The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-10 00:00:00

THE LATE EXPLOSION IN BIRMINGHAM.

BIRMINGHAM, FRIDAY EVENING.
The adjourned inquest in reference to this disas-
ter was resumed this afternoon before Dr. Birt
Davis; the coroner for the borough. On this occa-
sion Mr. Edwin Wright, solicitor, attended to watch
the proceedings on behalf of a committee appointed
for the relief of the sufferers by the explosion. After
some further evidence as to the identity of one of
the bodies had been given,
Mr. W. Pursall was recalled, and he stated in
reply to questions from the coroner and jury, that
during the process of priming a good deal of w-
der got scattered about the drying plates. As
much as would be sufficient to prime four or five
plates probably was given out at once, and after
the holes were filled the surplus was brushed off
with a piece of card-board bound with chamois
leather, on to a sheet of paper placed in front of the
plate for the purpose of receiving it. The paper
was then lightly folded back and the powder upon
it was used for the next charge. The witness was
unable to say whether, in case an explosion of such
powder not upon the plate took place the plate
would be bent and the screw broken, but he in-
clined to the opinion that it would not. He be-
lieved that if the powder upon the plate exploded
the screws would be broken and that the plate
'would curl up. Such small explosions did not
occur frequently. He did not remember more than
one having taken place upon their own premises.
Had known a few caps explode on the stove
in the priming shop. The drying stove was about
three feet square. The fire was inclosed in a fur-
nace underneath. The furnace had double doors.
The fire could not be large from the dimensions of
the fire-hole. It was closed up in froot. A block
containing the caps was placed in the stove upon
bars which ran across it, the lowest bar being about
8 inches from the bottom of the stove. In fact, the
stove was an oven, at the bottom of which was an
iron plate about the sixteenth of an inch thick.
The stove, he (witness) had every reason to believe,
was free from any imperfection or injury before the
explosion took place. The stove is in the ruins of
the premises, and is not much injured. The tem-
perature of the stove was not regulated by
thermometer but by the judgment of the
person who had charge of it. The stove
would require to be red-htt before the caps would
explode. As they lay upon bars, it would be
impossible for any amount of heat on the stove
to cause the caps to explode. If any caps fell to the
bottom of the stove they might go off in a given
time. He never knew more than one plate of caps
explode in this way. It occurred a month or two
back. The shock was very trifling. Witness did
not know any better way of drying caps than the
one which they practised. They went to a great
expense in obtaining as apparatus for drying caps
by steam, but it did not answer. The woman who
had charge of the stove said the caps did not dry
quick enough, and some complaints were made that
the work was not well done. They then returned
to the former method of drying, which was general
in the trade. This took place six months ago, when
the stove was newly erected. It had been the prac-
tice to leave the powder before spoken of as being
upon the paper upon the priming table while the
plate was being drawn—that is, slid over the hole
—to fill the caps. This powder would be three or
four yards from the stove, the chief bulk of the
powder being kept in a cupboard opposite the stove,
and at it distance from it of five or six yards. Wit-
ness did not think that the risk of accident would
be lessened if the surplus powder were returned to
the bulk each time of priming. Each plate occu-
pied about two minutes in priming. There were fre-
quent changes in the hands employed upon the pre7
mises, but the new hands were not admitted into
the priming shop. The witness did not remember
what was the object of his going into that shop just
before the explosion. The jar of fulminate which
he removed from the office after the explosion con-
tained four or five pounds. One pound of fulminate
would be equal to three pounds of percussion pow-
der. Each block would contain about 2,000 caps,
or equal to one ounce of powder. The stove was
capable of holding 10 blocks, and was generally
kept full.

Mr. J. Phillips, jun., deposed that he went to tile
premises in Whittall-street about 8 o'clock on the
morning of the 27th ult., and that he did not leave
the premises for more than a few minutes until the
explosion took place. He produced a statement
of the quantity of explosive materials upon the
premises at the time. There was no fulminate
of mercury in the priming shop, except what was
mixed in the best priming powder, but a pot in the
office contained four pounds, which was not ex-
ploded, and was fetched away by Mr. Pursall after '
the accident. Of best mixed powder there were
about seven pounds in the priming shop, six pounds
of which witness mixed that morning, about nine
o'clock, when no other person was present. A
pound and a half of this had probably been used in
the priming of best caps. Of common powder,
consisting of 16 parts of oxymuriate of potash, six
parts of glass, and four parts of sulphur, there were
two or three pounds in the priming shop. This was
being used at the time of the explosion in priming
common caps. There were about 90 pounds of
oxymuriate of potash in a cask in the bottom shop,
which was not burnt. About six pounds of sul-
phur was in the priming shop, and about 14 pounds
in the warehouse, which was not burnt. In the
priming shop, also, were about two gallons of me-
thylated spirits of wine and varnish. Another
cask containing about 40 gallons of the same com-
pound was in the bottom shop ; this was not burnt,
and was rolled out of the premises after the explo-
sion. In the warehouse were about 10 pounds of
gunpowder and about 3,001 or 4,000 cartridges,
each of which contained two and a-half drachms of
powder, giving about 10 pounds per thousand. The
quantity of caps in the warehouses was about a
million and a-half. The office contained about
4,000,000, which were partially exploded, but no
damage was done by them. There was no founda-
tion for the statement that there were sever' barrels
of gun-powder upon the premises at the time of the
explosion. The stock of that article was kept in a
shod at Mr. Pursall's private residence outside the
town. When the explosion occurred witness was
walking from the office to the warehouse. Just as
he'was leaving the former part of the ',remises he
heard a rumbling noise, but he could not say in
what direction, or what it was like. He was im-
mediately enveloped in darkness, and lost conscious-
ness, he believed, for a few seconds. He then
endeavoured to go to the press room, but found that
the warehouse floor had given way, and he thought
the place was in flames. He scarcely knew what a

Witness—Yes.
• A Juror—Did you not do that yourself from the
representations of. your workpeople as to, its
danger ?
Witness—Yes.
The -Juror---And you did it in their absence?
Witness--yes. I mixed it either before the work-
people came or while they were gone to dinner.
Another Juror—how did you perceive that the
floor of the warehouse had fallen ?
Witness—l Naw it.
Juror—But. where did the light come from to
enable you to see it—from above or below ? I
thought you-were in darkness ?
Witness,--From below, I believe.
Another Juror—WhenCe do, you suilpose the ex-
plosion proceeded—from above or bdow ? Did you
seem -to—be-thrawn up or dowir?—
Witness—lt came from below. I heard a second
report A few, minutes after the first, and I believe
while I was yet in the warehouse ; 5,500,000 is not
a large stock. We do not consider caps dangerous
stock.

, .
' A Juror—Did you perceive a smell of gas on. the
26th and again on the 27th ?
Witness—Yes. I did not send to the gas
com-
pany, because the men were there. The gasmen
had been removing meter, eter, and had attended to
some parts of the pipes. We had a second meter
in the priming shop. About a minute after the ex-,
plosion I saw a 'stream of fire coming 'out of the gas
pipe on the lower floor.
A Juror—You hive spoken of a second report
where did that proceed from?
Witness—From the primink room.
The Coroner (to witness)—Are you sure of that?
Witness—No, I am not.
John Northrop, a fitter, in the employ of the
Birmingham- 0d Gas Comptiny, deposed that on
Monday, the 19th of September, he was sent to the
manufactory of Messrs. Pursall and Phillips. and
was employed there day by day until the 23d in
fixing lights and altering fittings. He also shifted
a meter. "After
,that,' the witness continued, " I
put 20 feet of temporary pipe across the ceiling of
the bottom room from near the corner of the shop
stairs to the &brit wall, to an old pipe which lighted
the desk in the office above. It was temporary, be-
cause I was to go again on Monday morning.
When I left on Friday night the pipes were all
safe. lam sure there was no escape. On Monday
morning at 8 o'clock I went again, and found
everything safe as I'left it. I could not proceed,
because the bricklayer's work was not ready. There
was not the least smell of gas then. lat that time
examined the fittings all round. I did not try
them with a light. I made no alteration to the
fittings in the priming room ; I was never at it.
On the Tuesday before I put up some fittings in the
press room. No one called my attention to a smell
of gas on Monday. The temporary pipe I put up
was composition ; it was supported by about t
dozen hooks."
By a Juror—When I examined the pipe I had no
light, and I cannot say whether the gas was on or
off. I did not smell it, and I judged that it was
off.

By Mr. Motteram—No one complained to me of
the gas on the Monday morning. Besides the car-
penter there were some girls in the office. By the
rules of our office we are forbidden to use a light
when we smell an escape of gas until we have dis-
covered where it is.
Mr. W, m. Lines Turner stated that on the morn-
ing of the 27th ult. he was standing in bis back
yard, in Steel-house-lane, when he heard a loud re-
port: It was a rumbling hollow noise. In less than
a minute he heard a second explosion, not so loud
as the former one, but similar in character. He ran
in the direction of Whittall-street, and on arriving
at the premises of Messrs. Pursall and Phillips he
found them a heap of ruins. He helped to extri-
cate some persons who were buried underneath,
and while so engaged he saw a large flash of fire
up at the far corner on the left hand side of the
building. The flame appeared to be four or five
yards in breadth and to proceed from against the
wall on the first floor. After the first flash the fire
disappeared for a few moments, as though it had
been extinguished, but speedily burst out again,
seizing upon two unfortunate women, who were
firmly imbedded in the bricks and timber. The
engines then arrived. As he came out of the pre-
mises he saw a blaze of gas proceeding from a pipe
near the meter on the ground floor. The gas was
not burning when he went in. The pipe appeared
to be an inch or more in diameter. The witness
went on to state in evidence :—As I was going in I
heard an old gentleman ask, "Is the gas turned
off?" and on looking at the meter I perceived that
there was no key upon the large main tap. lam
certain no gas was burning at that time. I cannot
say whether the pipe was ruptured or snapped off
by the explosion, or by the falling timber. The
end of the pipe where the flame was coming out had
a " nut" or screw upon it, and it must either not
have been joined on to the next pipe, or the shoul-
der of the next pipe must have broken short off.
Many attempts were made to extinguish the gas,
but without success until the fire was nearly over,
as no key for the meter cound be found.
By a Juror—No report accompanied the flash I
have spoken of; at least, I did not notice any.
From its rapidity it struck me that it was an explo-
sion of gas. The engines did not arrive on the spot
for, I should think, 20 minutes after I heard the
first explosion.
By Mr. Motteram—When I went in first of all
I saw no fire as I passed. There was no fire be-
tween the pipe and the street. I should say,
.the
burning timber in the body of the building ignited .
the gas. The pipe that was alight was eight feet
from the ground. The fire was above my head. I
can see no other way in which the gas could have
got on fire except from the burning materials.
Robert Manns, a gun screwer, residing only a
short distance from the premises of Messrs. Pursall
and Phillips, heard a report like the discharge of a
large gun about a quarter to 11 o'clock on the
morning in que tion. He ran thither, having two
daughters in the employ of the firm, and made his
way to the door of the press room, which was
" jammed." He Forced it open and held it so until
ill of thessing girls
undey workinghis
shan thered.ne mtheandebetchaemireeisncsaepnesibbley
for a short time. After describing his further pro-
ceedings in and about the premises, the witness said
he saw the gas burning, but not until he had been
out and returned a third time. He was quite sure
the gas was not burning when he went in, nor did
he observe that the premises were on fire.
Hannah Manns, the daughter of the last witness
(who was at work making cartridges in the press
room at the time of the explosion), was
also exa-
mined, after which, it being then midnight, the in-
quiry was adjourned until Tuesday.
Public sympathy finds a vent in the subscription
of a large amount for the relief of the surviving
sufferers, and his Royal Highness the Prince Con-
sort has manifested his interest by a letter from Col.
Phipps to the Mayor.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND STEAMER ASHORE.—
On gaturday afternoon a telegram was received in the City,
from Aberdeen, reporting that during a dense fog that
morning the Duke of Richmond steamer, while on a voyage
from Caithness to Aberdeen, went on shorn four miles to
the northward of the latter port. No lives lost.
IMPUDENT PICKPOCKETS.—A correspondent of
the Observer writes :—" Last Friday evening, about eight
o'clock, two apparently gentlemanly youths, from 18 to 20,
knocked at my door in a square at the east of London, and
inquired of my wife if she knew which house Mr. Simpson,
a tall, very tall gentleman, with moustache, who drove a
grey pony, had lately moved into. My wife pgipted out two
houses where strangers had moved in within a month, and
they, with a profusion of thanks and regrets at having for-
gotten the number and the consequent trouble, &e., scc.?
' departed. It was discoved, five minutes afterwards, that
,hpe
or
iptue r
young
e, c ongt ae inntilne
mg
e£2,
f6rso.
m, ht
ha de
pocket ecleona
k aoobf
nsht r aeh
iredsti4calrsmsb. ) the
~Tanh and
inquirer nearest the door carried a
the one farthest off now and then put a question to draw
attention from his confederate."

„ •
fol owed, ut he got do
and Mr..Pursall. He: •
a messenger. to go f the Ere engines, w Lich- ap-
peared to be alo timein, coming. Remembering
that there 'vas ifpot of .finininate in the office, he
told Mr. Parsall, who fetched it out. This was in
the passage. Witness could. nofstate any furthur
particulars,' as he wag-removed in a state of illness.
The Foreman- _At the. time the explosion oc-
curred, When you say you saw what you thought
were flames in the, centre of the shop, could you
see the priming shop, orlad it fallen down ?
Witness—lt had not fallen down.
The_Corener=goW.do you know that?
Witness-1. shou” - it.
The Coroner—But you were in darkness. Do
you say that when you thought there was a flame,
but neither Law it nor felt its hetit, as ybu have
said, that you saw.the priming shop standing?
WitnesS—Limagine it•was standing, otherwise
I should have remarked it.
The Foreman—How many fires had you on the
premises!).
Witness—There was one on the ground •floor,,
and a furnace in the shed at the extreme end of the.
yard. There may have been other fires on the pre-
mises, but I am not • aware of 'them, except the
priming stove in the priming shop.
The Foreman—What is the lower firs used for;
is it for business ?
Witness—When the wadding maker was there
it was used for making paste.
The Coroner—Where were your cartridges
greased ? •
Witness—On the ground floor.
Mr."Motterairi-How is the grease heated ?
Witness—On a hot piece of iron, which has been
previously heated at the fire..
Mr. Motteram—The most dangerous part.of the _
process is mixing, I believe, and that you do your-
self. . -