The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-19 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY • 19, 1851.

Tearable, but her injuries are most severe, being cut, burnt,
and bruised all over her body.
At present it is difficult to conjecture the cause of the
Are. Mr. Harvey was a very quiet, sober, and careful man,
and had only been married 18 months.

THE FALL OF A BUILDING IN GRACE-
CHURCII-STREET.-FOUR LIVES LOST.

We give a more detailed account of this disastrous
accident than could be procured on Saturday, premising
that the statement given in Saturday's Express was correct
in not then uniumueing any lives 111 aCtually lost, since up to the j
hour of going to press, the sufferer, Hanley (at St. Thomas's
Hospital), had not expired, and it was late at night before
an of the bodies had been dug from the Tiara.
On Saturday morning the usual complement of men,
averaging from 70 to 80, proceeded with the works. Thirty
men were busily engaged, some in the upper portion of the
premises, cum; lcting the floors by throwing in the concrete;
°then were employed in the lower floors, while many were
busy at the bottom of the building, preparing the mortar
for the use of those throughout the premises. The number
would have been considerably greater had not all the car-
penters-14 in number—temporarily left the premises •
short time before. About 20 minutes to 11 o'clock, a sudden
snap, something similar to the report of a gun, was heard,
and the next moment the men, to their horror, found the
building trembling beneath them, and in another second or
so the whole of the south side, which overlooked Allhallows
Church, was seen sinking in one general mass. A mo-
mentary glance sufficed to apprise the men of the fearful
catastrophe that awaited them. Some of the poor fellows,
by an extraordinary and almost superhuman effort, bounded
as the floor gradually gave way, on to the roof of the
church, while others, in as astounding a manner, contrived
to leap on to the adjoining houses. A large number of the
workmen, however, fell with the building, and the Beene
that ensued must be left to the imagination. The crash
shook and startled the whole of that part of the City, and
fur some time the n.ost utter consternation prevailed.
Crowds of excited passers-by and neighbours rushed to the
scene, and then it was discovered that the whole of the
centre of the extensive range of building, from the highest
story, had given way, and had fallen to the ground in oat
shapeless mass.
the labourers who had escaped instantly made their way
to the ruins, and with the police and other parties pro-
ceeded to extricate the unfortunate workmen who were
buried in the rubbish. In many instances their piercing
caries for help intimated to the searchers the spot where they
lay imprisoned beneath huge rafters and masses of brick-
' week, and in the course of ten minutes or so, some 20 or 30
were got out, and about 17 were carried to the shop of Mr.
, Novi', chemist and druggist, on the opposite side of the
way, where they were visited by Dr. Smith, of King Wit-
I 1_-street, and several medical gentlemen in the neigh-
bourhood. On the arrival of a reinforcement of police they
were carefully removed in cabs and on stretchers to St.
Thomas's Hospital, where they were at once placed in beds
in William's ward, and received every possible attention.
Apprehensions being entertained by those connected with
the works that the remaining portion of the building, front-
ing Oracechureh-street, would fall, the police under the di-
rection of Mr. Todhuntcr, Mr. Mitchel, and Mr. M'Lean,
were at once ordered to clear the mob, which was very
great, oat of Oracechurch-stree'. This was quickly worn-

and the road was kept closed until tali tine as the
City surveyor could make the necessary inspection of the
ruins. The same precaution was adopted towards several
courageous fellows who exposed themselves at times to
much peril in searching for several unhappy creatures who
were supposed to be buried in the ruins. They were called
off, lest a second catastrophe should ensue.
As soon as the excitement cons..quent on the accident had
in some degree subsided, the foreman of the works had the
men mustered, and their names called over, when, in addl.
tien to those taken to the hospital, three men, of the names
of Peter liorrigan, Michael Cronin, and Jeremiah Connor,
were found missing. Just previous to the accident they
were seen in company with three strangers, standing in
the centre of the ground floor, mixing lime and hair for
mortar.

Owing to the dangerous state of the premises left stand-
ing after the crash, it was deemed prudent to suspend
further search until the unsafe walls could be made secure,
and the examination could not be re.umed until evening.
During the afternoon the City surveyors were engaged
inquiring into the primary cause of the accident. The
statement which the reporter received front a professional
an and which in some points agrees with that of
gentleman sod which in some points agrees with that of
Messrs. Bell and Corbett,given below, wasthat in the centre
of the building was a " well hole," intended to form the
staircase, and across it ran on every floor or landing iron
girders, each weighing nearly two tons. All hail been
filled and properly secured, and when inspected on Satur-
day morning, seemed perfectly sound. From some cause or
other the uppermost girder suddenly snapped in two ; its
excesaive weight dragged the wall out of its perpendicular
and the girder getting loose, fell and broke the girder below.
This instantly brought the walls down with the floors. Mr.
Dennett, we understand, was close to the girder when it
broke, and the opinion he forms of the cause is that there
was a flaw in the metal of the girder, and that it did not
arise from any wantof foresight. Whether the girders had
undergone the ordeal of testing before they were erected, is
a matter that will be subject to the strictest inquiry. The
walls on which they rested were eighteen inches thick, and
were formed of old stock bricks.

In the early part of the evening some 40 or 50 labourers
were set to work, and were actively engaged in exca-
vating the ruins. They continued their exertions until
dusk, and it being considered dam/emus to prolong their
labours in the darkness of the night, especially with the
somewhat doubtful state of the walls, the work was sus-
pended. The Great Central Gas Company, however, on
hearing of the position of those employed at the scene,
promptly directed the gas of the company to be laid on,
and, under the direction of Mr. Brittain, the inspector of
the company, in the course of an hour the whole place was
lighted by some 50 or 60 burners, thus enabling the men
to tarty on their operations in turning over the rubbish.
Shortly after nine o'clock the City surveyor mode a fur-
ther inspection, and, from discoveries which he made in
the portion of the building still standing, deemed it pro-
', dent to withdraw the workmen until such time as the
portion from which further danger was apprehended was
properly shored up. It was nearly half-past ten o'clock
before this was accomplished, and then the workmen re-
sumed their labours.

The scene about 11 o'clock was truly heartrending. A
number of respectable females, the wives of many of the
sufferers, not finding their husbands return home at the
usual hour, presented themselves in the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the dephrable catastrophe, anxiously inquiring
for their husbands; and, on being made acquainted with
the nature of the casualty, evinced feelings bordering upon
madness. Notwithstanding all that the police and parties
employed on the ruins could do to convince them that a
number of men were obliged to be kept at work on the
premise*, they would not be satisfied but that their husbands
had perished. . . _

The shoring of the walls was completed at half-past 12,
and in the presence of the City surveyors, who remained,
the search fur the missing particv was resumed. About one
o'clock the workmen discovered a body lying some 12 feet
below the basement in the vaults, which bad been forced in
by the immense mass. It was shockingly mutilated, and
by the clothes the body was identified as that of a labourer
named Horrigan. It was much crushed, and death must
have been instantaneous. In about au hour later the body

of Cronin wu ai,eoTered; and by three o'clock that if
Connit also.

An idea the weight of material which covered the
bodies of the unfortunate men may be formed from the
fact that large numbers of men worked by relays from the
hour of the accident up to ten o'clock yesterday (Sunday)
morning, removing the rubbish from the interior of the
building into the street, while more than 20 carts were con-
stantly engaged conveying it from the spot.

CORRECT LIST OF THE KILLED ♦ND WOTEDID.
Peter Horrigan, dug out of the ruins.
Jeremiah Connor, dug out of the ruins.
Michael Cronin, dug out of the ruins.
Joseph Hanley, aged about 32, a compound fracture of
the base of the skull, and both legs broken. Taken to St.
Thomas's Hospital. Since dead.
Timothy Sullivan, aged about 30, both legs fractured, se-
vere contusions on the body and head. Remains in a dan-
gerous condition in the same hospital.
W. Ransom, aged 24, right leg fractured, and body much
bruised. Supposed to have received many severe internal
injuries.
W. Whiting, aged 31, scalp seriously fractured, with
divers wounds and contusions over the body. Not ex-
pected to recover.
Thomas Clark, aged 30, scalp lacerated, and ribs sup-
posed to be fractured. In a very dangerous condition.
John Cooper, aged 39, laceration of the scalp, and se-
veral severe contusions on the body. Expected to recover.
George Barham, aged 29, fracture of the legs, and severe
injury to the scalp. Hopes of recovery.
David Foley, aged 31, numerous wounds and bruises
over the body, and head much injured. Expected to re-
cover.

James Kirby, aged 28, head much cut, and lower
part of the body seriously injured. Recovery doubtful.
Henry Perry, aged 38, slightly contused over the body
and head. Nothing fatal apprehended.
James Jenkins, slightly injured.
Timothy Sullivan, the fifth in the above list, was last
night in a most precarious condition, and it was consi-
dered he might expire at any moment.
Some of the labourers escaped death under circumstance.
of a most marvellous character. In one instance a labourer
who main the vault hearing something tumbling above
him, stepped aside into a nook, and the next moment the
crownof the vault was burst in by the falling floors, com-
pletely hedgMg hint in, but without doing himthe slightest
injury, and Ohm some time he succeeded in extricating
himself. Another surprising preservation of life has tran-
spired. A party of six Irishmen escaped by sliding down
the gable end of a wall ; they were cm the appettnesa floor,
and seeing or feeling the bandhsg shaldigleenuader them,
they ran along the top, and teething or of the es they
one by one let themselves down to the Meet by mew of
the projecting iron stays. Those who witmeemi Ode escape
described it to have been attended with the amt lambent
danger ; how they managed to keep hold of the this pieme
of iron from inch a height is considered truly mnaweesess.
The only pumas who probably \Titania{ the hafft of
the building, are those who were in it, es the pwlien which
fell was shut out from public view, wen lire. Beckett,
(of 18, Graeochureb-street,) and Mrs. Bache (of Lang-
bonnie Coffee-host, in Church-passage). As before men-
tioned the building formed the north side of the passage.
Mrs. Beckett wag in her kitchen, and was looking out of
the window and raw the place fall in. The pillars running
up between the windows appeared to split in the centre of
the betiding. and one after another gave way just like
the falling of houses built of ads by children.' It ap-

I peered an if the outer walls were too weak to bear the
enormous weight of the iron girders
Portions of the walls fell on to the roof of the vestry-
room adjoining Allhallows Church, and broke it in; but
the church has sustained no damage whatever.
Respecting the CALM and extent of the accident we have
received from the proprietors of the premiers the following
letter, written, it will be observed, before the whole facts
could be known.

" Sir,—We deem it our duty, in order to allay any feel-
ing of excitement that may be produced in the public mind
by exaggerated reports of the occurrence that has taken
place at the building in Gracechureh-street, to request You
will be good enough to insert this in your journal. 'We
were both absent at the time of the accident, but we are
informed by the contractor and others that an iron girder,
crossing one of the staircases, broke, from some impel •
eeptible defect, and by its falling weight broke through
the floors beneath, the iron joists of which being built into
an internal wall, prised over successively each story of that
as it fell, and which consequently drew inwards with it a
part of the external wall towards the court. We have to
deplore the loss of the life of one man ; one miming, sup-
posed to be in the ruins; one dangerously wounded ; and
five with contusions, more or less alight. This account of
itself is sad enough, and we, therefore, desire to prevent as
far as possible the anxiety that may be caused by the repre-
sentation that it is more terrible. We are, sir, your very
obedient servants, " BMA. and CORBETT.
" Graccehurch-street, Saturday afternoon."

From all that can be collected the building appears to
have been too weighty fur its site; for the yet standing
front i■ bulging in, and seems likely to follow the example
of the hack walls, while an Alton ale shop, adjoining it on
the north side, has every square in its plate-glass window
cracked, the frame in its centre bring driven several inches
from the perpendicular.
The accident, dreadful as it was, appeared to have been
in some degree anticipated by parties employed in the
building, and others residing near the spot. It was rumoured
on Saturday that the district inspector visited the building
about a fortnight since, and advised the cessation of the
works until the foundation should be strengthened. If so,
his advice must have been neglected, and the catastrophe
we have recorded would appear to have been the cause-
qsseace.
Upon this point we have the testimony of the unfortunate
widow of liorrigan who has fallen a victim to the accident.
She said to the reporter, when condoling with her under her
misfortune, " I knew the place was not safe. Yesterday,
I brought my husband's diluter, and he sat down to eat it.
I saw several cracks iu the uall which has fallen, which
they were stopping with compost, and I said to him,
Horrigan, this is a bad place to eat your dinner in—it
does'nt seem safe.' He replied, ' I know it ain't
safe; there'll be a grand smash before lung!' And," con-
tinued the poor woman, with tears in her eyes, " It seems
to have been a sad smash for him; for I can't see anything
of him, and they say he's under tke rubbish."
The portion of the wall which fell, carrying with it
several immense iron girders, the raising of which is said to
have been the immediate reuse of the accident, was about
50 feet high by 30 feet in length. To show the force that
must have struck the sufferers when the building fell, it is
only necessary to state that heavy beams of iron almost
as thick as small trees were snapped asunder as easily as
if they had been mere timber laths; and scarcely two bricks
have fallen without being separated, notwithstanding that
they had been previously fixed together with strung ce-
ment. •

Tuts Mouxixo,
At an early hour a great number of mechanics and la-
bourers were employed by Messrs. ltiehard Bell and
Corbett to clear away the ruins.
After a minute examination of the outer walls at the
front of the building, the carriage way of (iracechurch.
street was thrown partially open, and foot passengers were
allowed to pass both ways, but vehicles were allowed to go
through southwards only.
At ten o'clock the summoning officer of the parish of All-
hallows, Lombard-street, waited upon Mr. William Payne,
the coroner for London and Southwark, and that gentle-
man has fixed the investigation respecting the deaths of the
sufferers to take place at ten o'clock to-morrow (Tuesday)
morning, at the London Tavern.
Upon making inquiry this morning at St. Thomas's
Hospital, the reporter found the man Sullivan, and the
other five unfortunate men, progressing very favourably,
the former having somewhat recovered from his state of

unconsciousness, which leaves wine hopes of his ultimate
recovery.
At noon this day no other bodies had been discovered in
the ruins, although two arc now missing.

SPORTING.

TATTERSALL'S—SATURDAY.
THE DERRY.
4 to sgat Rini. Hanky.. Teddington 0)
13 to Lord Eabeld'x Iferoan .ex
7 to Mr. IlalfoNL Pone Monster (t)
In to Mr. Clark'. Marlb.rough hut
12 to Mr. MetkLm'a Constellation
SO N Mr. Saxon'. Black Doctor
20 to Lord Ealiatou'a Hip: olytux (t and aft off )
23 to Mr. Magna' Tn.veor It)
25 to Lord Cherternekr. Heartbreaker
25 to Mr. Wilkatmou's Nearhara
3tl to Lord Exlinton's Rosati liondie
1000 to 1 Bane ltotbrebild'a Te ‘r.t.r.ky cult
1000 to 1 Mr. Winteringhaer tnaland's (guy
1551 to 10 Mr. Morris. Hung tferd
Next to Hippolytus, who was backed for some hundreds
at 2.5 to 1, and for at least 1,0001. at 20 to 1, Teddington woo
molt in favour, the markct against nearly all the other fa-
vourites leaving off with a downward tendency. Theseus,
who is admitted to have been lame for a day or two, found
backers at 2.5 to I. The general betting was dull.
THE LIARS.
7 to 1 asst Mr. Delarnere'd Foment
9 to 2 Mr. Gralnick.% litre Iloasburg
LATEST BETTING.
DERBY.
- - -

.....
7to 2 apt Teddington . 25 to I apt Tearaway oolt
7 to I Hernaaden (t) 35 to 1 Neagh .m It)
10 to 1 Prime Minoter 31 to 1 Ileanbrt nker
10 to 1 Marlhorount Ruch (t) 35 to 1 Moantain Deer
12 to 1 Constelintinm (t) 40 to 1 Boone Dundee
12 to 1 Blank lloetor 40 to 1 Guy M ...wring (t
40 to 1 Theseus (tI) 25,000 to .00)
23 to 1 Lainartine 40 to 1 Ilunprford (t 1,000
/5 to 1 linal.ahrs Glory I to 10)
25 to 1 GI, othnirk 40 to 1 Midas (t 1,000 to 10)
23 to 1 Hippolytua (t)
OAKS.
3to I apt Hesse Hamburg 120 to 1 apt Payment
it to 1 Aphrodite