The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-28 00:00:00

THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT MANCHESTER.

The inquest on the bodies of the eight persons
killed by the esplusion of a boiler at premises occupied by
Mr. Williamson and others, in Riga-street, Manchester, nn
Tuesday, was opened on Wednesday evening, before Mr.
Herron], coroner for the borough, at the Royal Infirmary.
Mr. Superintendent M'Mullin, of the Manchester detective
police, attended the inquest, with the engine-tenter, MI-
MID Eget tun, in custody. The and ages of the un-
fortunate persons killed by the esplosion were read as fol-
lows: John O'Neil, aged 14 years; Mary Ann Dunn, 9
years; Elisabeth Brennan, 21 years: William Fender, 11
years; Daniel Welnutl, 6.5 years; John Holmes, 32 years;
William Whiteley, 36 years; James Barry, 42 years.
George -Warden, of 23, Back Loyd-street, who was em-
ployed as fireman in the borough dier,said he had assisted
in searching the ruins of the building in Riga-street for the
bodies of the deceased. On going into the ruins over the
engine-house, he found John O'Neil bound fast between
the shafting and the principal beam quite dead. Ile found
Wm. Fender in the boiler fire-place, nt about a quarter to
12 on Tuesday night, after about 21) tons of the ruins had
been removed. Ile was quite dead when found. Ile found
M'Cloud, Whiteley and Holmes at the end of the yard
where wood was stored, nearest to Hanover-street. Holmes
was under part of the boiler its circular end; the other
I two were buciv4 under timber sorl bricks, and all were

dead.
John Carr, another fireman, said he found the deceased,
Betsy Brennan, on the bottom floor of the building in
Riga street, covered with dirt and cotton bags, quite dead,
at five o'clock on Tuesday night.
Anne Smith, of 11, Hanover-street, said about three
o'clock yesterday I heard a great noise as of thunder. and I
felt theltowie shake and also the window. Oa looking out
I saw the deceased, Mary Ann Dunn, lying at her own
door, with the spout from the side of her own house upon
her, which hail been dislodged by the explosion.
Thomas Williamson, owner of the saw-mill on the
premises destroyed, was next examined, and said,
I have occupied the premises in Riga-street, for
• circular saw mill, fur the last three months. I
had two saws there, worked by a steam-engine of 25 horse-
power. I took the premises two years ago, but the engine
was broken, and I left en the 4th of March last but one.
About last May I arrange 1 with the landlords that they
should put up a new engine with shafting and boiler. This
was done about October last, and I worked the engine from
that time till the let of January without paying rent. 1
employed Thomas Egerton as engineer, at .As. per week,
and ho confirm. dto attend to the engine till this explosion
occurred. The engine was put up by John Riggings, of
Oldham, and John Hartley, of Chapel-street, put up the
boiler. It was a new boder, and I understand it was of 3$
horse-power. It was cylindrical in form, seven yards
long, and about three yards in diameter, The fire-
place was under one end, and a flue was carried
through the centre of the boiler. I was at the works
yesterday, from about 6 o'clock in the morning until
lat noon, when I went to dinner. The engine was then
working in its usual way. About half-past 11 in the morn-
ing I was in the saw-mill, and Egerton then came out of
the fire-hole, where he had been firing. Ihe down-strap
came off the pulley, and 1 called him, and said, " Really,
1 oils, you must attend to the engine, or somebody else
shall you must stop about the engine." lle then went to
the engine. I will swear that I made no complaint to him
yesterday besides that. 1 came hark to the premises at ten
minutes to 3 o'clock, and pulled off my hat and coat, and
went into Mellor and Jepson's timber yard, about 100 yards
distant, to measure some timber. I did not see Egertonafter
ten minutes W I, and he was then apparently a little the worse
for liquor, but very little. 1 had first noticed that he was
a little the woe for liquor at breakfast time. Ile was
worse at breakfast time than afterwards. It was in come-
quenee of his being the worse for liquor at half-past eleven
that I said he must atteud to the engine aa above stated.
Ile had been in the same state on Monday, in my opinion.
I said nothing to him about it on Monday. lam sure he
was is • proper state to attend to the engine. About five
minutes to three I was in Mellor and Jeroon's timber yard,
and heard an explosion, and turned round and saw the
bricks falling. I said to Mr. Jepson, "that's our place."
end then I ran to the ruins into Riga-street. I got into
the front-place, and found the three-story part of the build-
ing all in ruins, as were also the portions of the premises
fronting to North-street and Mayes-etreet, of which I oc-
cupied the bottom as a saw-place. The boiler had been
between those two buildings. One end of the boiler
was rearing up. The plates at both ends had been blown
2LdI saw one of our sawyers, named Sunderland, and
Ida where the men were. The only men who were
injured in my. employ wen Richard Webster, who was
brought to the infirmary, but is still alive ; and David Reed,
who was injured on the nose. I had not seen them since 1
o'clock. I had not given any instructions about the pres-
sure ;per inch that the boiler should work at. The work
which the engine had to do would not cause more than
151bs. to the inch. The engine stopped at 1 o'clock for the
dinner hour. Before 1 went I told John Egerton
that ha must make up the joint at the top of the cylinder,