The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-06 00:00:00

TEIRIBLII ACCIDENT AT A PETE.-TEN

PERSONS DROWNED.

One of the most lamentable accidents which ever
occurred in Shrewsbury took place on Friday night. M.
Jullitei annual musical filte bad, in conjunction with the
B Horticultural Society's show, been held daring
thberbone a by-kt of the Severn, called the Island of Pop-
lars. The river at this point is about 150 feet wide, and la
at the deepest point about nine feet deep. The island on the
occasion in question was approached by a bridge of boats,
temporarily erected for the papas, and constructed of a
pouters, • lighter, R fist•bottoroed punt, and a barge, planks
being laid down over the assets to a landing stage and
steps. It is computed that not less than ten thousand per-
sona visited the Wand during the day, of whom by far the
greater number were women and children. arrangementa
having been made to admit the Shrewsbury Band of Hope
to the fits. The evening's entertainment concluded shortly
labor tan o'clock with a grand pyrotechnic display, when,
raj the lest rocket into thank sad scattered its
cies among . tall pojh.e enormous
multitartinished off to the of boats.
Whether this structure was strong enough to sustain the
ordinary weight and pressure of so many persona is not at
preitent seoutained, but unhappily there were found movie
I foolish and wicked enough to increase the risk, whici, to
unprofessional eyes, seemed already great enough. It is a
fact, although it will hardly be credited, that while the hu-
mane multitudes, were frantically struggling and straining
to get over the bridge, several fellows in a elate of intoxica-
tion commenced swaying it from aide to side, notwithstand-
ing the semen entreaties of those who endeavound to pass
an. At this juncture the pant, which formed the central
portion of the bridge, myeloid and sunk, buryingsfwval
persons beneath It, while a great many others, about 160 in
▪ Wen precipitated into shallower parts of the river. The
seem that ensued baffles description. The town bank of the
rise wee lined with hundreds of persons, consisting partly
of those who had landed in sdety, many of whom were ope-
rated from their friends and partly of poorer persons who
wens amidst° visit the Me, and were watching the fireworks
from that spot. From them, as well as from three who
were in the river, and on the remaining portion
of the bridge, moss the most agonising shrieks
and WM. After considerable delay and incredible ex-
ertions the greater part of those who bad been precipitated
Into the water were dragged out, some nearly drowned
end others suffering from severe contusions, while not a few
had their arum and legs broken.
As before naiad, several unfortunate individual, were
crusted beneath the body of the punt, end ea they were
unable to extricate themselves they were drowned, upwards
of twenty minutes haring elapsed before they could be got
out. The bodies were recovered during the night, but it La
supposed that When remain yet under the punt, as swami
persons are missing. The bodies so found were taken to en
adjoining inn, most of them being identified next day. Their
names and descriptions were:
Edward Joseph Ditcher, a child two years and a half old,
sad Mary Harem, his nurse; John and Ann Price, aged II
and 14 respectively ; Mary Canon, 15 ; Elizabeth Holder,
22 ; John Roberts, 17 ; Esther Mary Jones; and two
ethers whose name. are at paean unknown. Most of the
dammed beton to Shrewsbury.
On Saturday an inquest was held at the London Appren-
Ike lan, wham the bodies lay, before Mr. Henry Keate, the
borough coroner. The proceedings were merely preliminary,
to enable the bodies to be viewed and identified by their te-
spective friends, previous to their removal for interment,
and the inquest was adjourned till three o'clock to-day (Mon-
day), when the inquiry will be conducted in the Grand
Jury-room, at the Town-ball. Models end drawings of the
brMge will be laid before the jury, so as to enable them to
judge whether the persons who planned and °lnstructed it
are blameable or not. We understand that measures will be
taken to arrest, if possible, the persons who caused the
catastrophe by rocking the bridge.