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RAILWAY DISASTER AT LOUGHOR.
RAILWAY DISASTER AT LOUGHOR. Mail Express Leaves the Rails. Twenty Persons Killed and Injured Narrow Escapes Stories of the Survivors, West Wales was thrilled with ooignsnt sensations on Monday afternoon, when the dreadful news became public that a railway disaster, attended with results fortunately rare in this part of the Principality, bad shocked the quaint little town of Longnor with terrible suddenness. The mail express due to leave Milford at 10.35, and passing through Llanelly at 1.5, had proceeded with- out incident to a point just past Liandilo junction, and nearing Loughor railway bridge, when by some as yet unexplained mishap, the entire train went off the rails, and the two engines in front were precipi- tated down the embankment near oy, and the whole string of carriages were over- turned. The shrieks and cries of the terri- fied passengers were appalling. The engine- driver and two others—whose identity bad not transpired at time of writing this—were killed outright, the former being almost cut in two. Intimation of the calamity was quickly flashed from Longhor to Swansea, and break- down gangs despatched in hot haste. At the same time every doctor in the surrounding districts was summoned to the spot, Llanelly being very largely drawn upon, and this alone sufficed t-o tell the public that a cisas- ter of most serious import had occurred. Im- mediately vehicles of every conceivable description were chartered by anxious ones at Llanelly, and to help swell the number a "special" left Landore at about 2 o'clock bearing assistance in every possib1-s fcrm, and for the purpose of bringing back the \iotims. For it was officially reported very shortly after the accident that 14 pas- Bengcrs had bo<?n gravely injured. That there was unhappily ground for this apprehension was proved by the requisition in almost feverish haste of every obtainable stretcher in the district between Swansea and Llanelly. The entire district speedily rang with the grim news, and the sensat" an created was intensely painful. The au- thorities at Swansea Hospital received inti- mation about half-past two that the institu- tion's resources would be severely taxed (junurp the dav. It was stattxl that the dri- ver of the front engine had his head com- ptetely torn from the trunk. CROWDS OF ANXIOUS FRIENDS AND I RELATIVES. The greatest excitement reignad at High- street G.W.R. Station, Swansea, when the news arrived of the disaster and that three persons were killed and fifteen injured. Break-down gangs were at once telegraphed for and despatched from Neath, Llanelly and Swansea, and several of the heads of depart- ments went with the Swansea special, which was at once sent off. Mr. W. R. Fortune, of the General and Accident Department, had charge on the piriforms of all the arrange- ments relative to the reception of the injured by the special train which left Landore at 2 35, and there were preseut Inspector West. P.Co's (100) Fox. (107) Francis. (78) Tucker, and (53) Headon, who had with them the police horse ambu- lance and the hand ambulances. A large crowd had assembled, but few gained ad- mittance to the piatfonfis, which were zeal- ously guarded. The information brought a curious and anxious multitude to High- street Station, some of whom had a personal interest in the sad occurrence. Tho wildest rumours were afloat before the arriva1 (.f the train, one being that half the train was derailed, two coaches telescoped, and four people kilted and 40 injured. At the de- parture platform most of the public were marshalled in a state of acute suspense and anxiety. At 3.15 there was no sign of the casualty train's arrival, and the information was vouchsafed by an official that it had not left Loughor. At 3.20 another semi-official statement was circulated that seven coaches had been derailed, the two hrit of which were piled up on top of each other; that the engine and tender was wreckcd, and that owing to a telegraph pole being knocked over communi..it.on by wire to the scene cf the accident was interrupted. The police c' force had by this time been considerably augmented, and more people thronged the station in the fear that several Swansea folks were among the killed. It was elicited from relative that Mr. Barnardo Chalk, of Man- se! -terrace, Swansea, was a passenger, and the wife of Mr. Phillips, the chief goods in- spector, was also on the train. Ths fact that many Swansea travellers constantly used the train added greatly to the anxiety depicted on the features of all present. At 3.25 came the news that the casualty train had left Loughor, and simultaneously a tele- gram received by Mr. G. C. Chalk stated that Mr Barnardo Chalk had escaped unhurt. BRINGING IN THE INJUEXD. The Chief Constable arrived at twenty to four, at which time the departure platform, and especially the outward end, was a mass of humanity. Here and there relatives flitled with enquiries, amongst them being Mr. W. Llovd, Promenade, Swansea, whose urother was expected from Carmarthen. Then the train arrived, and a rush was made to No. 6 Platform. In the two vans at the rear were two officials and the eight injured who had been brought to Swansea. Amidst the great- est excitement the stretchers were got ready, and willing hands helped out the rirst- case, apparently a bad one, a rather stout man with terrible injuries to his head, hands and feet. He was wheeled off without a moment's delay; and then came another, a slight, deathly pale young fellow, with a hole in the back of the head. Moaning piteously, he was put in the horse ambulance. At this moment a man, who had been apparently slightly hurt, and had travelled in the or- dinary compartment, became delirious, and yelling at the top of his voice, ran down the platform with Sergt- Jones and a constable after him. He was caught a.t the station door and placed under restraint. Margaret Thomas, a pleasant-looking woman, with light wavy hair, was the ambulance s next pathetic burden, and she was followed by a distracted and hysteric friend. A little girl with a broken arm, and three women dis- hevelled and torn, but otherwise unhurt, came next; then Private Savage, of the King's Shropshi' Light Infantry, with a gashed head. The latter, although very much damaged, remarked humorously to an en- quirer that he had 'been in a \vOl'S" —— of a smash than this," but his cheerfulness was evidently forced. Wm. Evans, oi 11, Tc.n Row, Rhondda, was apparently badly hurt on the legs, but by far the worst case ap- peared to be A. Baker, a Liverpool comp"(-r- cial traveller, who was practically uncon- scious, and suffering from a smashed thigh and shock. Col. Goodeve, of Tenby, who was in one of the first cosines, rniraenbnidy escaped injury, and although covered vith mud and dirt. was able to leave for London later in the afternoon. Hp was unable to assign anv cause for the accident. Immedi- ately afterwards the injured were conveyed £ Swan.M Hospital with all speed, cabs being reqnisitioncd. The staff at .^gh-stTeet assisted bv bystanders, worked manfully and well, and'everything Humanly possible done. The Rev. A. Fuller Mills, who vas In the train, fortunatelv escaped serious in- jury. Onlv yesterday he told ms wire that he had "never yet been in a railway acci- dent. One of our special reporters, who arrived on the sc-me shortly after the occurrence, telephones:—The Great Western Railway Company have for some years enjoyed an im- munity from serious accidents on their South Wales system, but on Monday afternoon a terrible disaster occurred to the 10.40 ex- press from Milford to London, when about midway between Llandi!^ Junction and Loughor Bridge. The express had left Mil- for, as usual, and had two engines, seven coaches and a guard's van. The train stopped at Carmarthen and Llanelly, at both of which places passengers were taken up, and the journey continued. All went well until about a mile from Loughor station. The train was then travelling fast, but, according to some of the passengers, no: at any great speed. The line, however, at this spot is very straight for some considerable instance, and there is a low embankment for some two miles. The cause of the disaster is not known, but suddenly the carriages Jtnupcd and jarred, and the passengers of the three (rest coaches wero hurled over the Mabamkmeait. Those who were able to extii- csfce theasselvFs from the debris at once did j and than it coold be seem that the en- gkte had left the rails and turned ccm- plet-elv over-a wreck of iron-on to-the down line. The second engine retained the rails, but the first three coaches went clean over the embankment, one telescoping-the other. They were completely smashed, and so terrific was the wreck that they can-Fed the railway line with them over the embankment, the metals being twi-stea about like thin wire. The rernpining coaches and the guard's van fortu- nately kept the rails or embankment, and this no doubt caused the accident to be of a less serious nature than it actually is. In the meantime all was confusion the women particularly screamed and shrieked, whilst many of the men could be seen among the debris more or less seriously injured. It was impossible to ascertain at this stage whether any had been killed, but from the nature of the injuries it was evident that if not dead they could not long survive. In one case a man had his leg completely broken in three places, and in another a man had both ears completely cut off. A soldier of the Shropshire Regiment had received ter- rible wounds on the face, and it seemed as if one of his eyes had been destroyed. At four o'clock the body of the driver of the second engine (James Lloyd) was still under tti- locomotive, with a barricade of cushions concealing it from the view of the crowd. Immediately after the occurrence, the rail- way officials at Loughor Station promptly notified the authorities at Swansea and Llan- 's elly Hospitals that their assistance would be required, and medical aid was summoned from all the places adjacent. Drs. Mitchell, Fraser, Davies and others were on the scene quickly, and were assiduous in their atten- tion, and special trains, with the least amount of delay, were despatched with the worse wounded to Llanelly and Swansea. Fifteen were sent to the former hospital and eight to, the latter. So far as could be ascertained four persons were killed outright, sixteen were seriously injured, whilst between twenty and thirty others were not so badly hurt as to prevent them walking away. The first of the two engines was completely smashed, and looked little better than a pile of eld iron. The cause of the disaster can only be con- jectured. One theory is that the first en- gine jumped the rails, but this is deemed somewhat improbable, as at the spot there are no paints. Alore probable is it that a defec- tive or loose rail caused the left wheels of the locomotive to slip inside. Another sug- gestion is that the first locomotive suddenly collapsed and that the consequent violent impact of the second engine drove it off the rails. SWANSEA PASSENGER'S EXPERIENCE Mr. J. Hadyn Evans, Walter-road, Swan- sea, a passenger in the ill-fated train, made tLi-; following statement: I was in a second ciass compartment with three others. The t-tain was going at a fast rate, forty-five to Pity m;le¡; an hour. About a mile from the Loughor bridge, on the Llanelly side, there was a violent lurch. I was thrown against thr- passenger sitting opposite me, and all the luggage poured down upon us. Ours was the last of the coaches to leave the track. One of the men with me tried to jump out whilst the carriage was in motion, and I had to knock him down in order to pre- sent him (loing so. Presently the train came to a standstill and we all go out. The scene was terrible to see and the shrieks agonising. I saw that five cf the carriages had left the line and three were telescoped. All the passengers who were uninjured pro- ceeded to try and extricate the ethers. It was painful work. I do not know how many were killed outright, but several of the in- jjred are unlikely to live. I believe fifteen of them were taken to Llanelly Hospital, and I came on with the eight brought to Swansea. I believe about 30 in all were in- jured. Several of the soldiers who were in the train did splendid service—thev were fine fellows, who had been through t*e South Africa war—and they pulled down doors, took up cushions, and bound up injuries with rags, towels, and so on, carrying the shriek- ing injured from the tops of the carriages. Dr. Abel Davies (Gowcrton) was the first doctor to arrive, and he at once went round. Mrs. Williams, of Yspitty House, Loughor, r^ced to the spot, and she did wonderful work, after accompanying the train. I'm all right, thank goodness, but the Eights were awful, and I feel dazed with the thought of it all. ° It may be added that Mr. Evans was one o'. the most devoted workers at High-street Station and at the scene of tlv accident. THRILLING STORIES 3Y SURVIVORS. One of the passengers, a dredgeman, named William Parry, a native oi Fish- guard, who was journeying from that plaoe to Swansea to rejoin the Portia dredger, says that the first intimation to those jE his compartment was a violent jerk. Then the carriage slowly turned half-turt'e. "People were shrieking and shouting in the* next carriage," said Mr. Parry, whose nerves Were appreciably shaken; "and I jumped at the window, smashing it, and so we got out. Women and children were crying for help pitifully, and I, with some others, went up and down the line helping people out of the windows. Most of the carriages were tilted over in such a way that the windows had to be smashed before those inside could be got at." Mr. Parry tore up his shirt and used it for bandages; and was thanked by Dr. Hughes, of Llanelly, for his work. "I am all shaken up," be said, apologeti- cally; "so you must excuse my not being able to tell you anything more definite. in A Swansea passenger says that all on the train had a miraculous escape. "The first thing I knew that anything v/as wrong," he- told a "Post" reporter, "was a peculiar shaking, and sinking sensation. The ccm- partment seemed to be going away beneath us—I can't describe the feeling." "It was a sensation you will not forget?" Emphatically: "No; I give yon my word on that. I remarked 'What' up?' and a gentleman at the left-hand window It-cled out and exclaimed: 'Oh, my God! Oh, try God!' and with that ho jumped clean out through the tottering carriage, and and when I and the other occupant— we were only three in number — got out—and how we escaped broken limbs I don't know—we saw a sight I, for one, shall never forget. The carriages near us were still dragging, and one coach about three from us had completely overturned. Another one was being splintered to pieces before our eyes, and the shrieks and cries— they were fearful. I pray to God I shall never witness or experience anything like it again. WONDERFUL ESCAPE OF A SWANSEA MAN. Mr. C. Nicholls, a cooper, residing at Skinner-street, Swansea, one of the passen- gers in the second-class coach of the train, told a "Post" reporter that the first disturb- ing thing was a sudden bumping of the train; almost the next instant he found tiims?lf thrown on to the embankment. Othcr3 of the survivors made statements to the effect that between the first bumping 01 the carriages and the stoppage of the train only a few moments elapsed. Accord- ing to these, the train was travelling at only an ordinary rate of speed.
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KEEN ANXIETY AT LLANELLY.
KEEN ANXIETY AT LLANELLY. The keenest of anxiety was manifested at Vanelly when the news reached the tin- plate t-own, intensified by .he knowledge that among the pa-isengers on the ill-fated train were a number of Llanelly people. Traffic was naturally much delayed, and the station officials were deluged .with inqu'ries. SUPPOSED CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. SIT The name of the driver of Engine 1674, who was killed, was J. Lloyd (31), of Whit- land, living at De-la-Beche-street, Llanelly, married, but no family. The driver of the sec<,dd engine, who suffered no injury, is J. Thomas, of Carmarthen. Tho accident is -uppos^-d to be due to a subsidence of the line or a break-down of the first engine. EN€IXr. BPjrVBR'S TTTRP.IBLE FATE. Another of our representatives telegraphs: The two front carriages are completely smashed, and the driver of the first engine, James Lloyd, is lying under the first engine dead. The fireman, a man named Harris, was also under the carriage. He was the first to be got out. His is a bad case. Eighteen of the injured were conveyed to the Llanelly Hospital by special train. Both lines 1m! completely blocked. I
SIXTY KILLED AND I] INJURED.
SIXTY KILLED AND I] INJURED. Casualty Lists of the Loughor Calamity. Heroism and Fortitude of Injured Passengers, I Large Number of Serious Cases. I 'I The latest official reports concerning the terrible disaster to the New Milford exniess, a mile below Loughor Station, on Monday afternoon, go to show that three persons were killed, including the engine driver of the front engine and stoker, and some 50 more or less seriously injured. Of the latter several are in a very critical state, but np to Tuesday morning no death had taken place, either at the Swansea or the Llanelly fc< spi- tals. Repcrts from both institutions shew that the injured are doing as well as can be expected. The cause of the disaster 's still unknown to any precise extent. The popu- lar idea is that the front engine, known as the banker engine, and v/hich was put cn ?.t Llanelly, was lighter than the Montreal, the second locomotive, with the result that it jumped the rails as the speed of the rain was being increased along the straight level run past Llandilo Junction, and on to Loughor. On the other hand, a London contemporary states that the axle of the banker ejgine broke, though an official report by the Com- pany says that the cause of the disaster has not yet been ascertained. From the position I and condition of the banker engine, it is pretty certain that the origin of the awiul mishap lay with this locomotive. Not only was it completely turned over on to the down line, but was a complete wreck. The Montreal, which, it is interesting 10 note, j was the famous locomotive selected by the Company for the important work of drawing the Royal train from Pembroke Dock on the 1 occasion of the recent visit of the King to the Principality—a journey that was rot made by reason of the fact that his Majesty came to Swansea in his yacht—and it was indeed fortunate that this powerful engine kept the rails, otherwise the whole train j must have been drawn over the low -inbank- ment. The condition of the three coaches that left the rails causes one to marvel at so few passengers being killed outright. All accounts confirm the reports in the "Daily Post" on Monday as to the inability of the passengers in the front portion of the train to say distinctly what had happened, so suddenly were the front carriages Irurled over the embankment. All some of them knew was that they were suddenly pitched on to the marsh that skirts the np-line at this point. There are, however, 110 two opinions as to the awful scenes that followed -the shrieks of the women, and the agonis- ing groans of the injured. The promptness with which the medical men from :he dis- trict round, and a number of th^. County Police were on the scene, has since been generally praised. It is stated, for instance, that practically all the medical men cf Llanelly were fit the spot in twenty minutes, and, of course, they were able to relieve many of the injured to some extent. The Great Western afficials, at the head of which was Mr. John Rees. the divisional superintendent, the breakdown gang, and the uninjured passengers, sll worked a will as soon as the vor.t v/as realised. ^Ld throughout the night the work of clearing the debris was continued, with a view of traffic being at lealt partially re- sumed, the killed and injured having all been removed before dusk set in. BREAKDOWN OF THE LEADING ENGINE. r .L 1- Commenting on the varied causes 01 me disaster that are attributed, a correspondent says the explanations agree in one particular theft it was due to a mechanical breakdown, i The land lying between Llanelly and Gowcr- ton is table land, on the sea level, and trus part of the line is considered to be one cf 1 the best portions for quick, safe, running on the system. It is of those portions where drivers have an opportunity, without incur- j ring risk, of pulling up lost time. It is the usual custom for London express trains to be led from Llanelly to Landore by an pssistant engine, which precedes the whole train, 'lbe pilot locomotive is always a lighter engine than the engine attached to the express train, and experienced engineers have, it is said, for some time doubted the wisdom of run- ning a light locomotive in front of the heavy- pattern engine. An examination of the side rod of the leading engine indicates fractures. A crank pin from the side rod might have flown, or there might have been metallic separation, in which case part of the side rod would instantly strike the ground, and so throw the engine off trte rails. SCE-NF OF THE ACCIDENT. 'I The accident occr.rrei on the railway wnich runs over Bacus Marsh, within a few hun- dred vards oi Bynca station and a village known as Cwmselin. The line runs in close prcximity to an embankment and a marsh, and two "of the derailed coaches were thrown into the hoilow between the railway and the bank, and lodging within a few yards of the embankment. About a mile and a half be- ycnd is Loughor, before which place is reached spans the bridge crossing the river. When intelligence of the catastrophe first reached Llanelly it was rumoured that it had occurred on Loughor bridge. Another report was that the express bad collided with a goods train. MONDAY'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT. The Great Western official at Paddington I have issued the following statement: — The Great Western officials at Paddington have been advised that the 10.35 a.m. pas- senger train from New Milford to Padding- tc n met with an accident between Llanelly and Loughor, a station in Carmarthenshire, at about 1.50 p.m. from some cause not yet I accertained. Two engines were attached to the train, one of which left the rails, and one carriage was derailed Unfortunately, the driver of the engine which left the rails was I fatally injured, and some passengers are re- ported to have been slightly injiired, but up to fivs o'clock the officials at headquarters had not received further particulars. The following is a list of the casualties KILLED. I Mr. Oliver Staliard, Bristol, valet to Mr. Allen Parkeston, near Pembroke, travelling from Pembroke Dock to Bristol. The body wa< conveyed to the Plough Inn, Bynea. The 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. John Harries, Walk-road. Llanelly, fire- man of the banker engine died shortly after admission terrible wounds in throat, etc. 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, Fernhrad HOUIS", Fernhead-road, London, travelling from Tenby to Newport. Bruises and shaking slight. Mr. Webster and Mrs. Webster, husband: and wife, travelling from Whitland to Car- diff, where Mr. Webster, who is a gardener, was going to seek employment: he has a broken arm, and his wife has sustained a severe shaking. Mrs. Thomas, wife of John Thomas, sup- nosed to be from Egiwyswrw, travelling from Carmarthen to B £ toI leg amputated at knee incoherent. Miss Louisa Barr, 167, Southam-street, Colbourn-road, London fractured skull, un- conscious supposed to be travelling from Llanellv to Padding-ton; incoherent. C, Dr. W. Philline-Jones, Rock House, Wos- tenholme-road, Sheffield, a native of Car- digan travelling to Sheffield internal in- juries and leg injured. Rev. J. R. Phil'Ïps.Pontygwaith; travel- ling from Llanelly to Tylorstown; broken leg and injury to bead. Joe Gear, Vauxhall, Llanelly, injury-to head. Isaac- O'Brien, supposed to-be a. native -of Somersetshire; travelling from Carmarthen to Swansea injaéY to spine, very serious unconscious. Morgan Roberts, Pontrhydfendigaid, Tre- garon; fractured arm and injury to head; aa conscious. Edwin Evans, Station-terrace, Llanpump- saint travelling from Llanpumps&int to London • injury to head and leg; not serious. Alfred George Rudge, 17, Fernhead-road, London, W. travelling from Tenby to Lon- don compound fracture of the arm and in- juries to face and head. D. A. Davies, sorter, Morriston slightly" injured (since left hospital). 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 iniury to head. William Williams, Tynewydd, Ffynonfair, Lampeter, travellong from Lampeter to Blaengarw; injury to head, arm and leg, slight. William Henry Jones, 11. Peterwell-ter- race, Lampeter, travelling from Lampeter to Blaengarw injury to face and leg, slight. James Davies, Highlands, Saundersfoot, travelling from Tenby to-Cardiff broken leg. v. Ward, Pembroke Dock. a soldier, tra- velling from his barracks to Ross, Hereford- shire broken leg. Miss Davies, King-street, Carmarthen; in- juries to back. W. Thomas, St. Clears, who is badly in- jured and unconscious. Attended to at home at LIaneHy.—.Tohn Eottenburg, Maesteg injured wrist, slight. Attended to at the residence of Dr. Evan Evans, Goring-road, Hancllv.—Dr. Dcuglas Reid, Tenby serious injuries to head aDd back. INJURED PASSENGEPS BROUGHT TO SWANSEA. Private Savage, 30th Shropshire Regi- ment, Pembroke Dock, who received injuries to the head. Isaiah Davies, compound fracture of the small bone of leg. Arthur Baker, 42, Dudley-road, New Brighton, serious injuries to the back. William Davies, or Dan, whose address is unknown, sustained a compound fracture of the small bones of the leg, and his case is very grave. ^He is not expected to recovor. Thomas Jones, aged 23, injuries to the legs. Thomas Feim, engine-driver, Cadoxton, serious injuries to the head. H. Anstay, aged 50, landlord of the Bird- in-Hand Inn, Morriston. dislocation of the shoulder. Margarat Thomas, aged 20, Llandyssul, frr.ctured left leg. William Evans, aged 41, Ton-mw, Ton Pentre, injuries to leg. Andre Renaud, a French waiter, injuries to the head and !eg. Miss Churchyard, Woking, Surrey-slight injuries. Muriel Claxton. aged 16, Crawley, Sussex, who was travelling with her little sister, fractured collar-bone. Miss Churchyard and Miss Claxton were well enough to travel to London on Monday night. 1'r Miss Churchyard, 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 ensine. This was splintered to matchwood by fall- ing over tne emnanKment and by beino- crushed between the ether carriages. <> COMMEND ABLY SMART WORK. Within a quarter of an hour after the last patient had been admitted all the victims were in bed and the best of care being lav- ished on them. As soon as the officials heard of the grave nature of the accident they telephoned to Messrs. Ben Evans and Co. for 20 mattresses, the requisite sheets and blankets, and a dozen hot-water bottles, and in ten minutes one of Ben Evans' wag- I Z, gons rattled up the drive with six of the firm's men, and within two minutes every- thing was installed in its place! WEST WALES PEOPLE UNINJURED. The following local gentlemen were in the train and escaped inj ûry Mr. Fryer, Eaton-crescent, Swansea. Mr. J. Wil&on, solicitor (Mr. Edward Harris' office), Swansea. Mr. Haydn Evans, Swansea. Mr. Sidney Bowen, Llanelly. Mr. W. W ilkins, Llanelly. Mr. Hiles, High-street, Llanelly. Mr. D. Mathias, Victoria-road, Llanelly. Mr. T. Mabe, butcher, Swansea. Mr. D. Thomas, Carmarthen-road, Swan- sea. ANOTHER CASE TREATED AT SWANSEA. Henry Parry (30), dredgeman, Fishguara, was one of the passengers on the Ul-fated train. He visited tha hospital on Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock, and was treated for injuries to the arm. The limb was dressed, and he was sent out. He has come to. Swan- sea to rejoin his boat. SCENES AT SWANSEA HOSPITAL. The early afternoon edition of the "Post" spread the newa like wild-fire and hundreds of people assembled at the Phillips-parade I accident entrance and Hospital-6quare to see the cases admitted. An extra posse of police was early on the scene, and Messrs. Ben Evans had, within ten minutes of intimation, sent a large consignment of mattre-ssep and other appliances for the reception of the in- jured Everybody concerned worked like Trojans. Dr. Couch was in charge of the medical staff and superintending the cases, whilst the working staff in charge of Mr. Charles Escourt (head porter), assisted by Messrs. Webbern, Collins and Gow were in- defatigable in their efforts. Secretary Mr. W. D. Hughes also rendered valuable assis- tance. Each case as it came in was sep- arately dealt with, and the serious ones placed in beds vacated for their reception. Captain Colquhoun, and P.S. Bowen, West, Croker and other experienced great difficulty in regulating the traffic as each vehicle brought its burden. Miss Williams, of Yspitty House, Jjlanelly. arrived witn the fir_t case at the hospital, having been in con- stant attendance upon the sailor whose case is considered serious. INEXPLICABLE HOW SO MANY ESCAPED. "I can't make out however so many man. aged to escape," said Dr. Davies, of Gower- ton. Dr. Davies, who resides near the rail- way station, was the first local surgeon to reach the scene of the disaster. Fortunately, there had been on the ill-fated train itself a medical gentleman (his name was not divulged), who, prior to the arrival of the local surgeons, had done what was possible in the absence of any proper appliances to relieve the sufferers. Close on the heels of Dr. Davies came Dr. Mitchell, of Gorseinon, and these were after- wards supplemented by several from Llanelly and Gowerton, among these being Drs. D. J. Williams, Samuel Davies, Frazer, and J. L. Davies. The doctors were much assisted by Mrs. Williams, of Yspittv House, Loughor. Two men were killed outright, the un- happy driver of the bank engine, familiarly known as Jack Llovd, who was literally cut into pieces, and another. Everybody in the train had a shaking, a large number being cut about the face and head by scattered glass and boards, but all except about 25 were able to walk away. Eleven were removed to Swansea and fifteen to Llanelly (these were the most serious ca.ses). "And the nature of the wounds, doctor?" asked a "Post" man. who found the surgeon surrounded with bottles and drugs, and busily supplying a surgery full with medicine. "They were mostly broken legs and thighs, and cuts about the head and face," was the reply. "One poor woman had her leg cut clean off; another a, compound frac- r ture of the thigh. About four or five of the cases are very serious, and will probably not recover. One has broken his spine. It was a terrible scene. I wai called about five minutes to two, and went down on-an en- gine." LUCK OF THE DRIVER OF THE SECOND ENGINE. o ack Thomas, of Carmarthen, the driver oi th& second engine, who escaped in a mar- vellous manner, was in the Norton Fitzwar- ren railway accident. On that occasion he was cut a good deal about the head. TENBY MAN WITNESSES A FEARFUL SIGHT. A married man named Matthias, a native oi Tenby, who was in the train, described his experiences to a "Post" reporter. He was walking along the corridor, having left his compartment of seven occupants when the crash came. "I thought I had fallen over a basket or obstacle of some sort," he said, "and all I remember is the carriage lurching over. I jumped through the win- dow laoeAting my arm by the glass. The first sight that met my gaze was a pcrtion of the driver's body 011 the side of the line and another part on the other. I noticed a part of the leg with the boot on some dis- tance away. There was one carriage, in which were a party mostly ladies and chil- dren, turned upside down, and the marvellous part of it was that they all escaped with a shaking, although their screams, penned in as they were, v/-er.: heartrending. I think we were at Bynea. just before getting into Loughor when the accident happened. I was on my way LO Cardiff for a holiday. After doing all I could I wired home to my wife to Hssure her of my safety. PASSENGERS WHO TURNED SOMERSAULTS. As stated, one coach was completely over- turned. In one compartment were nine passengers, amongst them being Mr. Wil- hou, solicitor, Swansea- Mr. C. J. Wilson told a "Post" reporter that he was wearing on his head a straw hat and smoking a pipe. "There was a ter- rible jtrk," he continues, "which was re- r peated then heavy, grating sounds; be- fore we knew what had happened our car- riage was tilting over, and then we found ourselves all of a heap on the flo°r which was the ceiling of the carriage. It wa^ no'' many seconds before it was all ov-^ au<* Y0 were scrambling out of the windows Lue best way we could. My hat was smashed to smithereens, and I lost my pIpe;, it was a wonder the pipe was not choked into my mouth. But for a slight cut on '"p lingers and a bit of a shaking, I am Mtle the worse for the accident. I picked up a cap I found in the wreckage and took the lib- erty of borrowing it, as no one claimed it. Another passenger in the same compart- ment says he found himself with his head m the lamp and a hobnailed boot on toP. of it. He managed to remove the boot, and tound, strange to say, that he had not 11 cu.. But for a stiffness of the neck, he eit littie the worse for his extraordinary experience. A stoutish lady, who was another passen- ger in the compartment, broke frT WELSH FOOTB ALL ENTHtJIAoT S EXPERIENCE. Mr. W. Wilkins, the well-known Welsh football committeeman, and a former chair- man of the Llanellv Urban Council, gave a vivid description of his escape to a "Daily Pest" representative. "I was going to Swansea," sai°> and xvhen we were just approaching Loughor going at full speed there was a suaden shock. Then I found myself lying on the floor of the compartment. There was a senes of lump- ing jolts going on, and I knew that the car- riage was bumping along the permanent "I struggled to my feet and ^found that the door of the carriage was J<*m ed ana that I could not get out. The carriage was lvin? tilted on its side." TTATTO INJURED TENBY DOCTOR FALLS EXHAUSTED. Dr Reid, a well-known Tenby doctor, said "I was injured severely aoout the head and had a terrible task to tight my way cut of the wreckage. When I succeeded I dropped down exhausted and was picked up and put in a motor-car that took me to Llanellv. SA W'THE DRIVER CUT TO PIECES. Mr. John Williams, a well-known Aber- gavenny gentleman, 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 said he .saw the dnver of the first en- gine literally cut to pieces. He estimated that quite fifty were injured, whilst he him- self saw four dead. He paiel a high tribute t.) the conduct of several women, amongst whom were two young eirls who proved to be the daughters of Alderman rarley, 0f Tenby. COLONEL'S TOUCHING TRTBUTE TO A "Y-r"toT BKAVE Ultt-L. I One of the travellers bv the train was Colonel Goodeve, who will be remembered bv artillerymen, Regular and Auxiliary, in Scuth WraleSj as having been for some years the officer commanding the Severn De- fences. Relating L is experiences 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, and next to the engine, began to rock violently, and the nassangers were hurled about in all direc- tions. It was clear that the carriage had 16 "After got about 50 or 60 yards we found that we were brouga. 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^ prtched head foremost against a bank at the bottom of a rising hill. This brought us to a dead stop, and the whole front ol which I was riding was smashed up. The fore part of my own compartment was wrecked, but the damage did not reach the side upon which I was sit tine. 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 carnage ormimenoed 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 df the window, and get upon the carriage which had turned over just before us. We saw that the women were removed first nearly all of whom were more or less in- jured, but so far as I could see not fatally so "It was, indeed, a terrible scene. What with the hysteria of the women and the groans of the dying it was a scene which was to the last degree saddening. One man, who was in the same carriage as myself, only lived five or six minutes after he was brought out. As a matter of fact, he never spoke. Ho appeared to be smashed up altogether, so that it was impossib'e for me to say what hip injuries were. So far as I could gather, most of the killed were in the first coaches. "My opinion is that the first engine was stopped as quickly as possible for some rea- son that the second, with the weight of the had behind, was smashed up in a most marvellous way. and the two first carriages broke away. My idea is that tfte whole thing was due to a subsidence in the track. "I should have told you," added the colonel "that all the passengers rendered every pos- sible assistance. Among those was a fair- hair girl who, badly hurt herself, did all she cc-uld to bring comfort to others. She re- membered 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 th; doctors arrived." AFFECTING INCIDENT "WHERE'S MY DADA?" Colonel Graines, of Terdbv. was on the ill- fated train, and describing the scenes after the accident, he says: "Some things wer& very pitiful. There was a. poor girl wandering from carriage to carriage asking, 'Where's my dada; where's my dada?" I an4 other people who had been in the samo earn ago knew that her father was mortally injured, but we could not tell her, and some of the ladies looked after her. She was afterwards taken to Landore by a man who had two of his own children with him. I very much ad- mired the gallant conduct of some gunners of the FieM Artillery who had been riding it the train." The inquest on the bodies of John Lloyd, engine-driver, De-la-Beche-strest, Llanelly, and Owen John Harris, stoker, Tinworks- road, was opened at noon on Tuesday, before the Deputy Coroner of Llanellv uvir. Martin R. Richards) at Capel Als Vestry. Mr. R. F. Randell was foreman of the jury. The Coroner said that the jury had been summoned to enquire when, where, and by what means the engine-driver and stoker on the train came by their deaths. The men were on the train which met with an accident on the previous day. He felt sure, he was only voicing the feelings of the whole of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood when he expressed regret at the fearful catastrophe. It was fortunate, considering the nature of the accident, that there were not more deaths. Ihree had been notified, but the enquiry in respect of the Bristol man could not take place until they were able to obtain evidence of identification. It was not often that acci- dents of that description happened in the locality, and for that reason he felt more than sympathy with the relatives of those killed, and hoped the injured would speedily recover. The jury could easily find that the deceased met their deaths by the acci- dent, but it was their duty to go further and ascertain if there was anyone to blame for the accident, criminally or otherwise, and he hoped to have the assistance of the Board | of Trade. Unfortunately, the Coroner could not attend owing to illness, but he antici- pated he might be able to take the inquest on Wednesday. The same jury would be sworn, and after identification it was proposed to bold an enquiry on the three bodies. Under these circumstances ho only proposed to call evidence of identification and then adjourn. A telegram was received from the Board of Trade, stating that Colonel Yorke had been appointed assessor, and would attend the ad- journed inquest. Thomas Pugn, 24, Stanley-street, Llan- elly, goods guard, said deceased John Lloyd was his brother-in-law, and was 27 years of age. He was an engine-driver in the em, ploy of the G.W.R., lived at 26, De-la-Beche street, and had been driving for about a year. He had been under the company for the past ten or eleven years. He (witness) knew nothing about the accident. Lloyd had been accustomed to drive an engine in front of the mail train. I Dr. Evan Evans said he was called to the G.W.R. Station on Monday at 2.45 p.m., and at once proceeded to Duffryn Siding, where the accident had occurred. He saw the body of John Lloyd. Death was due to injuries received, and must have been instantaneous. He saw Harris alive at Llanelly Hospital about 4 o'clock. He was unconscious and died shortly after 5 o'clock without regain- ing consciousness. Death was due to in- juries to the head. Many medical gentlemen had arrived on the scene before him. He was one of the last to reach the scene. j Thomas Pugh also identified Harris, a rela- tive of deceased who had been summoned not having arrived. The jury proceeded to the scene of tl, accident by the 2.30 train, and the inquiry was adjourned until October 25th. The inquest on the body of Mr. Stallard wil be held on Wednesday. I VOTE OF CONDOLENCE PASSED. At the Railwaymen's Congress at Brad- ford, on Tuesday, a vote of condolence with ford, on Tuesday, a vote of condolence with the relatives of the killed and injured :n tivj Loughor disaster was passed. SWANSEA GUARDIANS' CONDO- LENCES. At Tuesday's meeting of the Swansea Cottage Homes Committee on Tuesday, Councillor Tarr presiding, a vote of condol- ence was passed with the relatives of vic- tims. The hope was expressed that the in- jured would speedily recover. COLONEL YORKE TO INVESTIGATE. The fress Association telegraphs on Tues- day:-The Bo-n-d of Trade have appointed Lieut.-Colonel Yorke, Chief Inspecting Offi- cer of Railways, to hold an inquiry into the circumstances attending the railway accident near Loughor. HOW THE G.W.R. OFFICIALS COPE WITH THE CRISIS. The obstruction at Loughor was ,removed on one portion of the line at two o'clock on Tuesday, and the Great Western Railway were thus enabled to resume working operations on their own system, though this is of necessity a slow process, having regard to the fact that only one line is at present available. The other road will soon be in repair, and the engineering departmnt are not abating their energies to put the road again in thorough repair. PROMPT ACTION OF THE LANDORE STATiONMASTER. The strain of the work in connection with the mishap has not altogether been felt by those on the spot, and it is well to remem- ber that at either end of the obstruction there has been unstinted assistance rendered to those more immediately connected with 10 the wreckage. The stationmaster at Lan- dore, Mr. Tavinor, was about the first to render aid to the injured by promptly strip- ping the down London express ot its front coaches and sending them to the scene of the disaster, from which they quickly re- turned as an ambulance train to Swansea. At the other end Mr. Evans, the Llanelly stationmaster, was no less anxious, and his timely and practical aid was of great value. The working of all the traffic over the cir- cuitous route from Landore to Llanelly over the docks via Pontardulais and vice versa has been a source of considerable anxiety to the officials named, who were assisted by the kindly co-operation of Mr. Fred Smith and his staff on the L. and N.W. Company s system. "PILOT ENGINE WAS LIFTED OFF THE METALS." The fireman of the express engine, in con- versation with a Press representative on Tuesday morning, described the accident as "awful in the extreme." "The scene," he said, "will remain in my memory to my dying day." The fireman, a young man of thirty, ap- peared to be severely shaken. He possesses, however, a nerve of iron, as was sfyown by his presence of mind when he and the driver realised what had happened. They im- mediately opened the safety valve to prevent any mischief with the hoilers, and raked out the fire. They then devoted themselves to the work of rendering assistance in relief of the injured passengers. Asked for an explanation of the accident, he replied that to him it was a complete mystery. The only solution that suggested itself to him was that the pilot engine was lifted off the metals. CARMARTHEN MINISTER'S SERIOUS INJURIES. On paying a visit to the Llanelly Hospital on Tuesday morning a press representative fcuml the patients in good spirits, and bear- ing their pains with splendid fortitude. Father M'Loughlin, Roman Catholic priest, said he had never seen such heart- rending scenes as those he came across on
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DISUSED PIT WORKINGS: SWANSEA…
the previous, evening. The brave, uncom- plaining manner in which the men under- went treatment at the doctors' was a, revelation to him as to man's raider terrible-agony. He instanced the-ease of the Rev, A. Fuller Mills, of Carmarthen, as an especial example. The flesh of the calf of Mr. Mill's right leg was hanging from the bone, and his thigh was fractured, but he bore up in a wonderfully patient manner. Even after those terrible injuries had been attended to it was found that he had several severe scalp wounds which required several stitches. Mr. Mills, speaking to the reporter, said he felt weak, but able to-bear the pain. He said that when the impact took place the splinters from the carriage fell in showers around him and his fellow-passengers. He crawled out on to the grass, and at first did not dream that his leg was fractured, but when he tried to put pressure on his foot it swung round, and he knew the worst. "It is marvellous how helpless a vast ma- jority of men are under circumstances requir- ing presence of mind and initiative said Mr Mills. "I could see strong men looking down at us from the embankment failino- ut- terly to appreciate-tbe fact that we were wait- ing for the slightest assistance. Others however, were very active and did sterling work amongst us. At the hospital every^ body has been very kind and considerate- clergymen, Catholics, and all without distinc- tion," added Mr. Mills in an impressive tcne." In the adjoining cot was the Rev. J. R. Phillips, Pontygwaith, who is also suffering from a fractured leg and severe injuries to the spine. "He also," said Father M'Loughlin, "bore up like a'trojan last night, notwthstanding the awful character of his injuries." Mr. Mills and Mr. Phillips were in the same compartment when the accident occurred, and it was a touching spectacle to see those two specimens of stalwart manhood side by side, unable to move, as helpless as babes, and swathed in mils nf ].1,
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-'" CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. Railwaymen Attribute it to the Banker Engine. Critical Condition of Several Victims. The cause of t'ho appalling railway disaster at Lougher, near Swansea, on Monday, re- mains a mystery, and at Paddington it is officially stated that the cause has not yet been ascertained. It is expected that Col. H. A. Yorke, chief inspecting officer of railways on behalf of tho Board of Trade, will held tha inquiry within a week, as is usually the case in serious disasters. It will be for him to determine whether the Company were at fault in any way. At the last sericus accident, at Slough, it -was proved that the eagmo driver over-ran his signals, but the rejvlt of the Shipton accident to an Oxford trttiii, several years ago, showed that the Cfejmsjiy v. er-3 not to blame for the disaster, fe toe-^case at Loughor-theTe are-OI)iy at pre- set theories to account for the accident. X* applanation generally accepted is that t&s leading banker engine, tbeing lighter thnE the express engine, jumped tho metals. This fading engine is stated to have weighed 45" tons, but the "Montreal," the express engine, weighed considerably more than the leader, and was one of the largest type in use. The banker engine in recent years has been attached at Llanelly, though formerly i*, used to be attached at Gowerton and taken "(I at Cockett. To save the tim^ of two stops, ;t has ljeea attached at Llanelly, and been run forward by the express to Cower- •m before coming into actual use. Traffic 1, been resumed cn the Loughor line. On Tuesday afternoon the down line had beru sufficiently cleared for traffic, and th p cue o'clock from New Milford, due at Swars-sJi at 4.15, and the 11.20 from London, due at Llanelly at 4.11 p.m., passed over the single line. At 11.30 p.m. OIl Tuesday, both lines had been put into working order. The dam- age that has been done to rolling stock and permanent way has been very great. FOUR OF THE VICTIMS IN A SERIOUS: CONDITION. On enquiry at Llanelly Hospital on Wed- nesday morning, we were informed that the following were in a serious condition:—■ aosiah Thomas. St. Clears Miss Louisa Barr, 167, Southam-street, Colbourn-road, London. Mrs. Thomas, Eglwyswrw. Isaac Bryant, railwayman, native of Somer- setshire.. The remainder passed a good night. There are 21 in hospital. I FIREMAN'S HEROIC ACTION. I It is due to the heroic action of Harris, the fireman who has succumbed, that the first engine escaped an explosion and adding to the list of injured. He nobly stuck to his engine after the driver had been hurled off and cut in two, and turned off the steam, j Then he found he was pinned into the "cab," and could not get off. Tho falling funnel had given him a sevnre gash on the head, and he was covered with blood. When the scalding steam had cleared off his engine was surrounded by a number of the unin- jured, who endeavoured to get him free. This was eventually accomplished by a man, apparently a marine engineer, who worked like a Trojan till he got him free. The en- gine driver was cut in two. Part of his body was recovered before the other part could be removed. The remains were cover- ed up with cushions till the whole could be decently taken away. "NIGHTMARE THAT LEAVES AN IN, DELIBLE IMPRESSION." Professor Hepburn, of University College, Cardiff, seen by a Central News repre;senta- tive, said — "It was such a nightmare as leaves an Ill- delible impression upon the strongest. The scene was one that, far from being described by me, cannot hardly, I think, be imagined. With my wife and two children I set out from Aberystwyth for Cardiff, and here is to me and mine the miraculous feature cf the sad occurrence. We were travelling third class, and were to have gone into one of the front carriages, but I was not satis fied about vny luggage an-d went to see after it. Then all the third carriages filled, and I we were compelled to go into a second class at the rear of the train. "The first warning I had of something wrong was a portmanteau falling on my head and then striking a lady in front of me. Then in an instant, ere we had time to think, we were all sprawling on the floor, with the exception of a baby which was feeding from a bottle. I got up and I looked out through the window. The sight that met my gaze was enough to stun any man. "It was an indescribable scene. Vision seemed blurred, and above the noise of smashing glass and the breaking up of coaches, I could hear the cries of the wound- ed and the groans of the dying. I set to work at once to get my fellow-passengers out and to a place of safety, and then want to render what aid I could to the injured. But I had nothing to work with save two hands, no bandages, no medicine of any sort. There is tho danger of disturbing the mounded too much. It is not a time for looking for wounds or taking off clothing, I saw a terrible sight, a mail's decapitated body below an engine, and the head lying at » ii" distanc? away. I "I have only indistinct memories of shockingly injured men and women—broken limbs, bleeding foreheads, heartrending I cries. I set to work to arrange the seat cushions, on which I had as many of the injured placed as possible, and then I ren- dered what first aid I could. But others worked harder than I—doctors, nurses, and soldiers. It was a weird and terrible sight, and I want to shut out all memory of it." Dr. Hepburn, M.D., is Professor of Anat- omy at Cardiff College, and he rendered splendid service to the injured. For eight- een years he was a major in the Royal Army Medical Volunteer Corps in Edinburgh; and is now surgeon-major in the 3rd V.B. Welsh Regiment. EARL CAWDOR THANKS DOCTORS AND NURSES. Earl Cawdor, chairman of the Great Wes- tern Railway, has telegraphed expressing his high appreciation of the medical and nurs- ing services rendered- LLANELLY INQUEST ON THE BODY OF AIR. STALLAKu. The inquest on the body of Oliver Staliard, gentleman's servant, Bristol, was opened on Wednesday at Llanelly, before the Deputy Corona (Mr. Martin Richards), at Capel Als Vestry. Mr. Ludford watched the case on behalf of the railway company. The Coroner said deceased was killed in the Loughor disaster. He was pleased to say that no further deaths had occurred, and patients were progressing favourably. Geo. Maries, butcher, Highbury-place, Gotham, Bristol, deposed that he had known decease I for fourteen years. He was 43 years of age, and resided at Redhill, Rington, Bristol, and was a gentleman's servant. Dr. Davies, Gowerton, said that he was called to the G.W.R. Station about 1.35 on Monday. He went to the scene on a special engine, and was the first faedic-,ii man on the scenc. He saw deceased at and when he-examined him he found that death was due to a fractured skull, evidentj.7 sustained in the accident. Deceased had not been dead long. The body had been removed to a tip close by. P.C. Geo. Cprnon, Gorseinon, who arrived on the scene of the accident at 2 o'clock, also gave evidence. Dr. Abel Davies said that Mr. Hiles (Gowerton) was one of the first to removo the man from the train, and he appeared to be dead then. The jury adjourned the enquiry till the 25th inst. also. A vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives of the three victims, and the hope was expressed that the injured would speedily recover. Mr. Ludford, on behalf of Earl Cawdor and the directors, also expressed sympathy. LOUGHOR MEN WHO RENDERED TIMELY AID. The scene of the disaster is still being visited by large numbers of spectators, The first to give the alarm of the catas- trophe near Yspitty was Mr. John Davies, an employe at St. David's Tinpla,te Works, who ran and informed the manager, Mr. Williams. They were immediately joined by Mr. Phillip Davies, landlord of the Lewis 0 Arms, Robert Davies, and D. Thomas, who
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Miss Dillwyn's Views on Temper…
Miss Dillwyn's Views on Temper ance. I The Swansea Temperance Federation me( at the Fripcds' Meeting House, High-street^ Swansea, Dr. Rhys Davies presiding. Mr, A. M. Squire (secretary) reported a satisfac- tory state of affairs. The Vicar of Swansea was re-elected president. After opening re- marks by the chairman, Mr. W. E. y;.rris (who dwelt on the New Licensing Act), Miss Dillwyn said the federation was a compound of juvenile." socialistic, churcli and chapel interests, and she had come as an "outsider." (Laughter and hear, hear.) She regarded intemperance ;.5 a most formidable antagonist to prosperity, morality, and the general welfare of mankind. (Hear, bear.) Yet, in spite of her deep abhorrence of in- temperence, had she a magic wand that would at a wave cast all alcoholic liquor in fed the sea and deprive manhood of a knowledge of how to replace it, would she wave it? Sha was not sure she would. She believed alco- hol, however pernicious in its abuse, was of real value when used properly. "Jike fre, it wa,, a g::od servant, though a bad nisster. (Applause.) Food was indispensable, and yet injurious, and even fatal when indulged in too freely. It was not desirable to destroy alcohol. The object to be aimed at was to make p-etting drunk difficult and unpleasant. To appeal to Parliament might be a good thing, but people could not be made sober by Act of Parliament. There was a greater legislative force than Parliament—public opinion—which influenced nearly everybody in the world. If public opinion 'sere op- posed to intemperance she anticipated a great diminution in drunkenness. It was their duty as units of the public to try ai.d in- fluence public opinion by their own acts in regard to homes, relations, servants, friends and neighbours. Miss M. Brock afterwards spoke, and ad- dresses were also delivered by Messrs. Richard Wat kins, J. Littlejohns, and the Rev. W. L. Taylor.—Votes of thanks closed the proceedings.
POLICE CLOTHING CONTRACT.
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DISUSED PIT WORKINGS: SWANSEA…
Over 120 telegrams by those who escaped were sent through the telephone at St. IJavid s Tinplate Works to the Post-office. One business man wired that he was unhurt, and was coming on by "next train." The engine-driver "was cut completely in two. Part of his body was removed, but it was some time before the other part could be removed. The officials covered up the gruesome sight under tho engine with cushions. A Scotch terrier consigned to Swansea was killed. Three other dogs, however, were un- injured. Bombadier Harry, cf the artillery, was travelling from Pembroke to Carditi, and was in the coach that swerved down the embank- ment into the hedge. He clambered out of the window and resembled a sweep more than anything else, his face being covered with engine dirt. lkv. T. Davies, of Sennybridge, was tra- velling from Manorbier to Swansea, and escaped without a scratch. The quickness with which the medical men attended from Llanelly and the surrounding district was most praiseworthy. Thero was also one medical man in the train. Whilst one man had to run for the train at Llanellv, another man sent a wire to his In wife, stating that he was fortunate in just losing it. The Shropshire Light Infantry man, who came to Swansea by the injured burden train with his head injured, was offered brandy by a railway official, but lie waved it aside with a grateful "No thar.ks." Had the accident occurred six hundred yards further on it is probable that the whole train would have been precipitated into the river. Experienced travellers never go in the forepart of a train. The reason was exem- piiiied at Loughor. An officer of the Formidable was in the accident. He wired the cause of his delay. Many of the escaped passengers, after [scrambling out of the train, fell down the embankment in their anxiety to get clear of tha engines, for fear the boilers should burst. One passenger who escaped uninjured said the carriage seemed to close in like a ) concertina, and the floor splintered up vsrds. We were very busy answering telephone calls on Monday afternoon. In one instance a Swansea gentleman rang up inquiring after a dear friend who had travelled by the ill-fated train, and who at the very moment was being interviewed by one of our re- porters. Mr. M. Rowed, chief assistant to Mr. John Rees, the divisional superintendent of the Great Western Railway, might easily have been in the ill-fated train. He was engaged in business at Kidwelly, and en- deavoured to reach Pembrev in time to stop the London express. He was just too 'ate; but being near the scene of the disaster, was able to render invaluable assistance in the matter of relief trains, etc. One man, though he was injured, d'd brave work. "I was 'patching' 'em up be- fore the doctors cam?," he toll our repre- sentative. It now turns out that no Nonconformist minister has been killed. At least two rev, gentlemen had narrow escapes from death. It is a curious coincidence that the driver u' I of the express engine acted ns stoker on the train in the memorable Norton Fitzwarren I disaster some years ago. The express engine was named the Mon- treal, the latest type of Gre^t Western Rail- way locomotives, which was selected to draw the Royal train from Pembroke Dock recently. As it happened, the King on that occasion made the journey to Wales in his yacht, so that the Royal train was not used. A large proportion of the passengers were Llanelly people, but not a single Llanellyite has been injured or severely bruised, all of them being able to proceed home. After the accident the G.W. branch line betwean Llanelly and Pontardulais was I utilised. The Milford-London express is one of the heaviest of the day, and the ill-fated train was well filled. The express engine Montreal is one of the best known on the G.W.R. The driver of the Montreal engine, with stoical heroism, calmly surveyed the scene for a moment when the accident happened, and then stepped down and lent a hand in the work of rescue. When an accident happens the first duty is for driver or stoker to run forward and the guard to run backwards to the nearest signal boxes. The soldiers whom the passengers praise so much for their rescue work are Bomba- dier Harries, Bombadier Harry, and Gunner Doze. They belonged to the Royal Artil- lery, and were on a furidhgh from Pembroke Dock to London. Mr. C. Nicholls, cooper, Skinner-street, Swansea, has had two or three ribs broken, and he is badly bruised. A woman had on3 of her arms almost severed by a jagged piece of glass. High tribute is paid by all eye-witnesses to the heroism of the women. Those who were injured bore their sufferings patiently, and those who had, happily, escaped, as- sisted "the doctors in their work with tender and self-sacrificing solicitude. The disaster is the most serious since that which occurred at St. Enoch's, Glasgow, on July 27th, 1903, when 16 persons were killed and over 30 injured. Outside the infirmary at Llanelly beds were put up in the street. DISUSED PIT WORKINGS: SWANSEA MAN'S RECOLLECTIONS. With reference to the theory that the acci- dent may have been due to a subsidence, it may bo mentioned that about a mile below Loughor are the working3 of an old a-nd now disused colliery. It was known as the Car- narvon Colliery, and is on a farm of the same name. The colliery has not been worked for thirty years, and ex-Police Sergt. Griffiths, of Swan- sea, remembers a serious subsidence which occurred in the night there in 1874, shortly before the colliery was closed. The depth to the old workings is only 36 feet, and they run close to the right hand side of the rail- way line.
-'" CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
rendered valuable assistance in removing the injured passengers. AFRAID OF BEING IN FRONT OF TEW EXPRESS. John Uoyd, the unfortunate driver of the leading engine, was the husband of Mrs. Elizabeth Lloyd, daughter of Mr. Samtfel Hughes, an employe of Dr. Bowen Jones, Carmarthen. Until recentlv he and hi? wife lived at Pensarn, near Carmarthen, but they removed to Llanelly a little time ago, because he had been put on special duty in that town, one part of bis work being to drive the express banker engine occasionally. On Monday Airs. Lloyd was on a visit to Carmarthen, and after leaving, hearing that a railway accident had occurred near Llan- ellv, she entered into conversation with Mrs R. D. Brockie, of Guildhall-square, her fcr- mer mistress. She said that she devoutly wiehed that the "Llanelly job" was over (meaning the driving of the banker engixx in front of the express), because her husband had on many occasions told her That he was mortally afraid of being on his engine in front of the express. "I asked him why he was afraid," added the widow, "and he told me on more than one occasion that the express engine and train were too heavy for his engine, which kept bumping horribly as soon as the train attained a decent speed He also toJd me continually that he would not mind if his engine was attached just at the beginning of the gradient, hut seeing that he had to precede the heavy express engine over a long stretch of lev-sl ground the speed became too great for his light engine, and he was con- stantly longing for another job, as he felt certain that some disastrous mishap would happen ere long." FRENCH INVENTOR DENOUNCES MODERN RAILWAY SYSTEM. Mr. Spender Wilkinson in the "Morning Pest," alluding to the Loughor disaster and its probable cause, quotes the opinion of Col. de Bange, a retired French artillery officer, who has come to the conclusion that railway rolling stock is constructed on a wrong prin- ciple. The true method was to put the flanges outside the wheels and the rails, to make each wheel revolve freely on the aXI4 sr that of a pair of wheels each would be independent, and each axle be able to place itself radially on every curve. Experiments were made in Mr. Vdkin- rcr's presence. With wheel flange? aside some model cars experimented with ¡¡ b10st invariably jumped the rails, whilst these with flanges outside and free axles n-.■»- r ran off Model carriages with axles radis. to the curves, not only were not derailed, ba- went almost twice an far us those of ordinary con- struction. Mr. Wilkinson concludes: "If the.lord is right the adoption of his system- would n't only put an end to accidents ?ris.iag frcm trains jumping the rails, but v-ouio cause such a caving in traction and wei, r and tea* as would very soon pay for the cost of changing the wheels of the carriages and the points of the lines." Inquiries made at- Swansea Hospital on Thursday elicit the following bulletin o £ tfefc condition of the Loughor victims :— Daws: Spent a comfortable night. Jones (La.mpeter): Goes out on Thursday, Fenn: Condition still critical. Private Savage: Spent a comfortable nighty Better. Andre Renaud About the same. Wi"iam Bvand (Ton Pentre): Returns home on Thursday. Margaret Thomas Spent a good night. Baker (New Brighton) Removed to pri- vate hospital on Wednesday. Arstev (Morriston) Removed home oil Wednesday.