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EPITOME OF NEWS.

AGRICULTURE. -

THE CHILDREN OF THE AGRICULTURAL…

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TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT…

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. As appalling occurrence took place at Bruton, on Wednesday night which has spread consternation throughout the district. Bruton stands on the Wilts, Somerset, ana Weymouth branch of the Great Western system of railways, and its station is a few hundred yards out of the town, on the Wincanton-road This road is crossed by the railway by a bridge, distant about two hundred yards from the station and about one hundred yards from the goods shed. The embank- ments are steep, and the road has the appearance of a deep ravine. It was at this point that the terrible accident which we now report took place. The last train due at Bruton is the 8.42 down train to Weymouth, and on this occasion the train had to convey a track of goods. For this purpose the switches opening to the goods shed and the goods siding were opened, but they were not closed, and hence the catastrophe which followed. The points- man was one James Andrews, and after opening the switches for the goods truck he engaged in conversation with his wife, who had just come up, and he negleoted to re-close the switches for the main line. About ten o'clock a ballast train ran into the Bruton-station at high speed —it is said forty miles an hoar. Andrews, unmindful that he had left open the switches, signalled all right." The train, a heavy one of thirteen trucks, all loaded, dashed on, but the driver, finding that he was in the goods shed, and not on the main line, sounded the break whistle, and in such a way as to send a thrill of alarm throughout the town. Following close upon the whistle came an appalling ciash, and almost the whole of the train was precipitatel into the road or abyss we have named, carrying with it tbe abutment of the siding, half of the embankment, and literally propelling a trucls loaded with flour clean across the road to the bottom of the steep embankment on the opposite side of the road, a distance from point to point of thirty-eight yards. The shrieking of the break whistle and the awful crash which followed had prepared the townspeople for some great disaster, and they were soon making towards the station. The scene they saw there will never be forgotten. The engine lay against the wall hissing, the tender lay on the top of it, and trucks broken and crushed were heaped literally to the top of the bridge parapet, so that the road was actually filled with the wreck of the ballast train. Very soon the timber work became ignited, and this only added to the terrible character of the scene. What to attempt to do the horror-stricken crewd did not know, but in a short time a messenger was dispatched on horseback to Frome; the town fire-engine was brought out to extinguish the flames, and the telegraph was set to work up and down the line. The spectators were at a loss as to the real extent of the calamity, in the matter of loss of life, but they found that in the break-van were seven persons, some of whom had been asleep, and had not the road been so blocked up by the preceding trucks, they would inevitably have been precipitated down the embank- ment. After some time it was discovered that some poor fellow was endeavouring to extricate himself from the débris, and with assistance he speedily got out. He proved to be one of the two guards of the train, and, remarkable to say, had a wooden leg. Although in the next truck to the engine he escaped with only a few slight bruises. On searching among the ruins the other guard was found, and he, too, had providentially escaped with slight bruises and several severe scalds. From the guards it was learnt that the only missing persons were the engine-driver and stoker, but the spec- tators were powerless to attempt to discover these poor fellows. It was not till three o'clock next morn- ing that assistance arrived, when an engine conveyed Mr. Mitchein, the station-master at Frome, and several of the railway officials there. As speedily as possible the engine was got to work. It was, however, a long time before either of the poor fellows was discovered; but at ten o'clock the body of the stoker was found, still grasping the whistle which he had sounded in vain, and he was much mangled and scalded. There was as yet no sign of the engine-driver, who it was known would be somewhere beneath the engine. The men recommenced work with great earnestness, and at three o'clock the tender was removed from its posi- tion on the top of the engine-it had been previously discovered that the poor fellow lay beneath the cone, as his feet were protruding. There was still, however, hard work to be done; but in about half an hour the body was extricated, and the result sent a painful thrill through every one of the large concourse assembled. As his unfortunate fellow was, so was he conveyed subsequently into the town, to the Blue Boar Hotel, a large and sympathising crowd following. His body was found to be not much mangled, and it had all the appearance of his having been crushed to death. The pointsman was taken into custody early in the morning by Inspector Morrison, of the Great Western Railway police. Both the deceased men were young, and both are married. The guards are progressing favourably.

GREAT FIRE IN SOUTHW ARK.

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The Bridge. j

Mrs. Brown visits the West-end.

Denmark Avenged.

A Fat-al Objection.

Sound Reasoning.

THE FRIEND OF THE CLERGY C0:8PO-1…

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THE ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN…