The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-03-18 00:00:00

enteral Nctoz.

A TIME ilillo.—On Friday evening a poor man
named Appleton, better known as "Jim, the Bweep,"
signalised himself by an set of heroism that ciao scarcely
be surpassed. In one of the low quarters of Merthyr
Tydvil, called Riverside' • small house, inhabited by a
miner, was discovered to be on . Are and
very soon • crowd assembled, with the objeet of
endeavouring to put it out. They soon found that on
one was in the house, and a neighbour immediately the
discovery wee made recollected • fact that bhd slipped
hie memory, and with • terrific cry militated sat
"There's half a hundred cask of powder in the pantry!"
A scene followed of the most startling character. The
house was situated in the midst of, deflect-inhabited
locality, and thus in a moment those who miuld be
aroused were seen dying from the spot--some nestling
their children iu their arms, others Wariag away some
prised household god. As for the crowd around the
burning house they scattered in every direction, all but
one man; and he, Jim, the Sweep, with the coolness
of a hero, forced his way into the house, and in a
moment saw the perilous nature of things. Two beds
were on the bedstead burning fiercely, and the dames
had actually aught the pantry door. Jim had to shut
the front door in order to open the pantry. This he did,
and right butane him wise the dreadful eask, aid around
it • this fork of dame. He tried to raise the cask, but
it was burning hot, and instead of atop it had an iron
" bakestare.' With • blow he struck this off, and,
though His cask burnt hisi hand. severely, he held on
with the teoacity of • Briton, and bore the Nader
safely to the air, where it was soon put out of danger.
few minutes more, and the powder (491 b in all)
would have mattered death and destruction oh every
side,

Clark, the Newcastle murderer, has been- reirpited
during Het Majesty's pleasure. There is • doubt with
respect to his sanity, and the Queen has given" Itirn
the benefit of the doubt. The mil., lad Daryar, Who
in • lit of passion stabbed • crimp is Ratelffif ighway,
and who earn sentenced to death the other ay at the
Central Criminal Court, has also been MOO&
The promoters of the appropriation of a-portion of
the funds—which were collected over the length sod
breath of England for • special purpose-4o thflormation
of a fund for the exclusive relief of person!, ibjared by
mining accident* in two of the Northern counties, are
proceeding vigorously with their work. We learn that
at • meeting held ui Newcastle, en Beturcley, three
agents were appointed to circulate the petit,* sheets,
and to obtain the signatures of the pitmen of the two
counties. Mr J. W. Pease. of Darlington, has
addressed a letter to Mr Hugh Taylor, as president of
the coal trade, the subject of which is the -relief fund
proposed to be established, and he submits • plan of
insurance, by which the object may be carried into
effect, to the highest advantage of those whose interesta
are concerned. He cells attention to the single oases of
accident which are of so frequent occurence.. t Pease
suggests that each year should provide a I equal to
the cases arising in it, and the term of in nee lis
would limit to five years, • longer period being easily
provided for by a larger weekly payment. Care, he
says, should be taken that the premium payment abould
be so regulated year by year, after the experience of •
year or two, that the Hartley fund should not be
infringed upon, save in the case of any casual dream-
stance which might arise; and he thinks that that
surplus money might be invested in the names of seven
trustees, to be selected by a majority of the csoalowners
who subscribed to the insurance fund: The proiect if
a feasible one, and the only objection we can see against
it at present is that it does not embrace the country at
large.
NARROW &CAP% Or BLONDItf.—" Tile Hero of
Niagara" gave a display of his remarkable . feats at the
Theatre Royal, Liverpool, on Monday evening. "The
excitement of the whole display," says the Mercury,
"culminated in the last item of the programme—the
artiste carrying • man on his back along the rope; and
this excitement was still further increased by the
occurrence of an accident which was well nigh attended
with very serious consequences. 'To • dead eartainty,'
as the saying goeth, N. Blondin will proceed with his
' unrivalled exhibition of skill and daring' until he
breaks his neck, and perhaps that of some one else, and
that unfortunate climax was nearly being arrived at
last night. The high rope was stretched from the middle
of the gallery to the back of the stags. In front of the
gallery is an iron railing, and upon this the rope rested.
M. Blondon had carried his assistant on his back in
;Bop from the stage to the gallery, and was about to
return, when, the moment they had passed the railing
in question, it gave way, causing the rope suddenly to
fall about two feet, and jerking the two men from it.
They fell backwards, and might have been injured by
the fall, but fortunately they alighted in the arms of
some of the people yclept 'the gods,' and thus escaped
any harm. Had the voyagers been but • yard or so
further along the rope over the pit, they mast have
inevitably been dashed to the floor. Blondin displayed
admirable presence of mind. As though nothing at all
had happened, he picked himself and his burden up,
and, notwithstanding the slackening of the rope by the
accident, conveyed him in safety to the opposite
extremity amidst the cheers of the audience."