The Virginia Gazette

London August 10. On Tuesday in the Afternoon, a most extraordinary Accident happen'd at the Widow Flowerdale's, a Jackmaker, the lower End of Bread-street, Cheapside: Her Husband, some Time before his Death, bought a large Quantity of old Iron, among which was (as he thought) a Bomb Shell, which lay about the Shop 'till last Friday; when the Journeyman punch'd a Hole in it, in order to hang a Quantity of Lead sufficient to serve for a large Jack; but some other Business interfering of more Consequence, he laid it by for that Time: and on Tuesday about Five o'Clock, as the Journeyman and Apprentice were beating a large Piece of heated Iron on the Anvil, one of the Sparks flew directly into the Hole that had been punch'd in the Bomb, (which had been, perhaps, many Years ago prepared for Execution) and set it on Fire; in an Instant it burst and flew into a Thousand Splinters, tearing the Forge and Stair-Case all to Pieces, Shatter'd the back Windows, cutting the Wood-Work of them, as if done by a Saw; and did also other considerable Damage in the Shop; some of the Splinters flew across the Way into the Dining-Room Windows of Mr. Yates, the Tobacconist; but did no other Mischief than breaking the Glass: But what is most extraordinary and providential, is, that the Journeyman and Apprentice, who were both at work in the Shop, received not the least Hurt.