The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-18 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRE.

On Saturday morning one of the most extensive
and destructive fires with which the west-end of the
town has for some years past been visited broke out
on the premises of Messrs. Horne, Thompson, and
tiolland, coach and carriage manufacturers, No. 254,
Oxford-street. The premises in question are situated
on the south side of Oxford-street, between North
Audley-street and Park-street, and are very exten-
sive and capacious, extending backwards into North-
row, which runs from Park-lane into Queen-street pa-
rallel with Oxford-street, and on the south side of
North-row. Nos. 25 and 26 were a continuation off the
premises, which were used as the factory and work-
shops, and extended nearly to the backs of the houses
in Green-street, Grosvenor-square. The fire was
first discovered about four o'clock by a groom who
was sleeping in the apartments of Mr. Gooch, the
foreman at the factory, to which they are attached,
who, acciden'ally awaking, was surprised at seeing
a bright light shining in at the window, and on get-
ting up to ascertain the cause, found that the factory
was on fire. The flames appeared to him to be at
that time raging in the southern end of the factory,
nearest to Green-street, and were rapidly extending
themselves along the carpenters' benches on both sides
of the workshop on the first floor. He immediately
alarmed Mr. Gooch, who rang the large factory bell,
which speedily alarmed the whole neighbourhood,
and aroused the inhabitants from their slumbers, who
instantly began hurrying to the spot, while the police
were busily engaged in dispatching messengers
for the engines and in assisting in the re-
moval and protection of whatever property
could be saved from the burning premises. Twenty-two
carriages, valued at between 6,0001. and 7,0001., were,
by extraordinary exertions, rescued from the flames,
which had by that time spread themselves nearly over
the whole of the spacious building. The heat and
smoke was so intense, that all endeavours to save any
thing farther was considered both dangerous and fruit-
less. The engines which reached the scene of confla-
gration were those of the Baker-street station of the
brigade, and two belonging to the parish of St.
George, Hanover-square, and the brigade engine from
the station in King-street, Regent-street, which was
accompanied by Mr. Fogo, the foreman of the western
district, all of which were immediately got into ope-
ration. Shortly before five o'clock the roofs began
falling in, and the flames being acted on by the strong
south-westerly wind, which blew at the time, were
carried over the top of the blank wall in
Brown's-place to the houses on the opposite side, se-
veral of which immediately took fire, and there ap-
peared at that moment every probability that the
whole of the immediate neighbourhood would fall a
prey to the destructive element. The firemen, how-
ever, redoubled their efforts, and the flames were by
six o'clock sufficiently subdued to allay all fears of
extending further, although some of the engines
were continued in operation during the whole of the
day in cooling the ruins.
The whole of the factory is destroyed, with nearly
all its valuable contents, amongst which were a num-
ber of magnificent carriages, the property of noble-
men and gentlemen, with large quantities of valuable
materials and tools of every description, the value of
which cannot be at present ascertained. Messrs.
Horne, Thompson, and Holland, anticipate their loss
will amount to between 20,000/. and 30,0001., a por-
tion of which only is, we regret to say, covered by
an insurance in the Royal Exchange Fire Office. The
premises are the property of Thomas Williams, Esq.,
of Cowley-grove, near Uxbridge, by whom they are
also insured in the same office. The premises belong-
ing to the firm on the north side of the North-row
are also extensively scorched and damaged by the fire,
but not to any great extent.
In Brown's-place, the 'raises Nos. 1,2, 3,4, and
6, the whole of which, with the exception of No. 5, in
the occupation of Mr. J. Palmer, were let out in
lodgings, are greatly damaged by fire and water, and
*he furniture by removal.
The houses at the rear in Green-street have also
sustained some damage, more particularly No. 9, in
the occupation of Miss Ashton Smith, and No. 13,
occupied by Mr. W. Willan, through which the hose
of the engines were carried.
Nothing has yet been correctly ascertained as to
the origin of the fire, which is, however, believed,to
leave been purely accidental.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT
BLACKWALL.
INQUEST ON TIIE BODIES.
The adjourned inquest upon the bodies of Jacob
Samuda, Samuel Dodd, James Scianders, Thomas Nu-
gent, John Newman, henry Scovell, and Arthur M'Gee,
was resumed in the Town-hall, High-street, Poplar, on
Saturday morning at ten o'clock.
The names of the jurymen having been called over,

The Learned Conoirmi, after a brief address in which
he referred to the inquest held upon the other unfortu-
nate sufferers in the London Hospital, said that to bring
in a verdict of manslaughter against the surviving
partner of the firm, might be held too severe, and since
the unfortunate Mr. Jacob Samuda had paid the penalty
with his life, he thought that the jury would be fulfil-
ling their duty by returning the verdict of accidental
death. Were the same accident again occurring he
should have no hesitation in charging the jury to bring
in the principal, or person culpable, guilty of man-
slaughter, but he hoped that measures would be taken
to prevent the recurrence of any such calamity at any
future time.

Portions of the evidence taken in the London Hospital
having been read,
Henry Hensman was sworn—He was an engineer,
and agreed in every respect with the evidence given by
Mr. Low on his last examination, but he went a little
further, and thought that if the main-pipe socket had been
fastened with some iron cement, it would have been per-
fectly safe.
A Juror wished to know if the pipe was part:of the
old stuff to be used up in the Gipsy Queen?
James Pim, jun., Esq., said that in a few minutes they
would be able to show that it was a new pipe, cast for
the purpose.
The CORONER read a note from the Secretary of the
Accident Relief Society, to the effect that if the widow
or children of the sufferers would call at the office of the
Society, their wants would be immediately attended to.
Examination continued—The safety-valves were not
upon the highest part of the boiler, but rather to the side.
Mr. Low, further examined—lf a collar or ring had
been on the end of the spigot, it would have allowed an
expansion or contraction, and effectually prevented its
being altogether withdrawn, and, in consequence, the
steam (leaping. It was customary to have such collars,

The CORONER adverted to a statement in a letter re-
ceived by him, that there were some singularities in Mr.
Low's evidence, as that when he and Mr. Samuda looked
at the gauge it was only at 10 lbs. to the square inch, but
when he got on deck the steam was blowing off.
Mr. Low explained that the seeming discrepancy was
easily accounted for. The engine was at rest, and con-
sequently generating steam very fast, and, therefore, the
fact remained as he had first stated it.
A Juror said the circumstance might be further ex
plained by stating what time haul elapsed between look
ing at the gouge and his going upon deck.
Mr. Low said it was unnecessary, for the writer had
evidently never seen an engine in his life, or he would
not have written so foolishly upon the subject.
Riley, brother of one of the deceased persons, sans
that no blame was attached by his brother to the deceased
Mr. Samuda.

A Juror asked Mr. Low if he had no idea of the per-
son who hai chippei off the ring of the spigot, for chip-
ped it had evidently been.
Mr. Low said he had made inquiry, but could not as-
certain whl had done so. One thin.. ' he was certain of—
that it had not been done .with Mr. Satnuda's consent.
The CORONER thought it might have been done in
the course of th. accident.
Mr. Low—Oh no. It could not.
A Juror—lt was evidently done with tools.

Further evidence being deemed unnecessary,
The CORONER suggested to the jurymen, that in re-
turning their verdict they should express. in some dis-
tinct. terms, an opinion upon the cause of the accident,
The jury then retired into another room to consult,
and after a short absence returned into Court, and re-
turned a verdict of " Accidental death" in all the cases,
and also expressed their opinion that the accident was
caused by the Use and improper construction of the
main steam-pipe, by its not being properly secured ; and
they expressed this opinion in order to prevent similar
accidents in future, which it appeared to them might be
effected by the use of a collar or ring, to prevent the se-
verance of the pipes in future.