for the impor- l>eJ: w°rk of drawing the Royal train from Dock on the occasion of the recent be of the King to the Principality. It will ^embered, however, that his Majesty tile j°arne>' to Wales in his yacht, eo tio the services of the train were not requisi- te express was due at Llanelly at ^a3° c!oc,li- but arrived some minutes late. It With a well-filled train, and, in accordance Jitta u!jual custom, a banker engine was C d to ^e front to assist in negotiating Coc, rather stiff hill between Gowerton and It SCJíctt. About three miles from Llanelly, at \vjjeot a thousand yards from Loughor Bridge, Bjq the train wat going at a high rate of Jw t*le front engine suddenly left the Wli^' with the moat disastrous results.. It B6c e<i the Montreal with it, and in a few the entire train was wrecked. So the t was force of the impact between to JiWo engines that the banker was smashed ta,(jj^ces, but the express engine remained intact but for its tender, which was *8t-e{! tely buckled up. The effect of the dis- 3V0 ^pon the coaches was extraordinary. W, 01 them were overturned, and they 6j)0t °ver the embankment, which at this V/aj, ls about 10ft. high. Two other coaches Trlwi telescoped and reduced to matchwood, Sa\, the permanent way was made impas- 'e for the whole length of the train. he gravest aspect of the accident, how- ^r_ is the fact that both the driver and lie fireman of the banker engine, as well as passenger, were killed. The unfortunate j.river, a Llanelly man named John Lloyd, ^n £ at Custom House Bank, was found 5e(l under the wheels of the express *Hti e' ^is body being: cut in two. The fire- l}a5'. also a Llanellyite, named Owen John *w,ries' living at Delabeelie-strect, was tarj0ved to Llanelly Hospital in a pre- °US state- where he succumbed a few 5s later. The third fatality is that of a &in en&er, who was conveyed to the Plough beij' could not be identified, but he is HaB?Ved to be D. J. Harries, of Bristol, the fclso +,beinS found written on his hat, and Md letters in his pocket were similarly 8toDressed. As was to be expected, the abrupt ^JHUige of the train created a panic the passengers, and this was heigh- by the fact that many of them were in the wrecked coaches and could l-g^ove. The scene was a most heart- one, cries and groans being heard m)jr°'und. These of the passengers who were tloi9 to extricate themselves lost no time in So, and they promptly attended to the fcsr- their less-fortunate fellow-passen- jfj s- The officials of the train were also busy for same direction, and urgent summonses Medical assistance were sent to Llanelly tj0f t Swansea. In response to these a staff of tj t"°rs was quickly on the scene, and by this tjj Q all the injured had been removed from • tra^n and made as comfortable as in the adjoining fields. Upon the of rlvaJ of the doctors it was seen that many ftt¡¿h? cases were of a most serious nature, in this emergency arrangements were for special trains to convey the victims and Swansea Hospitals. In all twenty-five passengers were taken to *°rmer hospital. There were, however, \1b.erous other cases, which were dealt with the neighbouring cottages.
^HE SCENE OF DEVASTATION.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
^HE SCENE OF DEVASTATION. Mii!16 devastation caused toy the accident is jjJfost impossible to describe. The perma- W'l Way was P^ou5h,ed up on both sides, tj '-e coaches are piled up as so much broken tlflUher, glass, and iron work on both sides the embankment. The banker engine a hopeless wreck, while piled on top of the express engire 6 P°rtions of the metals. It Pathetic to see in the wrecked jw^bes a number of books, magazines, news- °th rS' Eewin» bags, pipes, tobacco, and the 'er accompaniments of railway travelling. going over the embankment one of the got entangled in the telegraph wires, thus the connection was cut off on sides. It is mentioned as a curious coin- ^enCe t}iat tlie driver of the express engine tb. IS fireman in the train which occasioned j ""qat memorable disaster at Norton Fitz-1 rren (Devonshire) some years ago.
SCENES ON LOUGHOR ROAD.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SCENES ON LOUGHOR ROAD. Til l>i.e road between Loughor and Llanelly Sented an unwonted appearance on Mon- 1-1 o a^ternoon as our representative passed it- Scores of passengers were seen Staj Qin" to Llanelly, some of them in a e ,°f sreat prostration after the terrible ft^^ienee through which they had just 8ed. Those of them who had been but not so seriously as to tj-a^itate their detention, were conveyed in and motor-cars. There were among a number of ladies, whose faces were Jw;3'' c*t, and their clothing also bore wit- what they had gone through. Two <l!j.CS, v''cre making their way towards Llan* °ut at Llvi'ynhendv they collapsed, and *1, 0 taken to an adjoining cottage, where that kindness could suggest, was ^r>r them. Another lady, a Mies hoJ»ns, walked the whole of the way to her ths 6 In Llanelly She appeared to be little Of^^orse for what had taken place. Several Passengers were students returning for Winter session of Cardiff University Col- 5, They included Mr. James Wade, son of *liii rorninent Llanelly chemist, who escaped "JUred.
^HANGEMENTS AT LLANELLY ;…
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
^HANGEMENTS AT LLANELLY HOSPITAL. arrangements at Llanelly Hospital (14 ^complete, and reflected the utmost credit Of the management. As soon as the news ?haire catastrophe reached the town the lig^^an of the institution (Mr. Dan Wil- aT1<^ vice-chairman (Mr. Frank telephoned to the secretary (Mr. D. G. ar>d the matron (Mi--g Roberts), and the first case came in everything w^is in of th"es8 for a serious call upon the resources £ Staff' A11 th€ medical men of the "*Ht. journeyed to the scene of the acci- and, having attended as well as possible Caaibutancework. returned to the hospi- tal, where over twenty extra, beds were ready to receive the wounded.
LIST OF THE KILLED AND INJURED.
Rhestrau Manwl, Canlyniadau a Chanllawiau
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
LIST OF THE KILLED AND INJURED. The following is a list of the casualties:- KILLED. Mr. OLIVER STALLABD, Paskeston, ne:> ■ Pembroke, travelling from Pembroke Dock to Bristol, according to the ticke found upon him. The body was con veyed to the Plough Inn, Bynea. Tin name was first given as D. J. Harries- J. LLOYD, Custom House Bank, Llanelly, driver of the banker engine, whose body was conveyed to his home. DIED AT HOSPITAL. JOHN HARRIES. Walk-road, Llanelly, fire- man, of the banker engine; died shortly after admission; terrible woundsi in throat. INJURED AT LLANELLY HOSPITAL. Rev. A. FULLER MILLS, Baptist minister, Carmarthen; calf of leg badly injured and torn, and injuries to head. Miss LILIAN ORGAN, c o Dr. Robertson, Fern- head House, Fernhead-road, London travelling from Tenby to Newport. Bruises and shaking; slight. Mr. WEBSTER and Mrs. WEBSTER, husband and wife, travelling from Whitianci to Cardiff, where Mr. Webster, who is a gardener, was going to seek employ- ment; he has a broken arm, and his wife has sustained a severe shaking. Mrs. THOMAS, wife of John Thomas, sup- posed to be from Eglwyswrw, travelling from Carmarthen to Bristol; leg ampu- tated at knee; incoherent. Miss LOUISA BARR, 167, Southam-streel, Colbourn-road, London; fractured skull, I unconscious; supposed to be travelling from Llanelly to Paddington; inco- herent. Dr. W. PHILLIPS-JONES, Rock House, Wos- tenholme-road, Sheffield, a native of Car- digan; travelling to Sheffield; internal injuries and leg injured. Rev. J. R PHILLIPS, Pontygwaith; travel- ling from Llanelly to Tylorstown; broken leg and injury to head. ISAAC O'BRIEN, supposed to be a native of Somersetshire; travelling from Carmar- then to Swansea; injury to spine, very serious; unconscious. MORGAN ROBERTS, Pontrhydfendigaid, Tre- garon; fractured arm and injury to head; unconscious. EDWIN EVANS, Station-terrace, Llanpump- saint; travelling from Llanpumpsaint to London; injury to head and leg, not serious. ALFRED GEORGE RUDGE, 17, Fernhead-road, London, W.; travelling from Tenby to London; compound fracture of the arm and injuries to face and head. D. A. DA VIES, sorter, Morriston; slightly I injured (since left hospital). JOE GEAR, Llanelly; injury to head; unconscious. JENKIN JONES, Blaenmoelfre, Lampeter, travelling from Lampeter to Blaengarw; fractured leg. CAPTAIN GARCIA, Light Infantry, Shrews- bury, travelling from Pembroke Dock to London; fractured leg and injury to head. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, Tynewydd, Ffynonfair, Lampeter, travelling from Lampeter to Blaengarw; injury to head, arm, and ¡ leg. slight. WILLIAM HENRY JONES, 11, Peterwell- terrace, Lampetep, travelling from Lampeter to Elaengarw; injury to face and leg, slight. JAMES DAVIES Highlands, Saundersfoot, travelling- from Tenby to Cardiff; broken leg. I W. WARD, Pembroke Dock, a soldier, travel- ling from his barracks to Ross, Hereford- shire: broken leg. Mise DAVIES, King-street, Carmarthen; in- juries to back. W- THOMAS, St. Clears, who is badly in- jured and unconscious. ATTENDED TO AT HOME. JOHN ROTTENBURG, Maesteg; injured wrist, slight. ATTENDED TO AT THE RESIDENCE OF DR. EVAN EVANS. Dr. DOUGIxAS REID, Tenby; serious injuries to head and hack. FIRST AND SECOND CARRIAGES. Photographed by Charles Pascoe. — CASES AT SWANSEA. Private SAVAGE, 30th Shropshire Regiment, Pembroke Dock, who received injuries to the head and hand. ARTHUR BAKER, 42, Dudley-road, New Brigh- ton; serious injuries to the back. WILLIAM ISIAH DAVIES, or DAWS, whose address is unknown, sustained a com- pound fracture of the small bones of the leg, and his case is very grave. He is not expectcd to recover. THOMAS JONES, Lampeter, aged 23, injuries to the legs, not serious. THOMAS FINN, engine driver, 10, Melrose- street, Cadoxton-Barry, head, arm, and leg hurt. A. ANSTAY, aged 50, landlord of the Bird-in- Hand Inn, Morriston; dislocation of the shoulder. MARGARET THOMAS, aged 20, Llandyesnl; fractured left leg, not serious. WILLIAM EVANS, aged 41, Ton-row, Ton Pentre; injuries to leg. ANDRE RENARD, a French waiter, Tenby, injuries to the head and leg, not serious. Miss CHURCHWARD, Woking, Surrey; slight injuries. MURIEL CLAXTON, aged 16, who was travel- ling with her little sister; fractured collar-bone, not eerious. W. G. MATTHIAS, Laurie Cottage, Tenby, arm cnt by glass, not serious. Miss Churchhouse, of Woking, Surrey, the two Misses Claxton. of Crawley, Sussex, and Mr Francis, butcher, of Swansea, were all travelling in the next carriage to the engine. This was splintered to matchwood by fall- ing over the embankment and by being crushed between the other carriages.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. A prominent railway official explained that it was the 10.35 corridor express ex Milford, and, being Monday, the number of passengers was larger than on other days of the week. There was no stop from Carmarthen to Llanelly, and the next stop was at Landore. An assisting engine was, as usual, attached to the front of the train at Llanelly in order I to negotiate the long Cockett gradient. The leading engine was of the saddle tank type, while the express locomotive was a splen- did heavy four-wheel coupled bogey, the Mon- treal, one of the torpedo type which the com- pany have adopted for their heavy traffic from Paddington to Milford. The train left Llanelly platform at 1.10 p.m., five minutes late. As the scene of the accident is about three miles away. it is estimated that the speed obtained could not have been in excess of 25 miles an hour. It was also pointed out that the line at the scene of the accident is the straightest length of metals between Loughor and Milford, while the whole of the permanent way of this section has been recently re-laid with heavy metals and sleepers and is thoroughly consolidated. These considerations make the cause of the catastrophe still more inexplicable, and the most feasible theory is that the weight of the second engine and train, with its ever increasing impetus, was too great a strain on the lighter assisting engine, which jumped the rails, and thns caused the mischief. The inevitable Board of Trade inquiry will probably elucidate the mystery. The scene of the disaster when our Car- marthen representative arrived was awesome. All the killed and injured had been removed, and the uninjured passengers had proceeded on their journey. But there was a great crowd of sightseers, and an army of break- down railwaymen were walking in methodical fashion among the debris. The banker engine was a complete wreak and on its side across the down line, while the Montreal was still on. the embankment on the upside, but with its tender smashed into endless shapes. On one side of the slone. clear of the embank- ment, was an overturned coach, splintered to hit-s. and two coaches filled up the slope on the other side. The whole of the space on the embankment for about 80 yards was ploughed up. and the telescoped carriages and piles of eplinters made the scene a, very impreesive one. It wae quite obvious that the eight immediately after the derailment must have been a most gruesome one, for the fate. i THE WRECKED TRAIN. THE WRECKED TRAIN. (SKETCHED BY OUR OWN ARTIST.) ¡- less conglomeration of wood and ironwork must have held their victims very securely. Several heartrending scenes were witnessed. An injured man, named lioltenbury, had come on the previous day from Maesteg to Llallelly to bury a son, and was returning with his wife and two surviving children. When the collapse came Rottenbury very pluckily, and with remarkable presence of mind, unselfishly put his wife out of the car- riage! and gently threw the two children through the window on to the grass on the embankment. The two were uninjured, but R-c/iTeabury sustained a rather nasty injury to the ribs.
WAS THERE A SUBSIDENCE OF…
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
WAS THERE A SUBSIDENCE OF THE LINE? Mr. John Rees, the divisional superinten- dent, was asked at the scene of the ditiatter on Tuesday afternoon by one of our repre- sentatives whether he could advance any theory as to the cause of the accident. "One cannot say," was Mr. Rees's non- committal reply. "It has been suggested over and over again," observed out reporter, "that the pres- sure from the express engine caused the light banker engine to jump the metals?" "That is not so," Mr. Uses answered. "The banker engine weighs 45 tons, and it is not reasonable to assume that it jumped the rails in the way suggested." "Then you, Mr. E-ees, do not agree with that theory?" "No; as I have said, one cannot say how the accident happened. We have here a per- fectly level and straight piece of line, and one cannot really say what caused the acci- dent." Mr. Rees's statement seems to dispose of the "jumping" theory, but. nevertheless, the fact remains that the rank and file of the com- pany's servants cling to it as the probable cause of the accident. A new suggestion has been advanced, however, and one which no doubt, will gain considerable credence. This is that the accident was due to a subsi- dence. Point is given to this by the reeollec- tiou that a large part of the embankment at the place where the calamity occurred W38 washed away by the serious flood of a couple of years ago, and that as a result the em- bankment hereabouts was composed of new earth. It is further stated that there are old colliery workings contiguous to the rail- way at this spot, so that when these two factors are borne isn mind the subsidence theory is certainly brought within the sphere of possibility. Working railwaymen stated tha.t it would not require a very considerable subsidence to have caused the disaster.
INTERVIEWS WITH PASSENGERS.!
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
INTERVIEWS WITH PASSENGERS. GRAPHIC STOHY BY COLONEL GOOD EVE. One of the travellers by the train was Colonel Goodeve, who will be remembered by artillerymen, Regular and Auxiliary, in South Wales as having been for some years the officer commanding the Severn Defences- In that position he frequently visited Cardiff, and was on very friendly therms with the late Sir Edward Hill, K.C.B., M.P. Having retired from the Army, he now lives at Ivy Tower, about three miles from Tenby, and was on a journey to London when the accident happened. It was in tha Royal Hotel, at Cardiff, that one of our reporters found him. He said. "We left Llanelly about two minutes after one o'clock on Monday afternoon. About twenty minutes later we found that some- thing had gone wrong. The carriage in which I was, a corridor one, began to rock violently, and the passengers were hurled about in all directions. It was clear that the carriage had left the track." "Wbat part of the train were you in?" "There were two engines, one, I under- stand being a bank engine, and the carriage in which I was was next to that engine." "Well, what happened next?" "After we got about 50 or 60 yards we found that we were brought to a dead stop on the side of an embankment, and almost parallel with the engine, but about ten feet lower. It appears to me that the couplings must have broken, and ours was pitched head foremost against a bank at the bottom LIFTING THE FRAMEWORK OF ONE OF THE CARRIAGES, ji of a rising hill. This brought us to a dead stop, and the whole front of the carriage in which I was riding was smashed up. The foro part of my own compartment was wrecked, but the damage did not reach the side upon which I was sitting. Then I saw on a still lower level, opposite to the com- partment in which I was, another carriage, which had turned over partly on its side. Just at that moment there was a rush of steam which almost blinded us, and the women who were in our carriage commenced to scream. Every effort was made to allay their fears, and when the steam cleared away a little we could see that we could get out of the window, and get upon the carriage VIEWED FBOM LOUGHOR STATION. which had turned over just below us. We saw that the women were removed first, nearly all of whom were more or less injured, but so far as I could see not fatally so." "I suppose that the excitement at this time was very great?" suggested the pressman. I "It was," came the reply, "but it was nothing to what we had to experience later. One or two of those who had sustained the more severe injuries, such as broken limbs, were left behind until further help could be obtained. They wero safe for the time, and wo might have done more harm in attempt- ing to remove them than by allowing them to remain. "How many were in your compartment?" "Seven or eight." "You seemed to have had a marvellous escape?" "Yes, I only had a slight cut across the nose. Most of the others were bleeding badly, some from the head, while others evidently had received bodily injuries." "Sew, I understand you got out from your carriage on to the other which was on a lower level, and which had partly turned over?" "Several got out in that way, myself among the number. The more agile ones climbed down the embankment, but I waited until nme steps were brought. A friend of mine, I may mention, was riding in the same train —Dr. Reid, of Tenby. He was a good bit cut about the head, and went away somewhere. He was in the next compartment to me towards the rear, but the train being of the corridor description, we walked to and fro." "Now, I am afraid, we are coming to the worst of it. What took place when you got clear from the wrecked carriages?" "Yes, you are right. It was, indeed, a ter- rible scene. What with the hysteria of the women and the groans of the dying it was a scene which was to the last degree sadden- ing. One man, who was in the same carriage a scene which was to the last degree sadden- ing. One man, who was in the same carriage as myself, only lived five or eix minutes after he wa-s brought out. As a matter of fact, he never spoke after he was brought out. He appeared to be smashed up altogether, so that it was impossible for me to say what his injuries were. So far as I could gather, most of the killed were in the first coaches." IX BOTTT THESE COMPARTMENTS THE OCCUI'IIiES SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. How many coaches were there on the train?" "I believe the number was eight. The two first ran down the embankment, three 'turned turtle: and three remained on the rails. My opinion is that the first engine was stopped as quickly as possible for some reason; that the second, with the weight of the load behind, was smashed up in a most marvellous way, and the two first carriages broke away. My idea is that the whole thing was due to a subsidence in the track." "Now, what assistance was there?" "In that respect the passengers were ratber I I unfortunate. Loughor is a little place, and it was an hour before any help came from there, and it was an hour and a half I before any assistance came from Swansea, which, I understand, is nine miles away. There was a doctor there, who rendered all the assistance he could in the meantime, but he could not attend to all."
A BRAVE GIRL.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
A BRAVE GIRL. Our reporter had thanked Colonel Goodevo for his information and left the room, when he was called back to receive one of the most interesting parts of the sad story. "I should have told you," said the co:onel, that all the passengers rendered every possible assistance. Among those was a fair-haired girl, who, badly hurt herself, did all she could to bring comfort to others. She remembered that she had some brandy in a small travelling-bag, and brought it out, and went round among the more severely wounded giving them mouthfuls of the liquid until the doctors arrived." Colonel Goodeve added that he saw the driver of one of the engines with his head across the rail and a wheel upon his neck. That, he added, was sufficient to unnerve anybody. The rails were torn up, and the end of one section was about 18ft. above the permanent way.
SWANSEA GENTLEMAN'S EXPERIENCE.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SWANSEA GENTLEMAN'S EXPE- RIENCE. By the same train which conveyed the injured to Swansea arrived several Swansea. gentlemen who had been in the train to which the accident had occurred. These included Mr. Francis, butcher, a well-known tradesman; and Mr. Haydn Evans, ooal merchant. Mr. Francis was somewhat injured, and showed signs of blood on his body. Mr. Evans said he came up from Llanelly by the train. It was very crowded. He was in a second-class carriage, with his back to the engine, and there happened to be only four persons in the carriage. The train, which had two engines on, had, apparently, reached its top speed-it must have been going 50 miles am hour-when suddenly there came a tremendous check to the speed. It was as if the train had left the rails, and was ploughing over obstacles on the side of the track. It must have gone 50 yards in the seoond or two it took to stop. He was pitched violently to the other side of the carriage, THE SECOND AND THIRD CARRIAGES. Photographed by Charles Pascoe. and, naturally, lost his head a bit. He never 'I realised what had happened, but the carriage did not turn over like some cf the others. As soon as he could he got out, and he should never forget the scene which met his gaze. The cries of the injured and the yells of others endeavouring to direct the rescue work were confusing. When the injured were got out it was a sickening sight. There were people with feet and legs, appa- rently, half off; others had deep gashes in their heads; and one man had a ear hamging almost off. There were a few splendid fellows in the train. In particular Mr. Evans admired the conduct of two of the soldiers. They did splendid work in smashing doors to get at the injured, and they evidently had had good experience of ambulance work. They got down doors and lifted people from the tops of the carriages There was a doctor present whom Mr. Evans I did not know—a traveller by the train. He I rendered splendid help, cutting up towels and all sorts of garments for bandages, and altogether did wonders in an emergency; but it was an awful wait. Aid seemed ter- ribly slow in arriving. Be (the narrator) was ou the spot, surrounded by agonising scenes, for quite an hour before they got the engine away. Dr. Abol David, Gowerton, was the first local doctor to arrive. Mrs. Williams, of Loughor, came immediately to the train, and assisted greatly in the relief work. The train was in an awful state. Three or four carriages seemed to be overturned. The second engine kept to the road, but not the rails. It seemed so far as Mr. Evans could judge to have jumped the line. Mr. Evans escaped with a severe shaking, but he, naturally, appeared to be highly nervous and excited.
COLONEL'S STORY.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
COLONEL'S STORY. Colonel Graines, of Tenby, who was travel- ling with his daughter, was one of the passen- ¡ gers in the third carriage of the train. He described his first sensations in the accident thus: Everything was being shaken up like a pea in a drum. Things were falling off the tracks, people were staggering about. The glass in the windows all smashed, and then f after a big jerk the carriage suddenly became still. We found we had run on to a slag heap at the side of the line. The first two carriages were toppled over on the engines. Someone opened the door from outside, then I we got out into a scene of the greatest confusion. Some things were very pitiful. There was a I poor girl wandering from carriage to car- riage asking, "Where's my dada; where's my dada?" I and the other people who had been in the same carriage knew that her father was mortally injured, but we could not tell her, and some of the ladies looked after her. She was afterwards takcn to Landore by a man who had two of his own children with him. I very much admired the gallant conduct of some gunners of the Field Artillery who had been riding in the train. As soon as the accident occurred they rushed to the assistance of the officials, and were of the greatest service in extrica- ting and attending to the wounded. Do you know what was the cause of the accident?—No, I do not, but it is a well- known fact that with two engines to a train one is liable to jump the line. The colonel concluded with a tribute to the railway officials near the accident for the promptitude with which they dealt with it. He was told that one survivor had suggested that the company might have sent the relief train earlier. The company did all they could," he said. "They sent the train as -soon as it was possible to do so."
SOMETHING CAME OYER HIM.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SOMETHING CAME OYER HIM. Mr. Willia-m Gcorga Math las, of Tenby, was interviewed by our representative. He left Tenby, he so id, by train at eleven o'clock. Everything went all right till they got about a mile and a half from Loughor. He was in a third-class carriage which was occuri-pd by several others. As to what happened he had not the (slightest idea. "I felt something come over me," he c'n. tinued. "The carriage rocked. I saw women jumising on their feet and gla^s falli g around me. I thought I had stumbled over something that had fallen from the carriage. Our carriage did not fall over the lin- the same as the others. I stumbled out the best I could. It was a crowded train. At Carmarthen the people could not find places in it. I got one lady out. I do not know whether I am injured or not. I got a bump on the head, and I must have had a blow there. Colonel Goodeve. of Tenby, was in the train, and also Mr. Collingdon, whom I knew."
CARDIFF M\N'S THRILLING STORY
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
CARDIFF M\N'S THRILLING STORY Mr. James Turner, of 12, Corporation-road. Cardiff, was one of the passengers in the ill- fated train, and when he reached Cardiff he gavo ono of our representatives a graphic description of his experiences. He sa'd: "I was in the fourth carriage from the engine, and we left Llanelly soon after one. W.thin ha'.f a mile of Loughor Station I suddenly felt the carriage give a jump. This was followed by a bigger jump. Up I sprang from the seat, and said, 'By Jove, there's a collision.' Then I felt the carriage was shutting up like a concertina. and with that sprang to the side and jumped clean through the window and fell about twelve or fourteen feet. As soon as I looked up I eaw the carriage go over the line and rush down over the embankment. I got up and heard a terrible yell, For God's sake, help me.' Looking round I saw a gentleman who was afterwards recognised as the Rev. J R. Phillips, of Pontygwaith, lying under a beam. He had his thigh broken. I caught him by the collar and dragged him out, and thus saved him from immediate death, for directly afterwards the carriage in which he travelled collapsed. "I got away the best I could, and made the rev. gentleman as comfortable as possible. and he then collapsed. I found that he had ,r also received a severe blow on the head. "During this time there was a dead silence, and those who escaped seemed thoroughly cool. The execution was horrible, and what with those killed and injured the scenes were most heartrending. "It was an hour and three-quarters before any train brought relief, and this is not to the credit of the Great Western Railway Company. No one can conceive," Mr. Turner ex- claimed, "the state the wreckage was in- some of it one side. some of it another. The whole line was blocked, and the line was ripped up for about 150 yards. There v-ere a number of poor fellows under the wreckage—I it was a crowded train—and I caw the engine- driver lying dead, with his body jammed in the remains of the engine." How did the accident occur?" Well, it's my opinion that the tender of the first engine collapsed. Then this acted: like a buffer for the minute and stopped the: second engine, and then the carriages coming j behind were piled up over the second engine. and tender. One engine went down ovc-r the bank, andtheother was left standing on the line. The first two carriages were turned right over into the engine, the third carriage was smashed up, and the fourth carriage—which I was in-went down the embankment. Some people think that the line collapsed, but it seems to me if that bad been so all the carriages in the accident would have slid down the bank. Of course, the people in the back of the train were not hurt at all."
SCENE BAFFLED DESCRIPTION.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SCENE BAFFLED DESCRIPTION. A thrilling account of the accident was on the pay-staff in South Africa, and has given by Mr. Richard Smith, who was on his way from Pembroke Dock to Wednesbury, in Staffordshire. Mr. Smith has served five years only recently returned to this country. Since his return he has been staying at Pembroke Dock, where his wife is now residing, and, being granted leave of absence, was on his way to see his mother, who resides in King- street, Wednesbury. Mr. Smith was accom- panied by his two children, a boy and girl. "The run from Pembroke to Llanelly," he said to our representative. was a splendid one. We had two engines, and the train, which had a full complement of passengers, made excellent time. I was in the second carriage from the engine. It was a saloon carriage, and in my compartment were four ladies, my two children, and my- self. We started from Llanelly punctually, and had not proceeded far before we heard a most peculiar grating noise. At first we could not imagine the cause, and for a moment the noise ceased. A minute later, however, the noise was resumed, and the carriage in which we were travelling turned over on its side. 'A collision,' shouted someone in the car- riage, and immediately there were scenes which it is impossible for me to adequately describe. The women in my compartment simply lost their heads. They shouted in a hysterical fashion, and implored everyone at random to save them from death. "Personally," continued Mr. Smith, "I quickly grasped what had happened. Seeing the carriage was on its side I smashed the windows, which were then above me, lilted out my two children, and placed them in positions of safety, and then turned my attention to the women occupants in the same compartment. With difficulty they were got out on to the permanent way. Here the scenes almost baffled description. One man, who was in the same carriage as I was, sustained shocking injuries, and I guessed when I assisted him out of the window that he was mortally hurt I understand that he died shortly afterwards. A little girl came running along from carriage to carriage, crying, 'Where's my daddy? Where's my daddy?' It was the dying man who was sought by the little one. We pac;fied the girl as well as we could, and, at the request of the railway authorities, I took charge of her until she reached Landore, whither she was bound. A woman in the same compartment bound for Devonport, suffered very badly from chock, but after a time was able to proceed ou her journey as far as Cardiff. Another woman was cut about in a fearful manner. My two children sustained more or less serious injuries, and, as you will see, I was badly out on my right hand and bruised on my head. The sights of rescue, the groans of the wounded, and the removal of the bodies are scenes which I shall never forget. I should like to add a word of praise to the medical gentlemen, who were simply indefatigible in their efforts on behalf of the injured."
PASSENGERS TERROR-STRICKEN.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
PASSENGERS TERROR-STRICKEN. Speaking to our representative, Mr. Wilkins (chairman of the Llanelly Urban District Council), who was a passenger by the train, said that he oould give no explanation of what had occurred. That was for the rail- way authorities to do. All that he knew was that when the train was rattling along at a good speed he felt a sudden shock, and a moment later ho knew that the train had a moment later ho knew that the train had left the track and was crushing through the slags on the embankment. He was thrown from his seat, and some flying timber crushed his leg. But this was not seriious. He added that the scene which pre^nted itself to him as he got out of the train was one to him as he got out of the train was one that he would never forget. The pa?«engers. like himself, were all terror-stricken, and the plight of the ladies was pitiable in the extreme. He spoke in high terms of the kind- ness of the railway officials, and could not find words to express his appreciation of the splendid work done by the medical men, who rose to the terrible emergency in a way thai was splendid to see.
A SCRAMBLE THROUGH THE BROKEN…
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
A SCRAMBLE THROUGH THE BROKEN WINDOWS. A gentleman travelling to Bath with hia wife and family and servants says;—"We joined the train at Carmarthen, starting twenty minutes late. The train did not stop at Penibrey, as u&ual. On arriving between Bynea and l-oughor we felt a sudden shock. The train stopped temporarily and then pro- ceeded for a carriage length. Cur speed then was about 50 miles an hour. Instanta- neously all was confusion, screams, and noise. Fortunately, none of us were hurt, only bruised and shaken. I jumped out and went towards my servants, who were in a compart- ment at the rear They were uninjured and had scrambled out through the broken windows." Among the first to arrive Oil the scene were Mr. and Mrs. Williams, of the Yspitty Tin- works, who, together wuh Mr. Pugh and Mr. Wiliiams. orougbt down bottles of brandy, &c. To Mr. Williams's residence a good many injured were taken, and bedroom accommoda- tion was placed at their disposal. Too much praise cannot be given to the authorities at the St. David's Tinworks, Yspitty, who placed their telephonic and tele- graphic communication at the disposal of the post-office and the prc:-s, the railway linea having been completely destroyed.
OCCUPANTS OF THE FIRST CAR-j…
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
OCCUPANTS OF THE FIRST CAR- RIAGE INTERVIEWED. Our Swansea representative met and con- versed with several persons at Swansea who were in the very tiret carriage of the train- one which split up like matchwood and went down the embankment at the side. In a com- partment in this carriage were Miss Church. ward, of Woking, Surrey, who had been stay- ing with her sisier, .Mrs. Saunders, wife of Dr. Saunders, in Pembrokeshire. Also two little orphan girls, Muriel and Dorothy Claxton, of Crawley, Suitex. They had been staying at Tenby, and v.ere proceeding homewards. Mr. T. Francis, cattle dealer, of Swansea, waa in the same carriage, but in the next com- partment. They had marvellous escapes, for all except the cider Miss Claxton (who sustained a fractured clavicle) were practi- cally uninjured. Mr. Francis was seen by our representative after he had gone home and washed the blood from some nasty little cute on the left side of his head and face. He asked where the little girls were, as he promised to take them to his home in Swan- sea, and supply them with what, they wanted for their journey, but he had lost them. "It was a terribie affair," said Mr. Francis. "Our carriage was -smashed to pieces. After we felt the first bump we must have gone rocking and bumping along for nearly 100yds., dcring which time we were falling against and bumping each other fearfully. Then, apparently, the couplings of our carriage must have broken. The second engine went OIL the line to the right, and our carriage and the next one went on, as it were, into the place the second engine had occupied, and lay there side by side. I got up from where I had fallen, and scrambled through the win- dow, which was above that of the carriage next to it. I had to climb over the next carriage. The hot steam from the engine had filled cur carriage, and at the same time there were flying cinders and splinters showered upon us, cutting, ad it were, into our scalps. I got out, as I say, and I must say it was a terrible sight that met my gaze. The injured people seemed in terrible agony, and what the railway people were doing for about an hour and a half after the accident I cannot make out. It was a scandalous j shame." Jiiss Churchward and the two little Misses Claxton were taken to the Swansea Hospi- tal by Superintendent LillJ, and were not detained. They afterwards went to the Grand Hotel. Miss Churchward snid the car- riage seemed to go to splinters around them, and then there were splinters of wood driven against their heads. She escaped from the carriage without further injury. She lost her purse and some other thing3.
THE REV. FULLER MILLS' STORY.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
THE REV. FULLER MILLS' STORY. The Rev. A. Fuller Mills, when seen by our Carmarthen representative at the hospital, was evidently in great agony. His leg had been fractured and terribly lacerated below the knee. He had just been visited by Dr. R. G. Price, Carmarthen, and seemed quite pleased to see another familiar face. He said he could not then attempt to describe what happened. "It was too terrible," he said. "I was on the gras.5 for a .cry long time witbout assistance, and my poor leg was in pieces. I am very thankful that it was not worse, though." "Can you see my coat?" asked Mr. Mills, who was lying in a cot among several other ca.«oo. Our representative made a- search under the bed. where he found the patient's clothes care- fully packed together. They were covered with blood, and torn. He wanted to know whether papers about which he was anxious v-ere in his pocket. These were missing, and Mr. Mills remarked: "Ah! well, they have g-.nr, I suppose, like my bag and other things. I don't know where they can be. The whole thing has been too terrible to think of."
SCREAMS AND CRASH OF GULSS.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SCREAMS AND CRASH OF GULSS. The Misses Farley, of Tenby, who were passengers by the ill-fated train, were seen on Monday evening at Pantmawr, Whit- church, the residence cf Mr. and Mrs. Davies, who are related to them, and with whom they are making a short stay, having specially travelled up from Tenby for that purpose. The young ladies were naturally much perturbed, although they were able to give an intelligent account of their expe- rience and miraculous escape. Asked to describe the scene, Miss Farley said it was impossible. She never witnessed such a thing—women with their arms through their blouses cut and bleeding; men cut on the face and head, with their clothes and shirts saturated with bleod, and. above all, the cries and groans of those who had been more severely injured, and of those who were dying. "Ah!" she said. in conclusion, "the scene is one I cannot describe, and is one wuich I tru?t. it will not be my lot to again witness. I have to thank my sister and my friends for my life. If we travelled in the compartment into which first entered we should both have been killed."
A FEARFUL SIGHT.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
A FEARFUL SIGHT. Mr. Samuel, an articled pupil to a firm of surveyors and architects, gave our Llanelly representative a graphic account of the occur- rence :— T was standing in a corridor of the express with Mr. Wade when all of a sudden the train dropped on to the permanent way from the metals. It crunched along for a few yarde, and then came to a sudden standstill. All who were in the corridor were thrown to the ffround. Our compartment threatened to topple over on its side, and as soon as I recovered myself I got out and found a terri- ble scene. The first engine had turned com- pletely round, and was a mass of ruin, while the coaches had been crushed to pieces. The Montreal was off the metals, but it stood fairly entire, but its tender was a shapeless mass. We found the vody of the driver of the banker engine under the wheels of the express engine, death having been, happily, instantaneous in his case. The lot of the passengers was piti- able in the extreme, and I could not help feeling sorry for the ladies, some of whom were in the la-~t stage of prostration, although they had not sustained any bodily hurt. I was carrying with me some of my instruments, including a drawing board, rulers, scales. Ac..These were promptly utilised a<s splints for the service of the in- jured onec, and I was glad that they should come in useful in such an emergency."
SAW FOUR DEAD.
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
SAW FOUR DEAD. Mr. John W. Williams, a well-known Aber- gavenny gentleman, was returning there from a fortnight's holiday at his home in New Milford. He was in the fifth carriage, sitting facing the engine, and said the only sensation he had was that of being pitched violently against the passengers opposite. He soon got out, and found the first, or "bank- ing," engine was off the track. The second engine remained on the metals, with the tender upside down. The first carriage went off to the riglit, the second to the left. The third was tipped up, with its nose on the ground, and the fourth left the rails, but was not upset, whilst the fifth and sixth remained upright. The driver of the first engine was literally cut to pieces. He esti- mated that quite 50 were injured, whilst he himself saw four dead. He did what he could to help, and paid a, high tribute to the con- duct of several women, amongst w-om were two young girls, who proved to be the daugh- ters of Alderman Farley, of Tenby.
CARDIFF PROFESSOR'S NARRA.…
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
CARDIFF PROFESSOR'S NARRA. TIVE. Professor Hepburn (Cardiff), in the course of an interview, paid a high tribute to the work of the doctors on the scene and two nurses who happened to be on the train. He stated that he was returning home from Aberystwyth with his wife and two chLdren, We were travailing third class," he sa.id, and were to have gone into one of the front carriages, but somehow or other I was not satisfied about my luggage, and went to see aftsr it. Then when we were ready to ioin them we found all the carriages full, with the exception of a second class at the rear of the train. Into this we got, and found as cur fellow-passengers a lady and her baby, an infant of about six months, and a nurse and her husba-nd. "The first warning I had of something wrong was a portmanteau falling on my head, and then I was thrown forward, my h-xi-d striking the lady sitting in front of me. Then in an instant, ere we had time to think, we were all sprawling on the floor. We all got up as best we cou'd, and I then looked out of the window. The sight that met my gaze was such as to stun any man. It was an indescribable scene. Vision seemed blurred, and above the CONTINUED ON PAGE 8.