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PATER WARD COMMIT- j TEES.i

PEMBROKE DOCK CHORAL SOCIETY.

PENNAR GUT FATALITY.

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RAILWAY DISASTER. .

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RAILWAY DISASTER. WRECKED SCOTCH EXPRESS. The terrible effects of the blizzard, which dis- located railway traffic and practically brought it to a standstill in the North, culminated in a terrible collision near Arbroath, a few miles north of Dundee. Twenty persons were killed and many injured. Among the latter was Mr. A. W. Black, Liberal M.P. for Banffshire, who had both legs broken. Mr. Black afterwards succumbed to his injuries. The collision occurred at Elliot Junction, a small station two miles south of Arbroath. The line from Arbroath to Dundee is worked jointly bv the Caledonian and the Aorth uritish Railway Companies over it the East Coast Scotch ex- presses run 01, the London-Edinburgh-Aberdeen route. It seems clear that the 7.35 a.m. north- ward bound express from Edinburgh had reached Arbroath, but could proceed no turther. This train had left King's Cross at 11.30 the previous night, and it was due at Arbroath at 9.40 a.m. It did not reach that station until shortly before eleven, and after wai;r3 there for a time it was resolved to return southward. Meantime, no attempt had been made to get through from Arbroath to Dundee, until the joint companies made up a train about half- past three in the afternoon. The train, it seems, left Arbroath going south just before the ex- press turned back. The local train proceeded the two miles south to Elliot and then was stopped awaiting the signal that the line was clear. A few minutes later the express, running at thirty miles an hour, crashed into the rear of the standing train. A scene of indescribable confusion ensued. The guard's van and last carriage, with the exception of one of the compartments, were smashed into matchwood. The engine of the express turned over on to its side, and steam and fire escaped from the overturned engine, under which lay the driver and the fireman. The wreckage of the smashed carriage covered the dead and dying. Some of the dead had been pitched on the platform. Doctors were hurriedly sent for to succour the injured, but owing to the isolated character of the country and the difficulties of transporta- tion it was some time before any but local help arrived. Seldom has the work of extricating the injured from a railway wreck been carried out under such painful circumstances. Several injured passengers, many of whose limbs were broken, were almost frozen before they could be helped. Gourlay, the driver of the express, an elderly man, gave the following description of the dis- aster We were not going particularly fast as we approached Elliot Junction. I saw nothing to indicate possible danger ahead, but before I had time to realise what had happened we dashed into a local train which was standing ..1. the platform. I was thrown down on my engine, and on picking myself up I found I was badly hurt about the head and left wrist. My right ear was split in two, and I was taken to a doc- tor in Dundee and had it stitched before being sent home to Edinburgh. Before leaving Elliot Junction I saw that my tender, with its mass of coals, was lying on its side. The engine had kept the rails. My fireman had somehow dis- appeared. I searched for him up and down, but it was not until some time afterwards that I heard that he was lying beneath the tender. He was got out, but died in the infirmary." The guard of the express, James Kinnear, said: There were not many passengers in our train—only about a dozen. I was in the van next the engine. At Elliot Junction my fellow- vansman and. I were sorting our mail bags, when, without the slightest warning, there was a fearful crash. Everything happened in an instant. The van was wrecked to splinters, and I was shot on to the side of the track among the snow. I had only a few scratches on the head, but I received a severe shock. My mate, Hardie, got some fog-signals and placed them on the line for a mile back to protect the wreckage from further hurt." Following is a complete list of the killed: 0 Mr. A. W. Black, M-.P. for Banffshire. James Jamieson, traveller, Glasgow. F. R. Whitfield, traveller, Balfour-place, Carnoustie. John Young Wood, storekeeper, Arbroath. Adam Hume Lesslie, railway guard, Abbey- hill. Edinburgh. William McFarlane, Shawlands, Glasgow. J. Gow, railway employee, Edinburgh. Thomas Wood, railway servant, whose brother resides in Meadow-row, New Kent-road, London. Hugh W. Owen, traveller for Ogdens. Limi- ted, Glasgow. James Christie, grocer, St. Vigeans-road, Ar- broath. Frank Norrie, Park-avenue, Dundee. Robert Coats, Dalineny-v'rcet, Edinburgh. Alexander Coats, foreman bridge builder, father of above. James Cathro, High-street, Arbroath Adam Hunter, traveller, Hawick. Robert Irvine, stoker. Edinburgh. A. B. Ewart. Bannatyne-avenue, Glasgow. Alxeander Shand, M.A.. journalist, Dundee. William Steele, traveller, Dundee. Richard Grant, railway servant, Edinburgh. Charles Wood, storekeeper, Carnoustie. Mr. Alexander William Black, Liberal M.P. for Banffshire since 1000. was a member of the firm of A. W. Black and Co., Writers to the Signet, Edinburgh. He was born at Kirkcaldy, in Fifeshire. in 1859, and his widow is a daughter of Admiral T. Wilson, C.B. At tht last election in Banffshire Mr. Black was re- turned by a majority of 2,200 over Mr. J. A. Grant. His majority in 1900 was only 298. At previous elections the Liberal majorities were 869 in 1892, 771 in 1893. and 510 in 1895. The singular coincidence that there is another Mr. A. W. (Arthur William) Black, of Nottingham, Liberal M.P. for North Bedfordshire, led to some confusion when the first news of the disaster was circulated. The collision had a sensational development on Monday. George Gourlay, the driver of the express train being arrested at Edinburgh, the charge against him is that he, being the driver of a train proceeding between Arbroath and Dundee, drove that train recklessly and culpably, whereby it came into collision with another train and a number of passengers were killed and injured." The Procurator-Fiscal of Forfarshire on Mon- day went to the scene of the accident, and it was his investigations that led to the driver's arrest. He telegraphed to Edinburgh ordering the Crown authorities to take Gourlay into custody. Prior to his removal from the house Gourlay was examined by Sir Henry Little- john, the medical officer of health for Edin- burgh, to ascertain whether he was in a fit state of health to be taken into custody. Gourlay has been in the service of the North British Railway Company ever since he was a boy, and he is one of the oldest drivers on the line. He is a powerful and intelligent man, and the Jact that he has been the driver of royal trains indicates the trust reposed in him. The following telegram was received by Pro- vost Alexander, of Arbroath, from Lord Knollys at Sandringham on Monday: I am commanded by the King and Queen to say how greatly they have been shocked and distressed by the recent terrible accident at Arbroath. Their Majesties would be glad if you would express to the relatives of those who have lost their lives on this sad occasion the sincere condolence of the King and Queen in their sorrow, and to the injured the deep sympathy of their Majesties in their suffer- ings. Their Majesties would also wish in- quiries to be made as to the condition of these, and to be informed how they are pro- gressing.

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Hen Feirdd a Phregethwyr Sir…

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