The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-10-07

/ The foreign mails by the Cunard steamer
I ,ldud arrived at New York on Tuesday, with
dates to August S2d. The English papers
I give fun particulars of the terrible disaster
to the Irish mail train reported by the cable,
while on its way from London to Holyhead
I on the Goth of August. Among the victims
were some distinguished persons. The Lon
| don Daily NeIcS SAYS:
While the Duchess Of Abercom and Lord
Castlerosse escaped from the burning train
uninjured, Lord and Lady Farnham and Sir
Nicholas Chimney were burned 10 death.
Lord Farnham was the seventh baron of that
title in the peerage Of ireland, and was born
in Dublin on August 9Th, 1929.
On December Sd, ISIS, he was married TO
the Hon. Anna Frances Esther, youngest
daughter OF the twenty-second Lord Deepen
GER This LADY was siXty-three years of age
at the time of her death His Lordship, who
for some time was one of the representatives
of Caven county in the house of Commons,
succeeded his father in the title in 1883, and
in the following year was elected one of the
representative peers OF ireland.
The deceased peer was Knight of st
Patrick. leaves no issue, and his brother the
Hon. Somerset Richard Maxwell who is now
in his sixty-fif year succeeds TO the title.
The Rev. Sir Nicholas Chimney, who also
was passenger in one of the front carriages
of the Inflated train, was born in 1904 He
was educated at Queens College Cambridge
where he graduated NJ. \. in 1899 Sir Mich
olas, who was formerly assistant minister at
Trinity Chapel, Conduit street, Hanover
sqnare, succeeded his father as third baronet
in 1870 and was married in 1873 TO Anne,
daughter of the late Rev. john Vernon, of
Cavan. In the default of 4 male heir the
title becomes extinct.
The causes OF the disaster are described as
follows:
Part of the goods train was detached near
Abergile, and two wagons were bumped
against the latter half and set it in motion.
Ii ran from the siding to the mairf down
line, which has gradient of in 100 The
descending wagons gathered velocity as they
proceeded, and ran about mile. when they
met the mail train coming at speed of forty
miles an hour.
There is a sharp curve at one point of the
line and also a cutting, so that the driver of
the mail train was unable to see the danger
ahead until the wagons were close upon him.
He Immediately shut of the steam, put on
the brakes, and told the stoker that they
must jump for their lives: the latter would
not or could not, and remaining at his post
was killed, while Thompson, leaping of the
engine, escaped with some slight bruises and
a severe shaking.
When the crash occurred. the mail engine
leaped on 10 the goods wagons, and the ten
der, guard van, two first class and one COM
posite carriage followed in a heap. Two of
the wagons were unhsppily laden with casks
of the inflammable oil known as petroleum
These were all broken by the force of the
furnace coming in contact with the oil, in
moment the whole mass became covered with
flames.
Thompson, the driver, though partially
stunned by the fall, displayed great presence
of mind. As soon as he could, he ran to the
double Postofiice van in the middle of the
train, and seeing the first half was on fire,
he disconnected the other half, and the
hinder part Of the train thus released ran
short distance down the rest of the incline
away from the burning pile, the lives of the
passengers in the rearmost carriage being by
this means saved.
The petroleum and the woodwork of the
broken carriages burnt fiercely for upward
Of an hour, so fereely that thousands of
spectators were soon attracted TO the spot.
None could approach near the flames. A
line of men was formed TO an neighboriug
pool on the seashore, and buckets Of water
were thus passed along, but this apparently
had no effect upon the flames. Everything,
and everybody within the doomed carriages
was consumed in the fire, and the whole
was speedily reduced to heap of black
char. Both lines were blocked up and the
telegraph wires being broken, all communi-
cation either way was for some time stopped.
From the remains, which have been re-
moved to Abergele Church, ii is conjectured
that at least twenty-three persons have lost
their lives in this terrible calamity. Inspec-
tor Owen has in his possession thirteen gold
and four silver watches, or rather the re-
mains, most Of them being burned so that
Il is difficult TO recognize them The excite
ment caused in this neighborhood by the
calamity is naturally unbounded.