In a rather insensitive juxtaposition, a tragedy about a new building falling in Manchester is followed by a light-hearted tale of one in Chester suffering a similar fate.
“On Tuesday the 21st, about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, the inhabitants of Hanover-street, Manchester, were alarmed by the falling of a newly-erected building, used principally as a cotton factory. – Unhappily there were, at the time of the accident, twenty-two people at work in it, all of whom were hurled in the ruins, for the misfortune was so sudden, as to leave no possibility of escape. One woman was taken from the ruins – dead – fourteen others, some of the dreadfully mangled, were carried to the infirmary, and it is with great concern that we observe the melancholy consequences thereof, as the appear on the face of this week’s report from that charitable institution. One of the unhappy sufferers, we understand, died almost immediately after he was carried to the hospital; his back bone being broken. The skull of another was dreadfully fractured; and in two others, some of the ribs were broke, and beat in upon the lungs.
The above building was used for different purposes. It had an arched cellar for liquor, and the ground floor was a stable, in which, at the time of its falling, were fifteen horses – four of which were killed, one of them of considerable value. – The cause of this calamity was from the springing of one of the arched cellars, and this appears to be confirmed by the building falling so instantaneously – for the whole of it came down with one dreadful crash! and the confusion and terror that followed was great indeed. – The proprietor of the works in ia (sic) narrowly escaped with his life.
A new building in Skinner’s lane, Chester, fell a sacrifice to the wind on Wednesday night. This accident happened a few hours after the workman had retired from a good supper, in celebrating the rearing!”
The Stamford Mercury, 31st December, 1790.