The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-03 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSIONERS OF ,EWERS

Yesterday evening Mr. William Baker, the coroner
for East Middlesex, and a jury of thirteen householders
of the parish of St. Mary, Whitechapel, assembled in
the large dining-room of the Whitechapel Workhouse,
Whitechapel-road, touching the respective deaths of
Mark Zeigler, aged 22, a hawker of jewellery ; Francis
Miller, aged 30, a tailor ; Christian Mishowsky, aged
40, a Hungarian refugee ; John Vick, aged 38, a com-
mission agent ; John Dunkleman, aged 37, a carpen-
ter ; Thomas Zerham, aged 30, a slipper-maker ; a Ger-
man named Lins, aged 20, a slipper-maker ; and a
male person unknown, apparently about 20 years of
age—the unfortunate persons who perished in the late
calamitous fire on the premises of Mr. Nicholas Bros-
sette, a beer-shop keeper and licensed lodging-house
keeper, of No. 1, Colchester-street, Leman-street, White-
chapel, on Saturday morning last.
The first witness called was
Nicholas Brosette, the late proprietor of the house
where the recent catastrophe took place, who said—l
am a Frenchman, and my present residence is No. 5,
New-buildings, Cross-street, Southwark. I kept a
licensed lodging-house at No. 1, Colchester-street,
Leman-street, Whitechapel. The premises were duly
licensed under the late act of Parliament. lam a baker
by trade, and sometimes lodged twenty, and occasionally
thirty. It was registered for forty individuals. I have
rented the house since August, 1853.
Coroner—Has not the house been on fire previously ?
Witness—Yes, twice before. The first was in the
summer of 1853, and the last in January, 1854. On the
first occasion the fire was caused by a man with a candle
—the second through the oven in the bakehouse in the
cellar. The furniture was insured for 400/. in the Sun
Fire-office. There were eight rooms, the whole of which
were generally occupied by casual lodgers. I rented
the house yearly, and it was insured in the Royal Ex-
change-office for 2501. I value my property at 5001.
Thelast time I baked bread in the oven was on Friday
night last, and left off at 12 o'clock. The deceased John
Vick assisted me, and he was quite sober. I have seen
all the bodies, and I can recognise the following—John
Vick, Francis Miller, John Dunkleman, Mark Zeigler,
and Christian Mishowsky ; but the body of Thomas
Zerham is so much burned that I cannot identify him.
I knew him when he was alive. The deceased Lins
and the other man I have seen I cannot recognise,
owing to the dreadful state the bodies are in. The man
Frost, who jumped out of window, I knew well, and he
was a cigar-maker.
Coroner—Has not there been an illicit still on the pre-
mises.
Witness—No. I went to bed at 1-2 o'clock on the
Friday night, and slept, with my wife and three chil-
dren, in the front room on the first floor. I and my
family escaped by the fire escape. -I had only time to
put on my trowsers. Wood, the escape man, rescued
my wife and children. I did not see Frost jump out of
the window, and I am not aware what time, or the place
where, the fire commenced, but the first I saw of the
flames was when I awoke. The fire and smoke were
coming into my room from the staircase. No one
was allowed to sleep in the cellar or bakehouse.
Seven of the persons who are burned paid for their
lodging. The other two must have got in without pay-
ing for their beds. They must have come 'into the
house from the yard and gone upstairs unknown to me
or my wife. The house was entirely burnt down to the
basement. I placed some wood in the oven at twelve
o'clock, which was my usual custom. It was there the
morning after the fire.
Samuel Wood, 5, Milton-street, Cripplegate, the fire-
escape conductor, was next examined and said—l was
called by a young man on Saturday morning last about
twenty minutes past three o'clock. I proceeded from
Whitechapel Church to the house in question, and found
every part of the house filled with flames. I placed the
machine against the building, and heard groans. I
ascended the ladder and saw several persons at the first-
floor window. I rescued Mr. Brossett, his wife, and
three children. I then made an attempt to enter the
window on the second floor, but could not in conse-
puence of the great mass of flames and smoke issuing
from the lower and upper parts cf the house. I can-
not account for the cause of the fire, but my impression
is that it originated in the lower portion of the premises.
Mr. William Culverhouse, of No. 10, Osborn-place,
Brick-lane, Whitechapel, said—l am one of the trustees
of the parish. I was passing the end of Colchester-
street, on the afternoon of Saturday last, about 4
o'clock, when I saw Mr. Patrick, one of the late
churchwardens. He called my attention to the ruins,
and informed me that there were seven persons sup-
posed to be buried in the rubbish. It was then
about twelve hours after the fire had been extin-
guished, and no steps whatever had been taken by the
firemen or the parish authorities for the finding
of the bodies. If there had been any person alive under
the ruins no attempt was made to rescue him. I appealed
to Mr. Oliver, the district surveyor, but nothing was
done until I and Mr. Patrick procured a gang of
labourers, who we set to work at our own individual ex-
pense. I and the men dug 18 hours altogether, and
found the first body about twelve o'clock on Saturday
night, another about one, and the remaining six about
five o'clock. They were much burnt, and some were
snore so than others. lam of opinion that there is great
blame somewhere, and my impression for such a delay is
that the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the parish
officers.
Elias Davis, of 2, Palmer-street, Spitalfields, a general
dealer, proved the identity of Mark Zeigler, who was a
Jew, in the habit of hawking articles about the street.
Inspector Price, the lodging-house superintendent, said
the house wl-ich had been burnt down had been duly
licensed and examined by him in the usual manner accord-
ing to the act of Parliament. The place was registered
for 40 lodgers, and the rooms used for the purpose gene-
rally held about nine persons, chiefly foreigners from
Germany. The house was always kept clean, and in
conformity with law.
The Coroner here asked if Mr. Fogo, the foreman of
the fire brigade was present, as he should like to take
that officer's evidence before proceeding any', further
in the case.
Mr. Webb, the summoning officer, said Mr. Fogo
had not been summoned, for there had not been time to
collect the necessary testimony in such an important

inquiry.
The Coroner, thereupon, adjourned the investigation
until Thursday afternoon, giving the constable orders to
get the gentlemen from the Sun Fire Office, and all the
evidence ho could together by the time mentioned.
The proceedings then closed.
Orders were given for the burial of the eight unfortu-
nate sufferers.

LARGE ARRIVAL OF MERCHANT SEAMEN IN THE PORT
OF LONDON.—Within the last two or three days, since
the wind has got round to the westward, between t
ort wo
and three thousand sailors have arrived in the pof
London, by the large homeward-bound fleet which was
recently reported coming up the channel. Most of the
men are English, and have been long voyages. Their
arrival has been most acceptable to the traders of the
east-end of London and the outward-bound ships, for
since the great demand of Government for men, and the
uncommon dearth of sailors, there has been little trade
doing ; while the rate of wages has gone up prodigi-
ously, more than 51. per month being paid. The fleet
of homeward-bounders which has lately reached the
Thames comprises vessels from all parts of the globe,
laden with the most valuable cargoes. Among them
are ten from Australia, each having a quantity of gold
on board ; twenty from China, Singapore, Madras, Cal-
cutta, &c. ; as many more from the Mauritius, Ceylon,
Cape of Good Hope, &c. ; two or three dozen from the
West Indies, South America, United States, &c. ; while
the Mediterranean Fruit and Channel Islands trades
have contributed a large proportion of the arrivals. To
this list must be added a considerable fleet from the
ports in the north of Europe ; the whole giving employ-
ment to many thousand labourers in the docks on both
sides of the Thames ; and, indeed, much activity to every
branch of trade connected with the port. A large num-
ber of the crews, on leaving their ships, proceeded to
the Sailors' Homes ; but many continue to locate them-
selves in the lodging' about Ratelifflighway and.
Shadwell.

Yesterday a court was held.
THE CITY CEMETERY.
The CHAIRMAN (Deputy Peacock) informed the court
that the purchase of 200 acres of land, which was de-
clared by able judges to be perfectly suitable to the pur-
poses of interment, had been completed. The City did
not (he said) require so large a space of ground, but that
part which was not necessary for the City's use would,
he had no doubt, be taken by the various parishes on
the line of the Eastern Counties about Ilford, where
the property lay. Already applications had been made
for the accommodation.
VALUATION OF HOUSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
Deputy Corney moved that the resolution passed on
the 11th of April last, for valuing the houses throughout
the City, be rescinded. He thought that a wholesale
valuing of the kind would lead to a great variety of im-
posts, and to great confusion, which would be avoided
by just doing nothing at all. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Christy seconded the motion, upon the ground
that it was rather too hard to put the citizens of Lon-
don to the expense of 2,500/., the cost of the survey,
when the general impression was that the wards them-
selves were the best qualified to judge of the valuation.
Deputy Pewtress thought the idea of a new valua-
tion not adapted to the present time. He believed that
the existing plan of valuation was fair, and that, at all
events, the present was not the exact time for excite-
ment upon the subject.
Deputy Harrison supported the original resolution.
He knew that the discrepancies were very great—that
some houses were rated infinitely beyond others ; that
the last revision, which had touched but a few wards,
proved the extraordinary inequality ; and that i justice.
could not be done to the great body of his fel ow-Fit 1-
zens without adopting the plan of a complete valuation.
Mr. T. H. Hall also supported the original resolu-
tion, as did other members ; but Deputy Corney's mo-
tion to rescind it was carried.—Adjourned.

METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF
SEWERS.

A general court of the Metropolitan Commissioners
of Sewers was held yesterday at the Court-house, in
Greek-street. Present—Mr. R. Jebb (in the chair),
Lieut.-Colonel Dawson, Mr. George Baker, Sir Charles
Fellowes, Mr. Thomas Hawes, and Mr. George Spencer
Smith.
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMISSION OF SEWERS.
Lieut.-Colonel DAwsoN, who had given notice at the
last court, that he would this day ask the following
question :—" What progress had been made with the
arrangements for reconstructing the commission," said,
before this question, be would ask that the letter received
from Lord Palmerston be now read.
Mr. WooLEYCH, the secretary, then read the follow
ing letter :

" Whitehall, Feb. 18, 1854.
" Gentlemen,—l am directed by Viscount Palmerston
to transmit to you the enclosed copy of a letter from Mr.
F. 0. Ward, relative to the comparative advantages of the
systems of drainage advocated by the commissioners of
sewers and the Board of Health respectively ; and I am to
state that, in his lordship's opinion, the system of drainage
recommended by the Board of Health, is that which ought
to be adopted, as combining the greatest degree of effi-
ciency with the greatest degree of economy.
" I am, sir, your obedient servant,
" HENRY FITZROY."

Lieut.• Colonel DAWSON then said—The letter that has
just been read bears the date of the 18th of February,
and we have now arrived at the 2d of May. I rise to ask
the question of which I gave notice on the 4th of April,
and which I will now repeat, although I have no wish
to cause any embarrassment to the management of the
commission at any period that may be unreasonable or
unnecessary. Nor do I ask the question solely for my
own information, as I have obtained sufficient for my
own purpose, but I wish the public to know, after what
has passed, why we are continued in office, and for what
further period. I now, sir, ask what progress has been
made for reconstructing the commission ?
The CHAIRMAN--The gallant colonel has asked me
what progress has been made towards reconstruction,.
and what the Government has done towards placing the
commission on a new footing, and re-establishing it on a
permanent basis? I have a difficulty in answering the
question, as I have not the means of answering him how
soon it will take place. In the next place, I have had no
communication from the Government ; but I have been
in correspondence with them, and am so at the present
time, on the measures likely to be adopted, but I am not
in a position to give any information on the subject.
The Government have the subject under consideration,
and I have no doubt before long it will be brought before
Parliament. Probably they should know nothing of
the matter until it was brought before the house, but I
have seen nothing of the bill having been brought before
the house, as far as I have been able to learn from the
public papers, and I know nothing further about it.
The conversation then dropped.
The other portion of the business was quite of a routine
character, and of no public interest.