The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-07 00:00:00

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FALL OF THE CHURCHGATE
FACTORY CHIMNEY.
TWO MEN KILLED.
Yest tb noor, a most lamentable accident
occurred at the Churchgate Factory, at Stockport,
belonging to Messrs. Elkanah and Samuel Howard
Cheatham, by the falling of a large chimney attac.:ed
to the works there, and which, in its descent, unfor-
tunately caused the death of two men, and seriously
injured two or three others. The chimney stood
in the yard behind the Churchgate Factory as seen
from the public road. It and the surrounding
buildings have probably been built between forty
and fifty years. It was originally perhaps about forty
yards high, square built, with a base of unusually
large dimensions, which rested, we believe, upon
arches and pillars of brick-work. Up each cf these
pillars ran a flue, and the chimney was divided down
the centre by a partitioning of brick-work. We have
also been informed, that there were two small rooms
at the base of the chimney, one of which was used as a
counting-house and the other as a drying-room, but for
the accuracy of this we cannot vouch, as in the hurry
and confusion which prevailed we were unable to
obtain any positive information on this point ; we
may state, however, that the fact is almost notorious
that there were rooms in the chimney. From what
has already been said it will be seen that this chimney
was one of very old construction, and from jts great
age it had long been in a very dilapidated state. We
should state, that on the north, it was bounded by a
declivity, leading to the Lower Carrs, and the pro-
jecting end of a building; on the east by the factory,
which joined its base ; on the south by another end
of the factory ; and on the west by two small reser-
voirs, walled round, and divided by a wall in the
centre. Close by the base of the chimney was a
boiler-house and boiler, at work at the time.
We have said that the chimney had for some time
l'een in a very dilapidated state, and it would seem
that the recent high wind and dampness had rendered
its state still more dangerous. On Monday, we be-
lieve, nearly a cart-load of bricks fell from the top on
to the roof of a turning shop and factory below, in
consequence of which the hands refused to work, and
the engine was stopped. Yesterday mornings it was
determined to take it down, and several men were en-
gaged for this purpose from an early hour. About noon,
the time in question, they had probably taken down about
five yards of it, and most of the men and factory hands
had left for dinner, when the whole mass suddenly
fell, in a south-westerly direction, carrving down
the boiler-house, and almost entirely filling with
bricks, timber, and rubbish, the yard and smal'er
reservoir. A sweep named Joseph Smith, aged about
forty years, was at the top of the chimney at the
time, engaged in the work. Finding it going, he
leaped off; but was followed by the mass of brick-
work, and thrown with tremendous violence into the
water, at one corner of the reservoir, a great weight
of bricks falling upon him. He was extricated from
his situation as soon as possible, but remained insen-
sible for a long time afterwards; indeed it was under-
stood that he was very much injured about his
head, chest, and shoulders. The other two men, who
were killed, were found under the brick-work quite dead.
Their names are—
Thomas Edwards, engineer of the Carrs, aged about
55. He was much injured about the head and other
parts of his body, and has received a most dreadful
wound over the right temple. He has left a wife,
with whom he was not at the time living.
Daniel Edwards (his son), engineer, of Newbridge-
lane, aged 26. He has left a wife and one child.
These two, it is supposed, were standing near the base
of the chimney at the time. These bodies, with
Smith, were conveyed to the Thatched House Ta-
vern beer-house, close by, and several medical gen-
tlemen were quickly on the spot, who rendered every
assistance, but to no purpose. Their bodies were
afterwards conveyed to.their own homes. Smith, when
our account left, was suffering severely, but hopes
were entertained of his recovery ; and he would
be conveyed to the infirmary. Another sweep,
named Charles Baguley, was also a little injured
by the fall; he was for some time under the rubbish,
but was extricated without sustaining any serious
harm. At one time it was rumoured that other
persons were under the ruins, but all these cases
were dared up with one exception only, in which it
was believed that a man named Kelly was missing.
As he lived in Bredbury, the fact was not ascertained
when our account left.
Altogether, it is perhaps fortunate that the
chimney fell in the direction it did, as, if it had
fallen in any other direction, it must have caused an
infinitely greater destruction of both life and property.
The inquest on the bodies of the sufferers will be held
to day (Wednesday), when, doubtless, a very minute
inquiry into all the circumstances of the case will be
ID ade.
FALL OF A HIGH CHIMNEY AT
ARD WICK.
The chimney of the chemical works of Messrs.
Tennants, Clow, and Co., at Ardwick-bride, having
for some time past shown a leaning to one side, it had
been determined to take it down, when the late high
south-easterly winds came, and during the night of
Friday last affected it so much, that on the nien
coming to work on Saturday morning about six
o'clock, its fall was dreaded every moment. It was
found that about three feet only from the ground it
was completely cracked across, so that it was
in imminent danger of falling with the next
gust of wind. No time was last; Mr. Statham,
one of the partners, was soon on the spot, and was
joined shortly afterwards by Mr. Young, the manager
of the works ; and the inmates of a number of cot-
tages all round the chimney and within its falling
range, were promptly awakened, and removed, with
their furniture and moveables, to places of safety.
The horses were also removed from the adja-
cent stables, and all the workmen were
strictly enjoined not to approach that part of the
premises. All these precautionary arrangements
having been completed with great care and prompti-
tude, about nine o'clock the chimney at length
fell, with a tremendous crash, breaking through
several buildings, all the inmates of which had been
removed, and crushing the arches over the river which
had been erected for the purposes of the works.
On the whole damage was thus sustained to the
extent, we are assured, of about 1,000/. ; but for-
tunately, though one individual had a very narrow
escape, no lives were lost ; a result mainly attri-
butable to the excellent precautions taken by Mr.
Stakham and Mr. Young. We understand that this
chimney was built about thirteen years ago, when
the works were in the occupation of Mr. E. P.
Thompson. Its form was polygonal, its height
between forty and fifty yards. Had it fallen
during the night, the loss of several lives would, in
all probability, have been the consequence. The firm
of Messrs. Tennants, Clow, and Co., is well known,
in connexion with the highest chimney in Great
Britain, that at their chemical works at St. Rollo',
Glasgow.—llianehester Guardian.

EXTENSIVE ROBBERlES.—Yesterday information
was received at Bow-street, and forwarded to the metro-
politan offices, that on the night of the 31st ult., while Mr.
T. Burton, jun., farmer, was returning from market, he
was robbed of a black leather pocket-book, containing
1751. of the followingbanks :—Knaresborough and Clara,
York Union, Wenseudale, and Swaledale, and two 5L
Bank of England notes. Amongst the notes of the Clara
and Knaresborough Bank are the following numbers :-
19, 23, 106, 107, 205, 206, and 234. A tall man, dressed
in a dark coloured coat and light trousers, and a woman,
are suspected.—lnformation was also received that on
the night of the 20th ultimo, while Mr. Lishman, farmer,
of Fernwick Shields, near Stamfordham, in the county of
Northumberland, was riding home, he was was stopped
by six men, who held his horse, pulled him from its back,
and, having brutally ill-used him, robbed him of two
pocket-books containing 105/., in 5L notes, being four 5/,
notes of the Union Bank of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the
remainder of the Branch Bank of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
The thieves also took a stamp receipt for 100/. ; and tw(
receipts of the Northumberland and Durham Distric.
Bank for 2001. and 5004 This plan of waylaying farmer:
ou their return from market with the produce of their
sales is rapidly increasing.
ANOTHER, ACCIDENT ON THE 13RIGHTON RAIL.
WAY.—Another melancholy (and, as our corresponden
has heard, fatal) accident occurred on the London an
Brighton Railway, near Hayward's- heath tunnel, abou
three o'clock on Thursday morning last. A man of th
name of John Hobbs, who was stationed as a signs
man to a number of men employed in removing a quan
tity of earth from the line where a slip has lately take
'lace, was knocked down by an engine working th
waggons used in removing the earth, and dreadful!
bruised on the head and many parts of the body. H
was conveyed to Brighton immediately by the engine
and placed in the hospital. Hobbs has stated, it is sal(
that he knew the engine was coming, but he thought ne
on the rails by the side of which he was walking, an
that on looking round and perceiving his dangerous pos
tion, he was very much confused with fright. Our col
respondent has heard that he is since dead. He is not
married inan.—Sassex Advertiser.

The expected visit of the Queen to Northamptc
has caused the greatest excitement in the town, it n
having been visited by a Queen Regnant since the da:
of Elizabeth. The Corporation have voted an unlimitt
sum towards celebrating the event, and are going
meet her Majesty in robes, which will be the first tic
time they have worn them sine(' the Municipal B
passed ; and, in anticipation of the Queen coming frc
Weedon, the ruins of the ancient castle are to be restor
by temporary erections, so as to give it the appearan
it had when the Henrys and King John held their Pi
liament there. Triumphal arches will be erected, t
poor feasted, and a subscription opened for the purpc
of erecting a dispensary, to be called the " Victo:
Dispensary." Many other preparations are in cc
templatton, too numerous to mention, and it is to
hoped the loyal inhabitants will have a favourable t
portunity of seeing our truly popular Queen.
The Lord Chancellor entertained Lord Denman,Li
Langdale, Sir L. Shadwell, Sir N. C. Tindal, Lord Cl
Baron Pollock, Baron Parke, Justice Patteaon, Ba.
Alderson, Justice Coleridge, Mr. Erle, Mr. H. Tw
Commissioner Barlow, and Mr. Stewart at dinner
Tuesday evening, at the Noble and Learned Lord's r
dunce in George-street, Ilanover-square.