The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-18 00:00:00

DUDLEY.

SERIOUS BOILER EXPLOSION.—On Monday morning a
toiler explosion of an alarming nature occurred et the
Olbdale Fire and Gee BriCkliOrke, in the occupation of
Mr. Gibbons, at Dudley. The occurrence took place
about half past nine, just as the men were commencing
work, when the boiler—s longitudinal one, twenty feet
long and five feet in diameter—suddenly exploded with a
biuit report. The boiler was blown into three pieces. one
being earned into the air a heigh of two hundred feet,
and falling through the roof of a newly-erected shod, the
'escallope end being blown into an adjacent field, • die-
tance of 150 yards, whilst the largeet piece, weighing tip-
wards of two tons. was deposited upwards of Oil yards
away. Several of the workmen were scalded by the steam
and water, and otherwise injured by the debris, but,
fortunately, no lives were lost. Medical aid was quickly
at baud, and the injured persons received prompt treat-
ment. The following are the names of the injured:—
John Hide, cuts on head and scalds on face and bands,
Benjamin Smith, cuts on head and fractured leg Mary
Taylor, nil face, MIMS on face, head, arms. rind leg
Richard Watson, cut fingers and fractured wrist illiam
Collins, jun., cootused head Thomas Gill (engineer),
cuts on head. The damage is estimated at from £4OO
to 000. The cause of the explosion cannot be ascer-
tained. The boiler bad been recently repaired, and was
cleaned on Sunday week, besides which it is stated that
at the time of the explosion it had a fall water supply, and
was properly provided with a safety valve and steam
guage. The whole of the injured persons were last night
proceedi ig favourably.
Seasons CUARO6--Joosph Thompson, who is in the
frequent habit of prearihnig in the Market Place, was
brought before Aldermen lodge and Bagott and Mr.
Geo. Thompson, at the Police Court, on Wednesday last.
charged with wounding Edward Willetw—Chief Super-
iutendent Burton said the prisoner woo the man who
Preached in the Market Place, and after made collections.
On Tuesday afternoon he had been calling the wife of
Willets vile names, and subsequently he took up • Sat•
iron and inflictiug a serious wound upon the heed of
%%netts. By some induenee the injured men had been
induced to go away, but he must liAlt for • remand.—
Evidence was then taken, showing that a police officer
saw Willett* bleeding from a deep incised wound, and
. afterwards pursued the prisoner, and after a hard race
captured him about a mile beyond the Priory Farm--
Prisoner said" Tne other man hit him first. —The Bench
I remanded prisoner for • week, but agreed to acoept
Thompsou feared he could not obtain sureties, and said
that his wife had no occupation. Mr. Burton said this
was untrue, as she led the choir at the services in the
Market Place, and made tire' collections.
BeisoLonr.—At the Worcestershire Assizesil Thurs-
day, before Mr. Justice Lush,`Johu William Dudley was
charged with having burgleriouely entered the crwelling
of George Harrold, at Dudley, on the 31st May, and
stealing some bread.—Mr. Sireeton petliecuted. Two
men named Millard and Ford watched t* prisoner and
another man on the morning of the day on which the
robbery was committed. The two men went up the road
towards the prosecutor's, and Millard and Ford followed.
As they came up they saw the prisoner and his com-
panion leaving the prosecutor's window, a pane of which
had been broken. The prisoner and his companion had
something under their jackets after they left the window,
which Millard and his companion did not notice press-
ously. Millard called* the prosecutor, and it was (MIMI
that two loaves had been carried away.--The prisoner
was found guilty, and having been previously convicted,
he was sent to gaol for twelve months, with bard labour.

DUDLEY AND MIDLAND GEOLOGICAL AND
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY AND FIELD L 1 B.

The third field meeting of the society was held on
Monday last, at Abberley Hi Is There was a good atten.
dance, including the Rev. J. H. Thompson, Mrs. A Freer,
Hr. and Mrs. Turney, Mr. and Mrs. Marten, Miss Harrison
Messrs. U. Perry, J. Ainphlett, Habony. R. Walker, P.
Underhill. C. Cochrane, E. Jones, H. tirazebrook, J.
Taylor, W. Thatcher, H. Beverley, E. Haloes, and others.
The party assembled at the Hundred House and pro-
ceeded to W..odbary Hill where the interest in the
splendid view woo increased by the explanation of the
geological features pointed out from that high ground
descending the hill on the south-west side, the reform otory
was visited by kind permission of the Rev. E. Forithitl,
and a quarry in the limestone near it yielded several very
good fossils. A pleasant walk round the base of the bib
was made more interesting by the capture of several rare
butterflies, and then the whole party examined the re-
markable quarry at IValgrove, where the limestone has
been so much disturbed as to be thrown back upon itself
exposing the under side of the beds, which appeared one
mans of fossils, and Mr. Thompson pointed out that the
strata are so folded over as to mime a repetition of the
beds in inverted order. By the kind permission of Mr.
J. Jones, of Abberley Hall a secluded and delightfully
shaded walk among tue thick wood of his grounds di..
closed a long exposure of limestone shales in an old
quarry where also ware fossil. were pick," up. During
the walk many wild flowers and plants, which are peculiar
to these hills, sad are there found in great perfection,
were pointed out and readily named by the botanists of
the party. Al tor refreshment at the Hundred House,
the carriages were in readiness to take the party
borne.