The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-22 00:00:00

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PE-PLE'S CONCERT SOCIFTY.—The first concert of
the present season was given in the Corn Exchange
on Monday night, and drew together a large aud-
ience. The excellent entertainment provided at
the first series of concerts gave great satisfaction
and the Opening concert of the second season
afforded an admirable bill of fare. Miss Scott, who
has had the advantage of studying under Herr Reit-
ecke at Leipsic, gave a gavotte by that . composer
and an etude of Schumann's in finished style; and
Mr. James Mathews, who contributed two flute
solos, "0 Nannie, wilt thou gang,"and an andante
and rondo of Weber's, highly gratified his audience
as he always does. The vocal part of the pro-
gramme rested with Miss M. Glover and the well
known Birmingham Glee Union (Messrs. Bickley
Woodall, Young, and Pountney) who gave unmis-
takeable pleasure. Mr. S Simms was accompanist.
Madar DRAINAGE BOARD.—A meeting of this
Board was hdd on Moeday evening; Mr. W. J.
Turney presiding.—The first business was with re.
gard to the question of subsuil water which had
beenifinding its way into the new sewers in great
quantities. Mr. Fiddian read a correspondence
which had passed between him and the contractor
Mr. Jeavous, since the last meeting, at which the
Board directed the surveyor to call on Mr. Jevons
to open the ground where the sewers were laid, at
such points as he thought necessary for purposes
of inspection in pursuance with one of the clauses
lof the contract. Mr. Jevons had not done so, and
• he stated in the correspondence that he considered
Ithe works completed,in accordance with the terms
of thelcontract.—Mr. Fiddian stated that he had
informed Mr. Jearons that a meeting was to be
held that evening, and as it appeared he was in
attendance he was called into the room. The chair-
man said the matter between them appeared to
him very simple. They had power to call upon
Mr. Jevons to open any length of sewer where they
suspected the work was not done in a sound manner
and if it appeared that the work was satisfactorily
carried out they had to pay him for opening the
ground as an extra; but if it was found the work
was not done according to cont act he would have
to make it sound without charge. Mr. Jevons
said the Board might rely upon it that it had not
been his intenticn and was not to his interest to do
the work in an inferior manner, He had his re-
putation at stake in the matter. The Chairman
said they gave him credit for everything he had
done. Th-y had the fact, however, that th er ewas
160,000 gallons of subsoil water entering the sewers
daily, and the surveyors reckoned that 70,000 te
80,000 gallons of that quantity ought not to find
its way in. They wanted to find out where it was
get ing in. They asked Mr. Jevons to open the
groathl according to the terms of his contract and
it was simply a question of yes or no whether he
waVil GO it. If he saia no, the surveyor had in-
structions to open the ground and the responsibility
wo -Id rest on the contractor, It was his impres-
sion it:might. be fount impossible to make a good
job of part of the ground with short earthenware
pipes and it might be necessary to put is iron
pipes. The discussion ended in Mr. Jevons asking
the Board to allow him three days before giving
a definite reply to the request of the Board and
this was acceded to.—The Board afterwards con-
sidered tenders for laying out the sewage farm, and
accepted one from Messrs. Dorse and Son, Ctadl, y
Heath, for the sum of £943 us. 4cl.
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW.— The chrysanthemum,
as a decorative plant,is, at the present time, becom-
ing a popular favourite, and justly so from the fact
that it comes into flower at a period of the year
when other flowering plants are extremely scarce,
thus enlivening our gardens and greenhouses dur-
ing the dullest months. Any one with a small
amount of glass, if even it is an unheated structure,
may become the happy pososssor of this beautiful
winter flowering subject, even out of doors; and
this season, owing to the extreme mildness of the
weather, our gardens at the present time are quite
gay, and present an attractive appearance where a
few of these are planted. These are essentially
sdapted tor town gardens, and, notwithstanding
the smoky atmosphere there is to contend against,
they expand and bring their blossoms to maturity.
But to see the plant in its beauty it shoult be
flowered under ; and if that amount of atten-
tion which it really requires could be paid to the
cultivation of it, very few :flowers can bear cocas
psrison to it for size, beauty, and colour, which
range from the purest of whites to the darkest of
crimsons; in fact there is almost every colaur that
can be mentioned, excepting blue; and, presumably
at no distant date, wo shall have thie colour /tabled
to our collections. To anyone inter?st-d in these
plonts, a flower show is the most proper place to
go to, as, by so doiug, the visitor can see the skill
and care )hat is brought to bear upon its cultiva-
tion ; he can studiously observe the number of
•arieti,s there ate; the style and mode of training
adopted ; heretic can see toe plauts iii their greatest
beauty when groivn under cover, tended by skilful
hands who have reaped a reward, if !lot in the prizes
si en, by the perfection they have arought the
fl were to. his not many months ago that the
idLa of holding such a show presented itaelf to the
gaadeners of StourbrEdge, which was quickly acted
upon and followed out by their holding their first
)w in the Corn Exchange about this thne last
y)-tar, mold in one sense it was a success, ti oueli in a
pecuniary one, I am sorry to say, it was a failure,
as it was not at all parch:used as it ought to have
eT).,cia.lly by those who Wduld not have missed
a trifle in the way of subscriptions. There were
those, I am grieved to say, \v..° infused their
gardeners permisien even to exhibit a few plants,
and these would have gone a long way to have ma It:
it a success. There was evidently a want of charit-
able feeling on their part, but in spite of all ob-
taclea, and 11 thing undaunted, the show has been
hell a Sicond tune in the same place, and from what
znysif have seen h reflscts great credit upon all
concerted, fvorn the ceminitti.e to the gentlemen of
the neighbourhood who have kindly allowed their
gardeners to exiiiitit their pants to the public ;
and I tyust that it till no,- be upheld and eventu-
ally bccoitte (Pic of t!:e I atiing shows in the neigh-
hodrhood. 'Fliong:i our to, n may never be able to
have such sp,ciin.uis as are Seen at other large towns,
do not intend atq• dispw aging compliments to the
:73ciety, as tae plants shown this tune are a great
•,:provs•merit to those exhibited list year. Still
it.)ll;,:agt_eleieisitirrooesilii tr further
t,itiil.o:aut.onL.o()t.iin i
ii: c
yni pi ovements, and as a
tot
uuleata.
itiwnoisse a
amiss: Quality
quantity;nil
ou4ii
iii '4g?';.i3ts[eititt itfithatakled (ti e iw'reelfletreenmeeqretothr
,bttd their p7ants and leave fewe: fLwers 4n, al,o
to h Ave o:sthict classes, naniely, large flowering,
J.apati2se: and pompous, making it a rule f)r one
t 3 e ;roan in a pet, and a limit in the siz !of
1,:tt:• P. It would thus place all exhibitats upon
ti vela i °tine. I may, to a futur tee m, ret er to
the cehueal fist-ails of this plant, which I trust will
In et with y.arr readers' approbation. Conzmuni-
catatt.

FRIGHtFUL DEATH OP A WOMAN.—On Saturday

M T Eg last, a wonan narnen Mary Ingram, 63
years, wife ot an itinerant mtisician named Robert
Ingrain, mat with a frightful death at Thomas Hat's
!Aging-house, Birmingh,im Street An inquest
was held at the Vauxhall Inn, on Tuesday, before
IL. Docker, Earl., coroner, when from the evidence
adduced it appeals that late on Friday night de-
ceased, who was intoric Itod, retired up stairs with
her husband, and threw herself en to a. spare bed
without undressing herself. Some hours later the
inmates; of the house were aws.kened by a burning
smell, and on Ingram going down to the lodgers'
kitchen he was horrified at haling his wife in flames
and quite dead. Some wata was thrown on the
body, which presented a sLkening appearance, it
being charred in a dreadful o.anner. P.Cs. Webb
and Dav'es were called to the house and Dr. Eagar
was fetched but deceased had been d i about two
hours. The jury returned a verdict 01 •• Accidental
deaf h "

DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court, yesterd ty,
before Colonel Fletcher, M dor Cochrane, Messrs.
1-1 0. Firmstoue, T. D. Thomas, W. J. Turney, and
A. Freer, Edward Worton was c-uarged with being
drunk on the 16th mat, at Cradley. P.C. Gwillam
proved the case. Fined 2s 6d and coAs.—Thomas
Barnett was charged with being drunk on the 2nd
lust at the Lye. The case was adjourned for 7
days in order for him to bring a witness.—Daniel
Homer was charged with being drunk and incap.'
able at Cradley, on the 2nd inst. P.C. Chare said
he found the defendant drunk and inCapable on the
day in question in the High Street, Cradley. Fined
2s 6d and costs.—James Parkes was fined 5s and
costs for being drunk on the 17th inst, at the Lye.
—William Goulding was charged with being drunk
at Cradley, on the 17th inst. PC. Chare said de-
fendant was drunk and using bad langunge. Fined
5s and costs.--Joseph Bateman was charged with
being drunk and disorderly on the 18th inst. at
Wolleacote. P.S: Cope said he saw the defendant
staggering about the-etreet and using bad language.
A note was put in froM a doctor to say that defend-
ant was not drunk. The case was adjourned for 7

days in order that defendant might-summon the
doctorclu CAUTION.
—e euvuindre; Re
ce.
Read was charged with drivin;
furiously on the 15th just, to the danger and a inoy-
ance of passengers. P.C. Oakey said he a•xv the
defendant drive down the town at a furious ate.—
Defendant said the horse had not (hue much work,
and at the top of Church-streA he began to hick;
and eventually he started to gallop and he coal
not stop him. DAenlant was fined 2s 6d and

costs.
FACTORY ACT FR,DSECUTION —Charles Skeldirig
was charged that he, being the owyer of a work-
shop, did employ on, John Brettle, neither on ti e
system of morning and atternoon sets, or oil Ater-
/late days, on the 28th ulta—Mr. Platt, assidtlut.
iwipeotori said he visited the defehdeat'e workshop