The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-01-29 00:00:00

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1881,

sons in receipt of outdoor relief in the Union. Mr.
Harvey seconded this. The Rev. R. P. Turner
said the Board could not do this, as the auditor
would not allow the accounts to pass. After some
discussion it was decided that the shilling should
be allowed,
A PRISONER REQUESTING THE BENCH TO SEYTENCE
HIM TO DEant.—Some time ago an old Irishman
named Alexander McDonald, attempted to commit
suicide in the Kidderminster police cells while in
custody on a charge of felony. On Friday last he
completed his term of incarceration, and was appre-
hended as he left the prison on another charge of
fel'nY• On Tueiday he was tried before the Kid-
derminster magist7ates for the offence of stealing a
garden fork in November last, and the Bench de-
cided to send him for trial at the next Quarter
Sessions for the county. Upon hearing the decision
of the Court the old man became very excited, and
cried bitterly. He plraded with the Bench to deal
with the case at once, and s iid he would cheerfully
comply with the rope being put round his neck, and
be hanged, if the Bench would only at once pro-
nounce that as his doom. He dreaded being kept
in anxious suspense for two or three months. When
in the cells he was informed that one of his com—
panions in tribulation" was the young roan Har-
wood, in custodY on the charge of fraud. The old
man, who is rather deaf, mistook the name for
that of the executioner Norwood, and after walking
about the corridor for some time he fell on his
knees before Harwood and implored him if he had
come to finish him, to carry out his dreadful work
at once, stating that he would submit like a lamb
if the job was only done without delay. The man
Harwood requested the police to remove the man
as, he said, he was worrykg him to death to hang
him.

common sense. There are two simple ways by
which an explosion can be totally prevented—one
by fixing a dead weight safety valve which should
be for convenience fixed when the apparatus is put
up first. The other is to cut a hole in the hot
water return pipe a little distance above the boiler,
this hole being from inch to 1 inch in diameter,
and to spider over this a piece of sheet lead about
1-32nd inch thiek, just sufficient to safely stand the
general water pressure, making in fact a weak place
in the system of pipes which will be the first to
give way. I his bole must be cut in such a position
that the pipe is certain to he warmed from the fire,
and as near as possible to the boiler. It must also
be where, in case of the heet lead being blown out
the water will not ,be thrown into the room, but
into the fire so as to extinguish it Any plumber
should do this fur a shilling or two, and although
it is liable to make a mess it only does this when
explosion would occur in its absence. It is also
easy to put an escape pipe through which the
water could be led away to the outside of the build-
ing in case of accident. This thin lead safety disc
might be wade so as to fix in a brass so,liet and be
ea.ily replaced if an accident did occur. Th.' whole
system of circulating boilers as at present fixed is
radically wrong, as with few exceptions, the hot
water is rarely to be got when wanted in any
quantity, and the cost in fuel expended is utttvy
out of proportion to the useful result obtained.
There are many simpler, cheaper, and more stts-
factory arrangements which can be fixed at less
than one-tenth the cost, and of Al these the best is
a galvanized iron or copper cylinder of eleeit eight
gallons capacity, with a tap, and a good gm, heating
burner underneath it, the cylinder having a loose
lid and a wt.ter supply tap over it for filling as
required. After some months' daily experience
with this there is no doubt that it is far cheaper to
use than the circulating bpiler system, and far
more useful for general work. It has also the
advantage of absolue safety under any possible
condition. In case of a stoppage preventing the
use of the kitchen fire, the use of gas for cooking
proven's the slightest difficulty or inconvenience.
This has now attained such perfection that it is
more than probable that a good gas cooking
apparatus, even if got as a makeshift, will quickly
find its proper place, and permanently supersede
the fire fur all work. It is generally consider, d
that circulating boilers with a reserve cylinder are
safe from explosion. This is a mistake, as a else
where the cylinder burst and flooded a house has
come under my notice within the last few days,
and this is by no means the first accident of Vie
kind which I have known,

THOS. FLETCHER, F.C.

4, Museum-street, Warrington.
I shall be glad to give any further information
on this matter to those interested, but must des're
that any letters shall be as concise as possible.