The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-30 00:00:00

TSB PIRG AND LOW OP PI UNN LIM IN

BLOOMUrrir.

A great sensation has been created in the neigh-
bourhood by this calamitous event. The question naturally
asked by every one who has since visited the ruins is, how,
in a house so email, and with every appliance for saving life
so close at hand, so many persona should have been allowed
to perish. That question is *gaily solved, as will be seen
from the following particulars:—The building in which the
lire commenced was only 20 feet wide, about 80 feet deep, and
not more than 40 feet high. It was entered by a gateway as
far as the carpenter's shop was concerned ; there was a pri-
vet* purge, partitioned on each side, which led to the stair-
ore forming the approach to the bedrooms. This staircase
was at the back of the shop, and ran up to the lower part of
the second floor. The back wall, which was immediatel
behind the houses in Great Russell-street, was built with
"dummy,' Cs., bricked up, windows and immediately in
front of these windows, within the interior of the build-
ing, were erected four common stoves, the other four being
on the west and eastern side of the structure. No light
being available from the back, a skylight was formed in the
roof, sou to allow a borrowed light to the back rooms, the
front being supplied by the windows from the street, and the
front windows were on a level with the different floors, mak-
ing, as might be supposed, the means of egress considerably
less difficult ; indeed, it is asserted that, with due precaution,
presuming that the inmates had been fully aroused in time,
they might have dropped from the top of the building with-
out receiving any material injury, providing the police or
fire-brigade's jumping-sheet had been at hand ; bat the
whole of those who have perished seem to have died before
my assistance beyond the first-floor ladder had arrived. It
was stated yesterday that the lower floor was occupied by Mr.
Taylor, a carpenter and builder, but it was Mr. Stubbs, a
carpenter, who occupied the place as a workshop, Mr. Taylor
being only the landlord of the home', which he held on lease
from the Duke of Bedford.

lir:litteViditiidyesierday that the last time he was
in the workshop was ten o'clock on Saturday morning, when
he left to transact some business in the Caledonian-road,
Islington. Upon returning at night he recollected that he
had not put up the shutters of the shop, and he repaired to
the building for that purpose, but not having the keys with
him he left the shutters down as he had dons before. He
also stated that the duet which we referred to yesterday as
being at the back of the ground floor had all been removed
on Wednesday or Tharedey last, and no fire bad been made,
even for heatiag glue, for many days, at the least five or six.
He stated further that the whole of the parties who perished
were exceedingly industrious and sober, and that they regu-
larly paid their rent when due. Mr. Stubbs has lost all his
stock-in-trade, working tools, &c., and he was not insured
for • singe penny.
How It was that the Duke of Bedford allowed a build-
,Mg to be run up without any back windows is much
diecussod in the neighbourhood, as, with the exception
of a warehouse further down, no other house in the
same street is so erected. Had there been windows at the rear
of the building, every one in the place could have stepped
upon the roof of Mr. Calvert's museum, in Great Russell-
'treat, and have passed over in safety, as it was not 12 feet
from the oopiag of the roof. The last named gentleman, who
is well known to the public as a traveller and author, will be
a serious loser by the disaster, as he had the whole of his
splendid collection of agates, corals' precious stones, and ape-
dmens of Australian and other (gold which he had been col-
lecting for over 20 years, much injured by fire and water.
These once splendid gems stood in Mr. 15' owerby's former
in Great Russell-street, and Mr. Calvert estimates
Eliose.., sat the lowest at 8001. That gentleman is also of
opinion that had there been any back windows to the house
in which the fire commenced every life might have been
saved. He distinctly heard the cries and screams of the poor
people as the fire rushed up the stairs, and entered their
respective rooms. There is one thing quite certain, that,
independently of the manner in which the house was
erected, it could not have been substantially built,
which is evidenced by the rapidity with which it fell
so goon after the outbreak. This is borne out to some ex-
tent by Mr. Superintendent Braidwood, who, in his official
report, describe the &meg, done as follows No. 20,
Gilbert-street, Bloomsbury, let oat in tenements ; a house of
eight rooms, and carpenter"' shop on ground floor, burned,
and fell down shortly after the arrival of the engines. Fif-
teen lives lost. Ne. 12 ditto, Mr. H. Harding, fringe
maker, shutters scorched and window glees broken ; inured
in the Sun Fire-office. No. 01, Great Ruasell-street, Mr.
J. Calvert, mineralogist and author, partition on ground
floor and back warehouse and museum considerably damaged
by fire and water; insured in the San Fire-office."
The following will be found to be a correct list of those
who perish 4, whosebodies remain in Bt. Giles's Work-
house, each being labelled, so that their relatives may be
able to identify them at the coroner's inquest :—James
Hedges, aged 63; Wm. Henry Hedges, aged 20 Mrs. Ann
Hedges, aged GO; John Hedges, aged 13; dad Richard
Hedges aged 15. Richard Smith, aged 52 ; Mrs. Harriet
Smith, ;gad 62 ; Alfred Smith, aged 14; George Smith, aged
II ; Marian Smith, aged 3 ; Albert Smith, aged 3 (twins) ,•
William Smith aged 12; Harriet Smith, the younger, aged
16; Teresa Smith, aged 7; and Richard Smith, aged 17,
who was killed by jumping out of a window, and whose body
still remains in the University College Hospital, but there is
no doubt that it will be removed to the workhouse, so that
the inquest can be held upon all the bodies at one time.
The officials of the London Brigade and the Royal Society
made a moat searching inquiry yesterday with a view of find-
ing out the cause of the catastrophe, and the result was that
they learned beyond a doubt that no gas was burned in the
premises, or even laid on into the building.
A subscription is to be forthwith opened for the relief of
the survivors, who have been bereft of all they possessed.
The whole of the house evidently fell at one time, and the
contents, as they have been turned up for the parpoee of
searching for the bodies, are of a most miscellaneous
ter. There are all sorts of articles of domestic furniture,
Bibles' London Journals, pamphlets,loaves,
scattered about in endless confusion. Two or three loaves
are still standing on the shelves which adhere to the walls,
scorched and blackened by the flames.
It hoe been stated that an unfortunate delay took place,
owing to the engines being upon the wrong scent, attributable,
no doubt, to the hasty information afforded at the time. They
proceeded to Guildford-street, Russell-square, instead of Gil-
bert-street, Bloomsbury ; and from the confined situation of
the promisee on fire, it was some time before they reached
them. It appears that one of Smith's sons was the last up,
having returned home at as late an hour as 1 o'clock on
Sunday morning, about an hour and a half before the fire
was discovered by the police. In his progrees up stairs he
would pus through a passage contiguous to the carpenters
shop. At this time of course ell appeared safe ; whether
the unfortunate youth was smoking when he entered, and
dropped tobacco sparks amongst the shavings la the pomp
or not, will probably never be ascertained.