APPALLING ACCIDENT.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 20 April 1881, Page 2

APPALLING ACCIDENT.

Just Is the people were rushing from the course with the excitement usuaron such occasions, traffic became suddenly locked, and the word was passed along tbe line that the bridge ahead^had fallen in, completely overturning Harris' heavy foofhouse waggon* and entombing some fifteen or twenty, men, women, and children, in four feet of water. A general rush was made to tbe spot, and tbe scene which there presented itself was truly heartrending. The waggon was a large one, and covered in with a strong canvas tilt, so that when tbe capsizi took place no one escaped — all being carried over bodily and buried in the mud and water. When assistance first arrived little more tban the wbeels of the upturned waggon could be seen, the shaft horse* lying against tbe steep-bank kicking and floundering terribly, Thirty or forty men plunged at once into the wafer, and endeavoured to lift up tbe side of tbe waggon, so as to get at tho unfortunate people within. Others, many of them husbands and relatives of those within, dived down^frantically,? and reappeared with abalfsdrowned woman or child. The confusion and excitement of the occasion was inconceivable. It was really impossible for even the most cool and collected bystanders to know what to do or direct for the best. On one side the slimy planking of the bridge lay at an angle of 45 ° to the waggon, and on all other sides there was fourj or.five feet of water, with a treacherous bottom of soft mud which prevented anyone from stand* ing in one position for a second without the risk of sinking out'of sight. In spi te howeyer of this scores of, willing persons plunged in to lendjassistance/only to find however that they increased the; awful difficulties of thejoccasion by having to lean upon tbe waggou in order to save themselves from drowning. In the midst of this terrible and agonising scene some frantic husband or mother would dash into the water with wild shrieks for a lost child, but all this only rendered real aid the more difficult. A few persons, however, who maintained their k presence of mind, kept steadily at work, and cutting off such portions of the reins as could be pulled from the kicking and plunging borses, for there was no rope about, they made fast to one of the wheels, and a number of hands bending on, managed to raise one side of the waggon so as to enable those within to get their heads above water, and a man named George Steven' son courageously dived under and pulled the drowning occupants out, when they were removed to tbe banks. All this time the men bauled at the waggon, and by tbe lime the last of the unfortunate people had been rescued, it had been palled over on to its side. Here another wild scene arose. Many of the children and women as they were rescued got placed on opposite bonks of the creek,

and the most heartrending screams were given for those supposed to be still under the waggon or bridge, or buried in the mud. Men again dashed into the water and felt about for the supposed missing ones, but of course, without avail While all this was going on active search was made for' Harris, the driver, who was supposed to be still under the head of the waggon, but the shaft horses laying on their sides against a steep bank, kicked and plunged terribly, rendered it difficult and dangerous to approach them. However they were ultimately released,, when Harris* hand was seen sticking up, but it was some seconds before the body could be extricated. It was conveyed on to the bank, and being still warm, hopes were entertained of re* storing animation, and with this object in view every effort was made to keep the body warm. Dr Thorpe had left half an hour previously for Reefton and a messenger was despatched for him, bnt upon his arrival he pronounced life to be extinct. About a. hundred persons re« mained on the scene until the doctor's |atrif aX As to^ejHHtee of the accident, icniwn; bridge was about twenty feet 'span, and supported by two parallel stringers of about twelve or fifteen' inches in diame« ter, which, if sound, should carry the weight. Harris was one of the first to leave the course, having in the waggon five women, some eight or ten children and a number of men. Harris was leading down the narrow road leading to the Buller road, behind him came Tarry's four-horse coach, heavily laden whh passengers, and atter thntja long string of vehie'es. Suddenlyj a wild agonising scream rent the air, and looking in the direction of the bridge the waggon was seen to roll completely over, a heavy pplash followed instantly suppressing the scream?, and then followed the narrow* ing scene we 'hare attempted to describe. Through the breaking of the bridge no horses or vehicles could get off the course, and everybody had to walk to town. Bad as the accident was, it is a miracle that it did not end still more tragically. An inquest upon tbe^body'of John Harris was held before Mr Revell, at Gallagher's yesterday, when a verdict of Accidental Death was returned.