The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-26 00:00:00

MEETING AT NORTHAMPTON.

A mass meeting, numbering several thotiean
was held in the Market Square, Northampton, on
Thursday eveuing, te consider what action should
be taken with respect to the treatment of Mr.
Bradlaugh by the House of Commons.—Mr. Adams
(chairman) said they had el etc-d their representa-
tive in the belief that they had a full right to so,
but the right of a member to take his seat 11
been called in question. and if that were permitted
the liberties of the subject were subverted. Mr.
Bradlaugh had telegraphed that all England was
declaring in his favour, except the tories and bigots
and he called on every man and woman to sign the
pe ition to the •Hou,e ceiling for justice. Mr,
Covington moved the followieg resolution : " That
this meeting enters its einest protest against the
continued obsteuction offered against Tory r. ac -
iionists and sham Liberals to Mr. Bradlaugh's ad-
mission to the House, thus depriving the cons: itu-
ency of this borough ef half its just and constitu-
tional rights; and respectfully urges that North-
ampton may be delivered from the humili-ition and
suspense it has so long been subjected to by the in-
terposition of the Government on their behalf."
The resolution was cariied with enthusiasm. Mr
sympathy with Mr. Bradlaugh on the
Haywood moved a resoluti on expressing the
strongest
pol:tieal martyrdom illegally inflicted upon him
through religious intolerance, and calling upon-the
Liberal electors of Northampton to make a supreme
stand for liberty and justice by, if need be, electing
him again and again. Councillor Tebbutt secended
the resolution, which was carried unanimously, as
also was a resolution thanking Mr. Gladstone, Mr.
Bright, Mr. Labonchere, and other noble-minded
Liberals for their jnst and manly Christian pro-
tests against intolerance and religious persecution,
expressing entire approval of Mr. Bradlangh's
action.

DESTRUCTION OF A SPINNING MILL AT
KIDDERMINSTER.

A fire, which resulted in the total destruction of
the Spinnelis Spinning Mill, occurred at Kidder-
minster on Wednesday, From the failure of
Messrs. Crabtree Brothers about three years ago
this mill has been idle until J:inuary lasr, wheu a
Mr. Beaumont, who had previously been in business
in Yorkshire, became the tenant. He at once
stocked it with -5.:,2,000 worth of machinery to be
u•ed in the manufacture of cotton bump, a material
largely used for the backs of taiestry carpets.
About eleven o'clock in the day one of Mr. Beau-
ment's sons, who was at work near a machine used
for opening the cotton waste, discovered thnt some
of the latter was on fire. An alarm was at once
given, and buckets of water were brought and
emptied over the waste, but the room in which was
the tub containing the water became so densely
filled with smoke that it was impossible to enter.
A wooden funnel reaching from the top to the
bottom of the building, and used for throwing
cotton waste from the upper to the lower rooms
became ignited. aryl serv,4l as a funnel to carry the
fire from one floor to the other, so that within ten,
minutes after their discovery the flames were rush-
ing through the wi,:dows on both sides of the
bui:ding, and he total destructio'l of the place
became inevitable. News was conveyed to the
police-station at 11.30, and half an host ohuiei.i laterr theoofatruhnde..
steam fire-engine had arrived at the scene of action
and was pouring water in two streams
ing mass. By this time, ow
the whole of the flooriegs had fallen in, and hardly
anything but the bare walls were left standing.
The engine continued to play ul.nn the building
for two hours, when a welt which had been sup-
ported by four thick iron pillars gave way, and fell
with age eat crash. Tho total loss sustained can-
not be far short of £5,000. It is said that Mrs.
property, consisting of the building, the
ePtiegriinnesboilers, turbine wheel, and shafting, was
insured. The machinery belonging to Mr. Beau-
mont was not insured; and will probably be ruined.