The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-30 00:00:00

INJURED.

A shocking accident, unfortunately attended
with loss of life, occurred at the well-known spade
works of Messrs. Norris aud Sons, at Wollaston,
cn Tuesday at noon. For a number of years the
hainmers at the works have been put in motion by
water-power, but latterly steam-power has been
introduced, and there were two boilers on the
premises, one of which a balloon-shaped one, erected
some five years ago, was the cause of the mischief
that occurred. It stood by the side of a tubular
boiler in a central part of the works, and in the
shopping around some sixty men and boys were
employed in various branches of the manufacture
of spades, shovels, and forks. Soon after noon a
report spread over the neighbourhood that a num-
ber of persons had been injured by an explosion,
and the people who hurried to the spot found
nearly the whole of the A °tics in ruins, and there
was too sad confirmation with regard to the per-
sonal injuries inflicted. One lad, Eli Gibson, was
found underneath some brickwork a corpse, his
head having been crushed, and other severe in-
juries being apparent. A number of men and boys
were entangled in the &bris of the sheds around
the engine, and the first care of their comrades
was to rescue them from their perilous position.
Some of the men had very narrow escapes. One
man was at work in the shop on which one end of
the boiler fell. He stated that he heard a noise
and got into a corner of the shop. He had
only just done this when the piece of the boiler
fell and demolished the shop, leaving the man un-
injured. It is, indeed, wonderful that more of the
men were not killed. The top of the stack, which
was sixty three feet high, was knocked down by
the explosion, and whilst the injured were being
removed the remainder came down with a clash
but without causing further mischief. Fortunately
for the engineman, George Hughes, he had just
gone into the offices at the time of the explosion,
andito this circumstance he probably owes his life.
The wreck of other buildings wound was complete,
and the scene of destruction the place presented
was a melancholy one. Mr. Norris, jun., sent off
for medical assistance immediately after the acci-
dent, and Mr. Birt, of this town, and Mr. Turner,
of Wordsley, were soon on the spot attending to
the sufferers; and Mr. Cosham also arrived shortly
afterwards. The body of the lad Gibson was re-
moved to the Barley Now, Wollaston. His par-
ents reside at the Heart and Hand, Stamber Mill,
and news of the distressing event reached them
before the removal of the body, which they were
anxious should be taken to their own house. John
Ford, who was severely scalded and injured, died
whilst he was being conveyed to the Guest Hospi-
tal, at Dudley, and the other men and boys who
were hurt were removed to their homes in con-
veyances. The boiler is said to have been work-
ing at a pressure of 151bs. to the square inch when
the accident occurred. Mr. ;Marten, of the Mid-
land Steam-boiler Inspection and Assurance Com-
pany, examined the fractures on Tuesday after-
noon, and also did Mr. Short and Mr. Maginnis
from the offices of the company. The boiler was
not insured, and had not:therefore been under the

_
inspection of the company. It seems to have been
rent in about seven pieces. The bricks were sent
dying considerable distances, and the roof of Mr.
Norris's house was broken in several places. The
following is a list of the dead and injured :

DEAD.
Jonathan Eli Gibson, 13, Stamber Mill.
John Ford, Wollaston.
Frederick Hall, Cobden Street, Wollaston.

INJURED.

John Sutton, plater; scalded and cut,
Thomas Bagott, plater, Wollaston ; bruised and leg
broken.
Job Stanton, plater; slight injuries.
Edwin Wooldridge, Cobden Street, Wollaston;
badly scalded and hurt about the head. Seri-
ous case.
John Wooldridge, son of the foregoing; hurt about
the head and breast.
James Edwards; scalded, and leg said to be broken.
Benjamin Vincent; hurt internally, and cut about
the body.
Other men received less serious injuries.

THE INQUEST ON THE BODY OF GIBSON.
The inquest on the body of Jonathan Eli Gibson,
one of the boys who was killed by the late explo-
sion at Messrs. Norris's spade works, was opened
on Thursday eve,nis g before Mr. R. Docker, at the
Barley Mow, Wollaston. Mr. Collis appeared on
behalf of the friends of the deceased; and Mr: Wall
for the proprietors of the works. Mr. Marten,
chief engineer to the Midland Steam Boiler In-
spection and Insurance Company; Mr. Evan Jones,
local engineer to the Boiler Insurance and Steam
Power Company (Manchester) ; and several other
engineers were present. The Rev. G. Gilbanks,
vicar of Wollaston. also attended the enquiry.
Jonathan Gibson, landlord of the Heart and
Hand, Statnber Mill, identified the body of de-
ceased as that of his son. He was thirteen last
August. He worked at the spade and shovel
manufactory of Messrs. Norris. He last saw him
alive at half-past five on Tuesday in irning. Tlie.
previous evening his sou came home earlier than
usual, and said the boiler was leaking, and they
all had to leave work.
Mr. Wall submitted that this was not evidence.
Mr. Docker said he had not taken it as such,
but at the outset ho must state that he meant to
conduct the enquiry according to his own views.
That was a court of enquiry, and at such there
would be statements made which coald not be
lmitted as evi lence that would lead up to others
which were, and he should use his own discretion
in the matter.
Mr. Wall stated that the Messrs. Norris had
nothing to conceal, and courted the fullest en-
quiry.
George Hughes, the engineer at the works was
called, and stated that the boiler which had ex-
ploded was under his supervision at the time of
, the accident.
The Coroner here explained to him that if it
turned out that the accident resulted from any
neglect on his part, it was possible that he would
be charged with the deceased's death. If he was
willing to be sworn he would swear him, but what
he said might he used against him on a future oc-
casion. The witness having declared his readiness
to be sworn,
The Coroner said he thought he would have a
professional examination of the boiler made be-
tore he heard this witness's evidence.
Mr. Wall said that Mr. Marten and Mr. Short
had examined the boiler, but not on behalf of the
proprietors.
The Coroner said he should prefer an examina-
tion under his direction.
Hughes stated, in reply to the Coroner, that
the boiler remained in the same state as after the
explosion.
John Lavender was the next witness called, and
stated that he resided at Coalbournbrook. He
worked at Messrs. Norris's, and was a spade fin-
isher. He was at work there on Tuesday when
the explosion happened. There were two steam
boilers in use at the works. The deceased worked
in the forge. It was about ten minutes past 12
when the explosion took place. Witness was then
at work in a shop about 20 yards from the boiler,
and he heard a little fizzing noise. He thought
it was the steam pipe which had blown. He then
heard a little bit of a puff, and the water and
steam fled all about them, and they got out of the
windows as quick as they could. They did not
hear any loud report. They went back in about
two minutes. They had often heard a similar
sound to the fizzing noise before, but when it
came to what might be called a little " boat," with
the water coming into the shop, he knew that
something unusual had occurred, and he and those
who were with him in the shop got out as soon as
they could. Directly after hearing the noise they
were enveloped in a shower of steam and water.
His brother, Alfred Lavender, was at work in the
same shop with him. There were also John
Perry, and another whose name he did not know.
When they returned the steam had cleared away
sufficiently for them to see what was the matter.
He went to where the boiler had stood and saw
all the bricks blown down, and seine persons
wounded, whilst one was found dead. Pieces of
the boiler were blown about the works, and a good
deal of brickwork was thrown down. The stack
was blown down. tlt was 63 feet high. He was
one of those who helped to find the deceased. He
was under some bricks at the bottom of the forge.
There were about two cart loads of bricks upon
him. Hughes was engineer at the works. He
had seen him about the yard within ten minutes
of the explosion. He saw him again immediately
after the explosion helping to get the people out.
Mr. Norris was not on the premises at the time of
the explosion. Hughes was the only engineer.
He was an experienced man. There were about
eight persons badly hurt, and a number more had
scars and such like.
By Mr. Collie: He never heard the engineer
complain about the boiler. The engine was at
work on Monday.
The Coroner said he did not propose to go
further till he had the boiler examined by a scien-
tific witness, and he adjourned th• enquiry till
next Thursday.