The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-25 00:00:00

TILE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR BOWDEN.

The jury appointed to inquire into the origin of the
accident which occurred at the Ouse Vitriol Works at
Howdendike on the 12th inst., when seven persons lost
their lives and several others were injured, by the fad of
a chimney upwards of 120 feet high, have met on four
occasions. Only the reporter of the Eastern Counties
Herald was admitted to the inquest-room by the coro-
ner, Mr. R. B. Porter, that functionary stating that, in
his opinion, one representative of the preps was quite
sufficient on such occasions to give the public an account
of the proceedings. From the report of the inquest thus
furnished we subjoin the moat material evidence :
Edward Marriot examined—l live at Howden-dike,
and am working chymist and manager at Mr. Anderton'i
vitriol works ; first entered his employment in July last.
Was also employed to superintend the workmen engaged
at the chimney and the works connected therewith.
Furnished plans and specifications for all the works
except the chimney ; with it I had nothing to do, ex-
cept to see that the men did their duty. These work.
were the first I had put up. The chamber and burning-
house were as strongly built as any in England. There
are only two others equally strong. I have been brought
ups manufacturing chymist, and am therefore acquainted
with such works. All vitriol chambers are constructed
on the same principle, but ours was stronger. The sides
of the chamber I considered sufficiently strong without
diagonal bracing. I know of a larger chamber con-
structed in the same way, and of only the same sized
planks. The erection of the chimney commenced in
August. The foundations stood upon warp in the first
instance, then concrete formed of gravel line
and sand, the quality of which Ido not understand. I
had the overlooking of the workmen employed at the
chimney from the commencement. The height of it was
a little more than 42 yards. Had never in the conrso of
its erection cause to find fault with the manner in which
the work was done. When it was about 16 feet from
completion I observed that it had fallen from its perpen-
dicular. The erection was nevertheless continued.
Saw no further alteration in the perpendicular until it
was finished, when in about a week after I observed
a further change. It was then about 14 inches
from the perpendicular. At that time Mr. Wilde
was employed in putting up a lightning conductor,
which was fixed against the chimney. I mentioned
the slanting of the chimney to Mr. Wilde'; man,
whose name was '• Sam," and he said they were in the
habit of straightening chimneys. I reported the state of
the chimney to Mr. Anderton about a month since. The
chimney had not at that time fallen more than fourteen
inches. My orders from Mr. Anderton were siro notice
the chimney particularly, and if it gave way any more
to let him know. Observed the chimney every day on
that account. I, in the course of three or four (lays,
observed a further deviation of four inches. Reported the
matter to Mr. Barker, book-keeper, who informed Mr.
Anderton of it. About a fortnight after that Mr.
Wilde came dow❑ to straighten it. During this fort-
night the chimney had not gone any further. This was
about the let of Dec. Mr. Wilde's man commenced ope-
rations by taking out a course of bricks from the chim-
ney about 10 feet from the ground on the river side.
The chimney leaned from the river. He took the bricks
out one by one, in regular succession, replacing each
as he took it out by a thinner one and an iron wedge,
This operation extended nearly three-quarters roued.
Saw Mr. Wilde at the works the first week his man
Sam came. He took my lamp from me one evening to
examine the chimney. After Sam finished the outside
he went inside. I did not see what he was doing there
till after he had left off working. He was at it till the
morning before the accident. He had not then finished.
I was passing that morning by the chimney when it
leaned over, and I noticed cracks on that side. I called
Mr. Barker's attention to it. We exernined the chim-
ney together, and then called Sans. lie came out. I
asked hint whether he had noticed those cracks bilore.
lie said no, and that he did not thick it safe to proceed
any further. He then left ue saying he would telegraph
for his master. Sam did not work there afterwards.
I noticed the bulging out of the chimney on the same
day ; it was on the side of the lightning conductor, and
was three or four feet from the ground. It was on
the side of the inclination I observed it " blistering"--
that is, a portion of the bricks peeling off, which
extended about three quarters round in the solid part
of the chimney. The solid part extended about seven
feet up for about a quarter of the circumference. That
quarter lay towards the burning house. I was inside
on Friday night, the 11th, about 9 o'clock. Saw a
crack there on the left-hand side of the arch. it was
about 12 or 14 inches long, and a quarter of au inch
wide, running straight up, I noticed the inner rim at
that time, and saw that the same operation had been
performed on it as in the outer one, but running.
all round. I inspected the chimney on the follow-
ing morning at seven o'clock, and several times
during the forenoon, and saw no diffepcnce from what it
appeared on the previous evening. Mr. Wilde and his
man came over the middle of that forenoon. The man
pointed out to him the bulging, and he asked Mr. Wilde
the cause of it. Mr. Wilde told Sam that the latter had
not relieved the two mid-feathers (connecting walls run-
ning between the outer and theinner rim of the chimney)
which rested on the solid part of the chimney. Mr.
Wilde then waited for Mr. Anderton, who on the previous
day had bee❑ sent for to meet Mr. Wilde. He arrived
about noon, and I joined them. He asked Mr. tVilde
his opinion :tfi to the chimney, and the latter
said he need be under no apprehension about its
falling. He then told :qr. Wilde that it there was any
danger he had letter undermine it and throw
the field. Mr. Anderton added, " Can you do that 1' Mr.
Wilde said he could, but, to make perfecly sure, weuid
telegraph for another man. Ira my presence herepea'edly
assured Mr. Anderton of the safety of the chimney. Tim
latter directed Mr. Wilde's attention to the bulging out
in the chimney, and asked the reason of it. Mr. Ville
answered the mid-feathers were not sufficiently relieved.
Mr. Wilde raid he thought after a while the weight of
the chimney would come on the, river's side, because at
that time the wedges on the river side were quite black.
Mr. Wilde promised he would not leave the chimney. I
found the lightning conductor of She chimney alter the
accident. It was all curled up together to the
length of 15 or 20 yards. The men made not the
slightest objection to return to their work after tea
on the night of the accident. They stopped to finish
because there was only two hours' work to do. I was
in the vitriol chamber about four minutes before it fell
in. I went straight from it to the foot of the chimney,
which I examined with my lamp. I observed no change
since morning. I was first made aware that the founda-
tion bad given way by a brickleyer named Winsley. I
told Mr. Wilde of the circumstance the first conversa-
tion I had with him, which was after the man had com-
menced cutting the chimney. My decided opinion is
that the chimney would not have fallen if it had not been
meddled with by Mr. Wilde. His tuan did nothing
more to the chimney after I pointed out the cracks to
him ; in my opinion the chimney fell from an over-
pressure on the solid part, caused by the non-removal
of the two mid-feathers resting on the solid part ; I mean
the mid-feathers oughtto have been relieved. I remember
Mr. Wilde giving instruction to his man to relieve the
mid-feathers on the side where the bulging out appeared ;
during some part of the operation the chimney was
brought back a foot to the perpendicular. I told Mr.
Wilde at that time the chimney was coining over very
nicely. I told Mr. Wilde on Saturday night that the
chimney would not have fallen if his roan had acted in
conformity with his instructions. After I had been
iu the chimney on Friday I told Wheldrake, who was
with me, that I considered it safe. Before Mr. Wilde's
man came there was a slight crack over the man-hole on
the outside. I never noticed any difference in the
crack till Mr. Wilde had brought over the chimney, and
then it began to open.
Mr. George Anderton, jun., examined—l am the
owner• of the vitriol works. They were commenced in
August last. A specification was prepared for me by
Mr. Butler, Cleckneaton, land surveyor (the specifica-
tion was put in and read). I advertised for tenders, and
received one from Messrs. Abraham Roberts and C
Cleckheaton, offering to build the chimney for 651. 10e.
They were men of experience. We signed a contract.
Mr. Roberts came over. I let the wood-works by ten-
der to Midgley and Ogden, Bradford. When Mr.
Roberts came over we had some conversation as to
the foundations. In the orignal plan stones were to
have bee❑ placed above the concrete, but Roberta
advised me not to have them, as the foundation
would be as good without them. I asked him if
there was a sufficient thickness of concrete, and he
replied there was. I spoke also to Sinclair, a brick-
layer, about it, and his answer was the same. 1 was
then satisfied the foundation would be good. Mr.
Roberts then sublet the building to Winslades, of Dews-
, bury, so that in fact the chimney was erected by the I
later. When it was about one-fourth of the way up I
noticed it leaning a little from the perpendicular, and
asked the Winslades if they had any fear respecting it..
They said they had not. 1 then allowed the chimney
to go on. It was completed about six weeks ago.
Before its completion I arranged with Mr'. Wilde
about putting up a lightning conductor. His
designation is "telegraphic engineer " After the
finishing of the chimney I heard from Marriott
that the chimney leaned more out of the perpendicular,
and that Mr. Wilde could straighten it. Afterwards con
tracted with Mr. Wilde to do so fori4 51. On Friday I.
received a message fromlMr.tMarriott or Mr. Barker,
to the effect that I should go over in the morning, as
they were afraid the chimney was going to tumble. I
came over, met Mr. Wilde at Howden station, and asked
him the state of the chimney ; he said it was cracked a
good deal, but he was perfectly satisfied it was safe.
Wilde stated that he came to telegraph for ropes and
tackles, and another man to secure the chimney ; we
then drove together to the works. (Mr. Auderton next
gave evidence respecting the state of the chimney and
his conversation with Mr. Wilde on it, but which
did not materially differ from the statement of
the witnei:s.) Mr. Barber came up, said he had
been inside the chimney, and did not see the inside wall
to be any worse, that it "ailed " anything. Mr. Wilde
was of the same opinion. I left orders with him that if
there was any danger he should pull the chimney down,
and that he was not to leave it on any account. He
promised he would not. Mr. Wilde told me the bulging
out was owing to the two mid-feathers not being relieved
—that the weight of the chimney bad been thrown on
the outer wall, but that the chimney itself had gone
back some little, so that the outer wall was again re-
lieved.

Wm. Sinclair, bricklayer at the Kilpin works, exa-
mined. Mr. A nderton consulted me about the foundation
of the:chimney, and recommended concrete. Saw a tracing
of the plan, which showed that concrete was to be at the
bottom, then two courses of stone, upon which the base of
the chimney was to rest. Recommended all solid concreteh
)n,tead of stone, to get rid of the joining.
TV
accustomed to the erection of larg
foundation chimney!, but as of
windmill towers, equally heavy, the Not mach
n of which