The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-08 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS.

The parks were yesterday visited by many thousand
perstlns, and the frozen water was at one time literally
crowded with skaters and sliders, many of whom, as will
be seen from the subjoined official reports, paid very
dearly for their intrepid conduct.
ST. JAMES'S PARK.

The ice on the ornamental water in the enclosure
averaged from an inch and a half to two inches in thick-.
ness. The snow which fell during Saturday had the
effect of making it extremely rotten and unsafe. The
Royal Humane Society, in order to prevent persons
from venturing upon the ice, had boards marked " dan-
gerous" placed round the water, and the icemen cautioned
the people that it was hardly strong enough for a single
man to pass over. Notwithstanding this, from 1,400 to
to 1,500 insisted upon going on to the frozen waterr, who
for some time were amusing themselves by skating and
sliding, but about half-past eleven o'clock a man named
Thos. SPSlanus, of 3, St. Luke's-place, Bunhill-row, fell
through the ice into seven feet of water. One of the ice-
men went to his assistance with a breaker ladder, bat the
machine broke, and the man, with the iceman, nearly
perished. They were, however, rescued by another ice-
man, and having been taken to the marquee in the Park
they were placed in a hot bath, and, with the aid of ad-
mulants, recovered. About the same time David Hud-
son, aged 14, of 17, Vine-street, Millbank; and James
Marshall, of 36 in the same street, fell into a hole in the
ice, and were for some time clinging to each other until
the iceman put off and rescued them; they were also
similarly treated. At twenty minutes past twelve Ed-
ward Lewis, of 11, St. Ann's-street, Westminster, broke
through the iJe into deep water. The breaker ladder
was instantly taken to the spot by iceman Cox, but the
man on getting there also fell through the ice, and it was
a long time before they could be got out. They were
taken to the tent, where Mr. M`Cann, surgeon, of Par-
liament-street, and his assistant, Mr. Hurd, were in at-
tendance. They immediately had the patients stripped,
placed in hot baths, and by unremitting attendance they
recovered. At the same time Thomas Leary, of 13, Duke-
street, Piccadilly, fell through the ice, and was saved by
the Humane Society's men. The next case, which was for
some time considered a fatal one, happened at half-past two
o'clock, when Joseph Conway, of 8, Angel-court, Hay-
market, broke through a part of the ice surrounded with
water. Deputy- superintendent Godfrey, with icemen
Hiles and Pavey, went to his assistance, but upwards of
ten minutes elapsed ere they could reach the man, and
when they got him into the ice machine he appeared
dead. In getting him to the tent Pavey, the iceman,
also fell beneath the ice, and some minutes elapsed before
he could be rescued. When that was accomplished they
were both taken to the tent, and Mr. M'Cann, on feeling
Conway's pulse, found that life was fast ebbing. He
was instantly placed in hot water, and by continued
friction over the body and the aid of stimulants, at
length recovered. About three o'clock the scene which
occurred can scarcely be descrbed. The work was too
much for the icemen, and Mr. M`Cann, Mr. Hard, and
Mr. Superintendent Williams were obliged to work like
labourers in saving the lives of the skaters. John Shaw, of
7, Rochester-row, Pimlico, aged 20 years, having broken
through the ice, was got out at great risk to the icemen;
when Mr. James Clarke, of 6, Gillingham-street, Vaux-
hall-bridge-road, fell through into seven feet of water.
He immediately sank as low as his chin, but by "tread-
ing water" succeeded in keeping himself from going
under the ice. A man named Perry, on seeing his
dangerous condition, endeavoured to reach him with a
hand line, but the ice broke, and he became also im-
mersed. In getting him out the poor fellow dislocated
his shoulder. He was instantly taken to the tent, and
placed, first in a warm bath, and afterwards in bed.
Owing to the rotten state of the ice, the breaker ladders,
as fast as they were placed on it, fell through, and Mr.
Clarke's head could just be seen above the surface. The
crowd on the bank, expecting that every minute would be
his last, cried out " Save, oh ! save him." Iceman
Martin, after many fruitless attempts to reach the
man, at length got to within five yards of him,
when the ladder overturned, and Martin's right arm
because entangled in one of the lines. By a
desperate effort, he succeeded in liberating his arm,
and whilst up to his neck in water managed to
push his " breaker ladder" to Mr. Clarke, and then laid
hold of his coat collar and pulled him into his machine;
the clapping of hands and cries of " Bravo" from the
spectators on shore on seeing which were quite deafen-
ing. The sledge having been launched, both parties
were taken upon it and removed to the tent. Clarke,
who had been in the water twenty minutes, was in a
very exhausted condition, but owing to the exertions of
Mr. M'Cann and Mr. Superintendent Williams, he re-
covered during the afternoon, and expressed his obliga-
tions to the society's men.