The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-17 00:00:00

THE CATASTROPHE Ar THE CRYSTAL

PALAC&

The details which we gave yesterday respecting
the deplorable accident at the Crystal Palace on the pre-
vious afternoon, although substantially correct as far as
they went, yet conveyed but an inadequate idea of the ter-
rible character of the event. It was feared that the number
which we announced yesterday as having perished was not
the real extent sf loss of life, and that on the wreck of the
scaffolding, which lay heaped upon the flooring of the
transept, being removed, the remains of other sufferers
would be dscovered. Happily, however, such anticipation
was not realised, the unfortuna:e creatures who perished
being moaned to the twelve previously reported.
Uo visiting the building yesterday morning we found Sir
Joseph Paxton (who bad been telegraphed for from Chats-
worth), Mr. F. Puller, the managing director of the com-
pany, and the contractor,, Sir Charles Fox and Mr. Hen-
derson, engaged in surveying the works ; and it was not
until then that we could fully appreciate the magnitude of
the disaster. A very large mass of framework, apparently
of great strength, which had been constructed for the for-
matioa of the more inside portion of the western division of
the centre and great transept, had fallen from its position,
some ISO feet high, carrying with it a part of the girders
and several columns on the north side of the nave, the
whole lying one heterogeneous mass of twisted iron and
shattered timber upon the flooring beneath. As previously
arrangeil,the wreck was not allowed to be disturbed until Sir
Joseph Paxton, Sir Charles Fox, and other parties of high
engineering authority hail an opportunity of examining it
and the course it had taken in falling.
The centre transept, as some of our readers ma be
aware, will, when completed, be the chef cruet's of the

bull :mg. It is intended to be no less than 208 feet in
htiight (108 feet higher than the transept of the Exhibition
in Hyde-park) and 100 feet in breadth. The principle
adopted in fixing the ribs is different to that pursued in the
building of the old palace, where they were relied
bodily. Here, owing to the enormous elevation and
span, a framework was constructed of timber and iron of
peculiar strength and bearing. On a kind of stage which
was thrown across the entire breadth of the transept avenue,
were erected several trusses the ends of which rested
upon timber on the summit of the iron columns of the side
galleries. The trusses were of the form generally employed
in the construction of roots of railway stations. They were
firmly tied by iron band., and otherwise strongly secured.
On the top of the first tier of trusses another kind of stag-
ing was to be firmed, and upon this the upper trusses
were fixed, which wou'd afford the workmen every facility
in throwing over the ribs. Three tiers of upper and lower
trusses had been completed at the front of the transept
the fourth, fifth, and melt lower trusses were flied ; and
the seventh, which was the last that part of the works in
the transept required, was standing close to the sixth,
and in readiness for the men to move it on to
its position, which they could accomplish by 4. purchasing"
it Moog one sheet of timber upon which it et sted. It has
been stated that they were in the act of shifting this seventh
trust when the catastrophe occurred, but that has been
questioned on the ground that it would not be required in
its appointed place fur a day or so. What particular work
the unfortunate men were engaged at at the time of the
accident has not satifactorily trauspired, but it would seem
that some failure took place which led to the shifting and
falling of the seventh truss, and the carrying with it of the
sixth end fifth. The latter were most firmly flied together,
as they were to the fourth,which kept its position, botwith-
standing the strain of 'event tons of falling woodwork. The
great strength of this principle of truss is also fully illustrated
by the position of the wreck on the flooring beneath. In-
stead of shooting out more upwind' the centre of the
building, which would have been the case had it not have
been held by some strong power, it has dropped close
under the trusses in the face of thei transept, clearly indi-
cating the strength with which it had been held to the other
parts of the structure. Sir Joseph Paxton and Sir Charles
Fox made very minute inquiries of the beads of the boild-
ing department, with a view of eliciting anything that
might throw a light upon the probable cause, but nothing
decisive was arrived at. The galleries and staging had
been constructed under the direction of the most skilled
mechanics, and who had been similarly employed in form-
ing the transept of the Hyde-park Exhibition. Sir C. Fox
remarked that the only opinion he at present could give as
to the cause of the melancholy event was that the workmen
had left out some important part in the trusses they put up.
Considering the alarming character of the accident,
and the great number of hands employed in the vicinity
of the transept when the destruction of the upper works
took niece, it is a subject of much congratulation that the
leas of life was not greater. As far as our inquiries went
we could not hear of any one man who was on the base-
ment sustaining any material injury.
Mr. Chamberlain, the medical gentleman of Wolver-
hampton, who rendered immediate assistance to the naive-
tunate sufferers, thus describes the seises he witnessed :—A
few minutes before the accident he was viewing the exterior
of the works from the lane which runs along the Norwood
side of the building when a sharp noise like the falling of •
plank attracted his notice, and turning to the centre transept
observed something falling through the galleries. Seeing
that no notice was taken of the circulistance be proceeded
down the lase, and then noticing that the workmen on the
north transept were looking eagerly at the centre one, be
turned round, and at that instant a loud crack took place,
and he perceived that a large portion of the staying or
scaffolding was giving way. There was a peat cry, fol-
lowed by a tremendous crash, and he noticed the workmen
dropping like partridges. Being satisfied that some terrible
accident had occurred, he hastened {9 the entrance and got
admission to the interior, where a most shocking scene pre-
*anted itself to hie view. The workpeople were rushing
out in a state of the greatest dismay and terror. Amidst
the broken timbers and mass that had partly buried item(
in the flooring he saw 16 or 17 workmen, dead and dying.
With the assistance of Mr. Belehaw, the superinten-
dent of the building, and other gentlemen whom
he saw there, a body of men were urged to
render aid in extricating the sufferers; a work
which occupied a considerable time. Many were found to
have met with an instantaneous death ; some by pitching on
their beads on to the sharp edge of the iron ribs for the
transept, which laid on that part of the floor, and others by
being crushed beneath the ponderous mats. In one spot
were seen some ten or twelve feet below the surface, three
men whom it was thought were killed. Two of them. mar-
vellously enough, were found to be but slightly injured,
although they had been precipitated from the very top of
the scaffolding; the third was discovered to have sustained
a double fracture of the skull. He was recognised to be
John Ferry, who now lies in Guy's Hospital without hopes
of recovery. Mr. Chamberlaine caused a temporary hospi-
tal to be formed in the south end of the building, where the
sufferers were conveyed, and where on the arrival of other
medical gentlemen, their state was promptly attended to.
Mr. Chamberlains accompanied the survivors to Guy's Hos-
pital, and saw them properly housed and handed over to
the care of the surgeons of the institution.
The remains of the ten men who wet, picked out of the
wreck, dead, were deposited in one of the outhouses of the
building, and have since been identified. The following
are their names :—William Forman, James Weller, George
Topham, George Feilding, George Copping, William
James, William Middleton, William Smith, John Neale,
and Charles Hardy. The names of those dead at Guy's
Hospital are Henry Reading and John Harris.
Respecting the condition of the Injured survivors lying
in Guy's Hospital, the report of the medical officer last
night to the conductors, states that, with the exception of
the man Perry, all were progressing favourably.
Daring the excitement of Monday afternoon consequent
on the accident, Mr. Sergeant Lund, of the D division, and
a strong body of his force rendered most important services
in assisting the wounded men, and protecting the building
from the thousands who flocked to the spot.
At present there is almost a cessation of labour at the
worts. The inquest on the bodies lying in tho building is
fixed for to-day.
With regard to the amount of damage which the mishap
has occasioned, it is computed to 'eased 6,0001.

AMERICA.

(PT ELECTRIC TELEORAPIL)
ARRIVAL OF THE ATLANTIC.

LIVERPOOL, WELINIVIDAY.
At noon to-day the United States Mail steam-ship
Atlantic, Captain West, arrived in the Mersey, with
the usual mails from the United States and British
North America. The Atlantic left New York on the
6th inst., and besides the mails, has brought about
140 passengers, but no specie.
The United States Mad steamer Washington bad
arrived at New York on the 4th inst.

The Royal Mail steam-ship Niagara reached Bos-
ton on the Sth inst.

On the Bth inst. the Royal Mail steamer Africa,
from hence for New York on the 30th ult., was passed
by the Atlantic.
The political news from the States continues of an
unimportant character.
O'Donoghue, the Irish exile, who escaped from
Van Diemen's .and, and lately landed in New York,
has got himself into trouble. From information
lodged with the authorities, he had been arrested for
intending to fight a duel, but was liberated on pro-
curing bail.
Business bad taken an unfavourable turn at New
York since the departure of the previous steamer,
and the pressure on the money market amounted to
almost • panic. Prices of stocks had considerably
fallen, and the tendency was still downwards.
The market for breadstuffs was active and prices
very firm at the following quotations—Western
Canal Flour, 5 dole. 25c. to 5 dole. 37ic. per brL,
very firm ; Gennessee prime Wheat, 1 dol. 34e. to
1 dol. 36c. per 60 lbs.; Indian Corn, round yellow,
76e. to 78c. per bushel; Indian meal, 3 dots. 121 c. to
3 dots. 25c. per brl.
The cotton market at New York is reported brisk,
with a good average amount of business doing at
slightly advanced prices. The following are the
quotations:—New Orleans and Mobile, mid. fair to
fair, 1210„ to 13c.; Uplands, 111 c.
The freight market was in a good firm condition,
and ship owners were asking increased rates. Flour
to Liverpool paid 2s. 9d. to 3s. per barrel ; and Cotton,
id. to 5-16 d. per lb.
In the provision market there had not been much
doing, and prices were weak.
Exchange on London, 1091 to 1474 but no: well
sustained ; Paris, 5.121 to 5.15; Hamburg, 361 to
361; Bremen, 791 to 80.

CHATHAM ELECTION.—Captain Vernon having
announced his intention not to defend his return, the elec-
tors hare presented a petition reyne•ting permi•sion of the
House of Commons to be allowed to do so. _ _ _

ROYAL ASSENT TO RAILWAY BILLS.--On Monday
the royal assent was given to the Allowing railway bills:
Worcester and Hereford, Bayswater, Paddington, and
Ilolborn Bridge, West Cornwall, Crieff Junction, Trete
sod Killarney, Chard, East Anglican, Monmouthetire,
Severn aid Wye, S ,uth Wales Mineral, Samford and
Essendine, Cork and Bandon, Electric Telegraph Cont-
ras,.