"One of the most sensational occurrences which have yet happened in connection with sugar mill tramway system occurred about 7.30 p.m. on last Friday night on the new Maroochy River line, which had just been opened the same afternoon. While the party of visitors were at the river, two loaded trucks, which had been placed in position to show the method of loading, fell into the river, and caused a delay in the transport of the cane cut that day, until after the party had to leave for town. The result was that the loco had to return to the river, and to come home after dark with the cane, a somewhat risky proceeding over any newly-built line.

"Just how the accident happened will never be known, but the best theory advanced is to the effect that the third truck in the rake (which was found afterwards to have a wheel loose on the axle) came off the line just before crossing the bridge over the gully near the top of the hill in Mr Love's property. The truck is supposed to have dragged the second and fourth off, and the next to these following fell over the curved bridge, dragging the engine, on which steam had been shut off, over the side and backwards to some extent.

"On the engine were Mr J. W. Shearer, the driver, and two young men named Robert Mitchell and Arthur Ralston, the former being fireman, and the latter a friend out for a ride. How all three escaped instant death was simply miraculous.

"The engine, weighing some 12 tons or more, rolled over till she was practically upside down, in which position she rested with her 'bows' hanging on the wall log, and the tender and tank on the ground about 12 feet below the level of the bridge. The two young men to their surprise found themselves unhurt save for some trifling bruises, and crawled out of the coal which fell all over them, but Mr Shearer was found to be badly injured in the face.

"They assisted him to Mr C. Prentis's residence, where he was able to assist in the washing of his blood-stained features. He was then conveyed to Nambour, where Dr Penny attended him in Nurse Adams' hospital, his injuries being a broken nose and a severe hip bruise. He has since made good progress and is able to get about again, but will be some days yet before he can be at work.

"Next morning, a large gang of men was sent from the mill to undertake the work of raising the engine, but it was found impossible to do without taking her to pieces, so this work was started on, and accomplished by Sunday evening. The Dulong, in pieces, was all back in the mill yard by Monday night. The damage to her was surprisingly little, the worst being the bending of the two main girders supporting the floor. These had to be sent away to Brisbane to be straightened, but the rest of the repairs are being carried out locally, and it is expected that the engine will be at work again as soon as her driver.

"There were some remarkable circumstances in connection with the accident. The same trucks which fell into the river fell over the bridge, and the derailment could have happened almost anywhere along the line without anything like such a serious result arising.

"In regard to the position of the engine however, it would have been certainly fatal to all on board had she fallen five feet further on or further back. There was a deeper hole in the gully into which the men fell; five feet further on and the tank would have filled the hole, the cab would not have held the weight and would have been crushed with the men beneath; five feet further back and the wall log would have been cleared, and the cab would have fitted the hole too closely to enable escape. As it was, the most open part of the engine and the opening in the ground coincided."