The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-26 00:00:00

ABINGDON SEWAGE FARM.

A correspondent writes to the Globe :—At a time
when the treativent of sewage is being discussed with
a view the adoption of the best mode of cleansing foul
liquids before discharge into rivers, it may be welcome
news to the ratepayers of many places if it be known
that this farm, atter been held by the corporation, has
recently been let on lease at £4 10s., an acre, the
tenant taking upon himself the duty of distri-
buting the sewage. This will yield to the corporation
of Abingdon a return on the cost of the farm,
and the outlay in preparation as well as the
erection of farm buildings and a cottage for the
manager, of 2i per cent., leaving the ratepayers to
make up the difference between this return and the
annual charge of 5 per cent, by which the first outlay
will be repaid. Abingdon was sewered and the
sewage farm laid out on the principle of intermittent
filtration combined with irrigation by Messrs. Bailey
Denton, Son, and North, in 1876, and this instance
will probably prove the forerunner of many similar
ones in which sanitary authorities will not only be re-
lieved of current expenses, but will receive in return
for their outlay a rent equal to that which not u n
frequently satisfies the purchasers of landed property
A SAD STORY OF THE SEA.

Some particulars of the loss of the Liverpool vessel
Beaumanoir, and the terrible sufferings of the crew,
five of whom were reported drowned, have already
been published. By the arrival, however, of the sur-
vivors at Liverpool, additional information has been
received. It arpears that the Beaumanoir was driven
on the Florida Reefs on the 6th ult., on a voyage from
Havana to New York with sugar. Immediately after
striking she heeled over on her port side, throwing the
men into the yvater. They clung to the starboard side.
The vessel then commenced to break up, and the star-
board quarter became detached. The men, by
strenuous efforts, got on this portion of the wreck, and
there being a strong current running they were soon
carried away from the scene of the disaster. They
were unable to obtain any food or water from the
vessel, so sudden and complete
.was the wreck. They
drifted about in the hope of being picked up by some
passing vessel. As day after day passed the sufferings
of the men became intensified. Their eyes were
strained to look for some faint prospect of rescue,
and the increased privations through hunger and
thirst were developing systoms of frenzy. The
men slept and kept watch alternately. The captain's
son, a little boy of tender years, was also on
the raft, and the want of food and water told with
greater severity on him than on the rest. The sailors
in turns took the poor little fellow in their arms, but it
was plainly visible that he would soon succumb to his
sufferings. On the f(surth day, when in sight of land,
three of the sailors, who were half maddened, jumped
into the water with the intention of swimming ashore.
One of them, named Telfer, disappeared a few yards off,
and was never afterwards seen. Another was observed
clinging to a spar of the vessel, and was carried out
to sea, while the third was lost sight of. He was a
powerful swimmer, and when last seen was still
striking out for the shore. Shortly afteiwards a
German, named Beerman, took the captain's son in
'his arms, but feeling sleepy, he gave the boy to his
father. Beerman went to sleep, and on awakening
found that the poor little fellow had been washed
overboard. Altogether, five of the men were lost, in-
cluding the mate. On the fifth day they were rescued
by the Norwegian barque Asterae, which took them
on to Queenstown.