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The Boyerioe Disaster.
' - ? :
The Midland Relief Train ar
rived at the scene of the disaster
last Tuesday with a large gang
of men, and the work of straight
ening out the smash was com
menced immediately- Ninetrucks
were destroyed, being consigned
as follows:
One from Mt. Barker to Kal
goorlie, containing fruit.
One from Albany to Narro
gin, containing mixed perishable
goods.
One from Denmark to Kalgoor
lie, containing vegetables.
One from Albany to Kalgoorlie,
containing vegetables.
Four from Katanning to North
Fremantle, containing flour.
It is estimated that 50 per cent,
of the goods were salvaged.
Chris. Peacock, the " fireman
who perished in the disaster, was
the third son o* Mr. Thomas W.
Peacock, of Oranbrook, and. was
well known and highly esteemed
in Katanning.. His death came
as a shock to many, ?ind the sad
dest piart is that he was to have
been married in a few week's
time. Although he received ,
frightful injuries it is some con
soiation to know that from their
very severity he could.not have
been in pain during the time
he was impri^pned in the wrecked
cabin of the engine. L. Starr, :
-the driver, is an old servaht of
the Department, and has a wife
and large family here in Katan
ning. The latest reports from
Wagin are hot of a very re-assur
ing nature. The lower portions
of his body and right arm are in a
frightful state from scaldis.
It is evident that. the disaster
was caused primarily through the
excessive and unprecedented rain
fall. The bridge itself stood un
injured, but over 30 feet, of em
bankment was swept away by the
weight of water, and the cause
of the failure of the bank was
the stoppage of the channel with v
timber and debris. Before. the
bank broke the water had risen
to level with the sleepers, as
shown clearly- by the marks
along iheeaTth works. Four trains
passed thi-ougb: that night, and
"each^ri^ho
ultimate collapse. : r - : -
- Owijig to;; the dislocation of
traffic over 700 tons 6f perishable:
goods accumulated in the -yards
at Katanning, and willrequif© two
special troins to move it to- its
various destinations when the
line is cleared. '
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