Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-05-10

the confidential clerk Of mr. Phelps
Mr. Seymour has been in the employ of
Phelps & Peck for five years, and was
deservedly esteemed. AT two o'clock,
the bodies Of two laborers were extrica-
ted from the ruins-one of them was
found in sitting position near the front,
lfeless-he is said to be a foreigner
named Pearsall; from the appearance Of
the corps it was supposed that he lived
some time after the building fell.
In Cliff-street, the second door from
Phelps s. Peck's a gentleman was con-
fined to his sick bed, very low, who had
not been able to assist himselfin moving,
yet the fright was so great that he jumped
from his bed and stood erect on the cham
ber floor.
1t is mentioned as n remarkable prov
idence, mr. Phelps having lett his count
ing room hut a short time before the ac-
cident, that this is the second instanc e
within year, that the same merciim in
tefposition has preserved his valuable life.
lie had been prevented last year from
getting on board the steamboat General
Jackson at Peekskill, on his return to
this city, a few hours before her unfortu-
nate explosion, only by the urgent and
unusual solicitations Of the Captain of n
sloop who at length prevailed on him to
take passage on board his vessel.
1t is said also to be worthy of remark,
that a meeting of number of our most
valuable citizens, which was to have
been held at mr. Phelps counting room,
commencing about an hour previous to
the disaster, failed of being held, in con-
sequence of the non-attendance, Of seve-
raj Of the gentlemen invited. Had it
been held as appointed, it would proba-
bly, have continued until the fall Of the
building.
The body o: Goddard was taken out on
Saturday, his head doubled over the
breast. He was most estimable and
worthy man, industrious, but poor, and
has left numerous and excellent family.
The dead bodies OF three black men
were taken ont during Saturday morning.
The number of deaths already ascer-
tanned by this affecting disaster is six
Twoothcr persons are dangerously woun-
ded, and two others still less seriously
injured. Total sufferers, so far as ascer-
tanned, ten. We are not without appre-
tensions that this melancholy catalogue
will be further increased.
The disaster is attributed to various
causes: the immense weight Of goods,
which were slowed in every lolt-the
thin walls, slender timbers, the season of
the year when it was erected, are all be-
licved to have contributed to the dcci-
dent
The building was erected in the win
ter, and there was little cohesion ofbrck
and mortar. In this vast structure there
were neither partv-wals, as in so great
building there should have been, nor an
chors, as the irons for connecting the
materials, aud adding strength to the
building, are called. Worst Of all, the
beams of the mass that had fallen, were
not morticed into the timbers of the Sec
tion that remains; and there appears to
have been complete breaking off, ex-
acty as if the foundation of part of the
building had given away, and there was
no connecting fixtures between the two
portions Of the edifcc, bv which the
whole strength should have been united.
The store had been occupied but three or
four weeks.
FURTHER PARTICULARS
The Distressing Calamiiy.-On Satur-
day we announced the destruction Of
Messrs. Phelps and Peck's large store,
situated at the corner of Fulton and Cliff
streets, and gave all the particulars of the
distressing calamity which could be gath
cred amid the confusion of the scene, up
to | o'clock a m. Soon after that hour
the search for the bodies of those unlor-
tunate persons who were overwhelmed in
the ruins, ceased till daylight. The
work of removing the great mass ofgoods
and rubbish again commenced at an ear
ly hour and much progress was made
during the day in clearing the ruins and
removing the goods. BY night, inclu-
ding those found on Friday, the following
is the result Of the search.
Messrs b Stokes and J w Pitkin,
Clerks, saved.
Josiah Stokes, s,of N Y chief clerk, aged
%, dead.
Thos. III Goddard, of N Y book-kcep-
or, clerk, dead.
Alfred Seymour, Of Westmoreland,
N. Y. aged 81 dead; j. Brewer, of the
firm of J. g. w. Brewer, Tin Plate Wor-
kers, of Wappingers' Creek, near Fish
kill, New-York, dead.
James Patterson, a porter, severely
wounded, since dead.
- Barney, cartman, wounded, re-
covering.
Peter, coloured man, wounded, since
. dead