The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-04-03 00:00:00

ALARMING EIRE IN A PRISON.

On Saturday night, about ten o'clock, a fire broke or,
in the Coldhath Fields llouse of Correction. The alarm
6.11 wits rung, alet a number ..f engines ere long arrived,
but the flames spread with great rapidity, and in abed
an hour and a half the whole blink was eon/muted. As
this part of the betiding, however, was altogether
detached front the radiating blocks containing the cells,
those remained intact, mei no necaston arose for removing
any of the priseners. When the gate of the prison was
opened to admit the first engine, a rather determined
rush to enter with it wait made by the crowd, which had
collected in .sonsiderable n ttttt bent ; bet the attempt was
promptly met and baffled by the police, a large for, being
on duty at the melte. At a quarter beton: twelve all
apprehension of further danger ceased, though two or
three engines still maintained a steady stream upon the
smoking ruins. A Centrist News telegram oupplim the
following additional particulars : the alarm being
given large numbers of persons I•egan to congregate, and
a AMC of intenm exeitement ensued around the gates of
the prison. An immense crowd gathertal, and when the
gates opened for the entry of the first engine a rush was
tea& by the crowd, whirls wax gallantly with/Mod by a
holy of police, assisted by a number of Artillery Volum.
teers who were on the spot. The engiem, to the number
of deal.,, steam and two or three manual; under Mr.
Supt. Oatehotute, at once ant to work to extinguish the
fire, for that purpose putting the hem over the prison
walls. But the flames no rapidly spread that all hope of
sating the building wherein the fire broke out was given
rip. This building was a large warehouse situated close
to the punishment cells, used as a bakery and flour mills,
and from ito situation difficult to be approached by the
tiretnen ; but they ',enlisted, although constantly running
great rink, and in the result two being somewhat severely
mimed l,y falling timbers, &c. Directly the tire wee
discovered the alarm hell WU tolled, thus calling in all
the warders who were off duty, and the sound of the bolt
added not a litO. to the excitement of the WWI% while
the oplaah of the water as it was peered in ti,. on the
burning mass, as well as the thumping of the steam
engines and the roar of the excited emwd, all tendril to
al.( to the general uproar. In the interior ..f the !mons
the scene wag not less animated. The prisoners, bound
within their prison walls, and alarmed by the fire, which
Millie lo.gan In see too plainly, commenced to cry out in
terror ; while it in attteil that in suite of the evils the gri at
heat melted the windows. Sever-ii of the prisoners itc.dt
great efforto to batter down their cell doors. Upon this 17.01,
the govenor, gate ..r.ters for the removal of those
'in toted dangerotoly ciii is to the burning building, awl
thin wan at once effected, under the aupervimion of
ardent armed with loaded rifles. They is ere marched in
hatches into short corridors in another put of the prison,
where, with a dozen armed warders on either OW, they
remained until the tire was extinguished, telsen the other
cells in the prixon were 'Wilma. By this time the fire
had got a thorough hold on the building where it cora.
meneed, and the efforts of the brigade were turned to
keeping it from sprouting, and after bard work this was
eventually effected about half-past teelve o'clock, but not
Is-fore two firemen—named Stubbings and Johnson—bad
been injured, one of them having to be remove.' to a
hmpital. There were no fewer than two thawed pH-
,,,,nent in the prison at the tittle, and between one and two
hundred were removed during the progrem of tbs lire.
lire the report of the brigade on the 4 image
lone:—" Called to a tire at 111.17 a.m. on Saturday. at
coldbath Fields Prison, a brick building if four floors,
about thirty by forty feet, used m a flour mill and bakery;
a brick awl timber building of one flow, two Itutetred feet
by fifty feet, used as is trewtwheel.lioussi; and wooden
building on one floor, thirty feet by twenty feet, used as
a wheelhouse, all burned set and the roof of the covered
way from the treadwheethouse and the roof of the
punishment yard burned off and the punishment cells
seriously damaged by tire, km. The side wall awl cell
windows of the F wing were seriously damaged I.y fire,
and about twenty feet of the roof wan borne I off. The
rest of the building was damaged by tire, &c. The side
wall of A wing, the cell windows, and the root of the
printing and bookbinding anon. were &swaged by fire.
heat, water, dtc„. all adjoining and communicating." A
notice was posted on the prison gates on Monday night,
stating that no prisoners were hurt. Two men from the
lire brigade remained sn duty, and large .-rowilo of perrons
visited the locality during Sunday, while a number of
constables were on duty Oldnitle the prison walls. It is
stated that no attempt at eOO.llO was made hy the pri-
soner., prof ably OD account of the precautions taken by
the authorities.

Thousands are unable to take Cocoa beCABSO the
varieties eonimonly sold are mixed with Starch, under
he plea of rendering them soluble ; while really making.
them thick, heavy, and ieiho,itible. This limy be coral
detected, for if Cocoa thickons io tAc cup it prODel th 3
addition of starch. CADBURY'S CACOB &ROHM in 103114 ill•.;
it is therefore three times the strength of these Cocoas.
and a refreshing Denman like Tea or Coffee.

NOTICES.

All communications-siOuil-be i;ddressed to the Editor
Express and Telegram Oflires, Dorchester, and Poet-ottiee
orders may be made payable to the publisher, Mr. Gito.
Fasmst.m. .

When sums are .ent in stamps it is requested that
they may be in half-penny stamps.
TO SUBSCRIBIiFtri.
We beg respectfully to inform our subscribers that in
the future the last piper for which an order has been
given, will be sent in a coloured wrapper, so that sub
cribers mar be reminded when to renew it.

BIRTHS.
March 19, at Charlenetreet. Dorchester, the wife of Mr.
W. MacDonald, of a daughter.
March 20, at Longfleet, Poole, the wife of Mr. Pencil
King, of a daughter.
March 22, at Cle,armount, Weymouth, the wife of Nlajor
Pepper, 31st Regiment, of a son.
March 25, at Chilfrome, the wife of Mr. Chas. Goddard,
of a daughter.
March 45, at Cole hill, Wituborne, the wife of Mr
William Reeves, gardener me., of a son.
March 2S, at Blandford, the wife of Mr. John Inirden,
of a son.

MARRIAGES.
March 24, at Poddletown, by the Rev. F. E. Ireeman,
Mr. William Paull, of Puddletown, to Bessie, eldest
daughter of Mr. Within Hull, of Druce Farm.
April 1, at the pariah church. Weodsford, by the Fier.
Mr. Duke. Joseph, son of the late Mr. John Fry, of
Lowell, to Elizabeth, only daughter of Mr. Henry Atkins,
of Woodsfortl.
April 2, at St. Peter's Church, Dorchester, be the Rev.
E W. Pears, Mr. Herbert Dowering, to Miss Brute
Marsh, both of Dorchester.

DEATHS.
March 6, at Bournemouth, Elizabeth, the beloved wife
of Mr. Walter Allen, baker and confectioner, aged 311
years.
March 16, at Maiden-street. Weyn,l.outh. Augustus,
infant son of Mr. H. R. Hayman, aged d weekx
March at Broadmsyne, Mary Jane, the beloved wife
20,
of Mr. W. Manuels, aged 21 years.
March 21 at Dorchester, Frances. widcw of ;he Lte
Mr. William Canoe, builder, aged £5 Year.
March 4, at her residence, Ptozeile, Parkslone, near
Poole, Miss Mary Ann Kemp (formerly of Angleses
House, Artie, Isle of Wight), seed AL
March at West-streeL Wareham. Chsrles Henry
Card, aged 4. Friends will please accept this intimation.
March El, in London, of child birth, Emma Judith,
beloved wife of Mr. Lay and only daughter of Mr. E. D.
Lyon, Lower Bond-street. Weymouth, aged 25 years.
'larch 24, at Weymouth, Elizabeth, fourth daughter of
the late Mr. Robert Willis Blencowe, of Hayes, Middlesex.
March 25, at the Farquharson', Arius, Pimperne, the
wife of Mr. Inkpen, aged 54.
3lsrch 25, at Parkstone, Mr. William Stickligsk Sad
tk; years.
March 96, at Illandford, the wit* of Mt. E. lAA OSA
5L