The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-13 00:00:00

FIVE LIVES LOST IN A SEWER.

Yes'etday evetiog, at seven o'clock, information
wee given at Pimlico police.statioa that several man who
had been ordered by the emmniseloners of sewers to ex-
amine the sewer (formerly known es the Westmiaster tuna-
mon sewer), which runs from War wiek-samt b Keniiworth-
street, for the purpose of =skin preparations for flashing,
had gone down at 45 o'clock, sad had not returned. The
polio, epos preceding to the spot, were informed by the
tun fa charge, that two persons had gone down the trap
near the comae of Warwick-street, at 6 o'clock, but that
they had not returned, and he wee fearful that some
dent had happened to them. Police-mutable IG9 B, accom-
paaied by Mr. Berry Wells, sawn, OA 80. 96, War-
wick-street, immediately proceeded to the other
end of the sewer, whisk is situated shout one
hundred sad *fly yards from Me spot, and where it falls into
as open sewer. Lights having bre. procured, the police
conotable weal into the dais, and was inemethately eohowid
by Kr.. Wells sad two other poem, wales names see at
potent naksoon.
Nearly half an hour heals; elapsed, and uor.e of the per
soma returning, interludes was mat to the polies ration in
Rochester-row, aad Mr. Inspector Moran took several offi-
cers to the spot, and ordered tee men to commeses excavating
• hole about midway between Warwick-street mad Ettal-
wortll4trest, in order to let the foul air oat, as it was found
to be totally impossible for any to venture is it.
search of the airbag persona. Whilst this operation was
being performed, however, • young man named
Richard °limy rushed into the Kenilworth end
of the sewer, and succeeded in bringing out the police
man. Maytag deposited the officer (who wee quite dead)
at the mouth of the sewer, he again retuned, and
almost immediately afterwards brought out another dead
body, but whether that of one of the persons who Seat
went In to march, or one of the labourers, could not be
ascertained. Ai soon es O'Ksy brought the second body out
of the sewer, he was observed to stagger. He was laid hold
of by two persona, who endeavoured to support him, but be
fell to the ground, gad was then taken to the Ciarendom
Tavern, in Kenilworth-sweet, where Doctors Wee. Ord sad
Jennings Admiaistered rectoratives, end succeeded is re-
storing hint. In the meantime, ZOOM mesons rescued Mr.
Walls, who wee in almost a lifeless s.atie, sad was imme-
diately tab m to SG George's Hospital.
Up to baitpast 1 this morale', neatly forty perms' were
engaged ta excavating the roads abets the sewer in Haag-
worttsstreet, for the purpose of snaking apertures over the
spots where the bodies of the unknowns victims' of this
dreadful catacrophe are supposed to be lying. The sewer
at this part lies at the depth of between tea and twelve feet
under the roadway, and it is not expected that they will
succeed is entering the sewer before 6 o'clock this morning.
That them other men are at present in the sewer hat been
proved beyond a doubt, as, when the parties were diet
mired—that is, when surprise was excited at their sot
coming out at 6 o'clock last evening—two persona in the
employ of the Sewers Connonsion, named Coristie sad
Whiting, went down the trap in Kenilworth.street, they
there saw the bodies of three persons. The sudden shock as
seeing thelfeless bodies of their fellow workmen, and the
effect of the carbonic gas quite overpowered them, and it
was with difficulty they beat • retreat.
Upon inquiry at the hospital it was saeertained that Mr.
Welt', the surgeon, died belot• he arrived st that establish-
ment. The unfortunate gentleman, who was the first to ma
in to endeavour to save the lives of ho fellow creatures, bed
only recently established himself in the neighbourhood, sad
leaves a young wife to deplore his untimely depth.
The constable Walsh, who is a relative of Mr. Coen,
the cieputy.governor of Tothill•Fields Bridewell, had only
recently been transferred to toe B Division, and was noted
in the tome for his daring and eourtoo one character. Directly
he heard that parties were missing, without a moment's de-
lay, he rushed into the sewer, and succeeded in brulgiog out
one of the sufferers; but upon going in spin. he was om
powered by the gas. His body, when brought out, was per.
tec'ly black.
Mr. Francis Morten, the Clerk of the Sewers for the Pim-
lico district, arrived at the scene of the catastrophe at inc
o'clock, with a large body of men in the employ of the
Sewers COM/1111/011, to render any assistance tom might be
necessary. He informed the reporter that three men, named
respectively Thomas Joe Carpenter, John Attwood, an.'
William Barton, is the employ of the Metropolitan Commis-
sion of Sewers, were sent down at 6 o'clock yesterday morn-
ing, tor the purpose of meararing the soil in the sewer, in
order that it eoliths be let to contrition for rem Meg or
flushing out. The permits not coming up as wee expected at
has o'clock (the usual boar at which they left off), two per
e,ns named Christy and Whiting, who are also is the employ
of the commission, went down into the sewer, where they
saw the lifeless bodies of their fellow-workmen.
IMITHIUL PeIiTICIII4III.
DISCOVERY OF THREE MORE BODIES.

At a few minutes before four o'clock this morning the
excavators succeeded in breaking through the sewer in Kenil-
worth street, opposite the Earl of Clarendon Tavern, at about
14 feet below the surface of the road. So foul was the gas
which immediately rushed out, that it was with great dif.
Scully those engaged on the works amid maintain their
feet. Large parcels of straw were then procured, and ignite d
over the aperture, and, after burning off the gas, several men
connected with the sewers commission west down, and, atter
a slight exploration, succeeded is dimoveriag the knit meu.
From the potitios in which they were found it is quite evi-
dent
that they bad scarcely been in the sewer five minutes
before they were suffocated, as they ware not 60 yards from
the spot where they Ant entered. The bodies were (*nerved
to the surfacer, and taken to the Clarendon T , to a+ sit
a coroner's inquest, which will be held on Monday. The
bodies of the anfortanzte men were perfectly black, and bad
swollen up to a fearul size, and it was with the greatest del-
Sonny that they could be recognised even by their friends.