It seems that every day we hear about people suffering dreadful accidents. Accidents were all too frequent in our early history, too.
The following stories were reported in The Daylesford Mercury and Express issue of 24 August 1869:
SEVERE ACCIDENT. – A miner named Owen Jones met with a serious accident at Moonambel on Saturday night. Returning home, and being fatigued, he laid down near a burning tree which had been felled, and the end of which was resting on the stump.
As the latter burned down the upper part of the tree gave way, and crushed the hips of the man, who was frightfully hurt. His immediate removal to the Maryborough Hospital was speedily effected by the neighbours, whom the cries of the sufferer attracted to the spot, and he is now doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT – A frightful accident occurred on Wednesday at the Tullaroop Racecourse to a man named Martin, travelling with sheep for Messrs Booth and Argyle, of the Durham Ox, to the Ballarat market.
He was showing the paces of his horse, and attempted to leap over the fence in front of the grand stand, when one of the horse’s hind feet caught between two of the pailings and Martin was precipitated with great force to the ground. He was taken up insensible, blood oozing from his mouth, nose and ears, and was immediately attended by Drs. Laidman and Dunn.
Martin was removed to Kirk’s hotel, Carisbrook where he remains in an extremely precarious condition.
From the Daylesford and District Historical Society.
