The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-19 00:00:00

Somusetsbirt.

Y Kuv.it..—De•droyiag Ladies, Dresses by
f,,
Bed a porter employed by Mr. S. Peters,
dr.iper, is tii enstitily on a charge of destroyicg ladies'
dr aes by throwing vitriol over them. The case
e
attracted considerable interest The numerous in•
shincev of the perpetration of this disgraceful offence
had occurred in the town within the last few
weeks producing natiir.illy a strong and painful feel-
on the part of time i nhabitants.
WERT SOMERSKT It IILWAY. —CUTTING TWIG FIRST
S•tk.- The interesting ceremonial of turning the
first sod for the onnineneetuent of the works on
t hue of railway took place on Thursdty week, at
Goo txonbe Heathtield, in the presence of several
t !ma'am" persons. The .Ict authorial/Fa the con•
idruction of the lino was oldained during the early
lad of last sion. The. scheme was projected
about two years ago, the principal
.promoters being
Sir Peregrine Acland, Bart., Sir A. A. Hoocf,
H 411., lady Kgrement J. Halliday, and L. Walker,
N. and the gentlemen,. landowners, and inhabi-
tants of the district. The line commences at a point
about two miles west of Taunton, and pares through
Bkliop's Lydeard, Crowcombe Htathfield, Woolston
M •tr, and Williten, to Watchet, where the terminus
ill be in clime proximity with the improving har-
bour at that port. The length of the line is about
tift,en miles, and the works are of a very ordinary,
simple character, in an engineering point of view.
Tbe engineer is J. K. Brunel, Esq., and the assistant
engineer, Mr. Burke. The construction of the line
is in the hands of Mr. G. Fumes, a contractor of
high repute loth at home and abroad, and it will
probably be ready for traffic within two years from
the present time. The cutting of the that sod was
performed by Sir P. Acland, the respected chairman
of the undertaking, and it was &ceremony which drew
torther a large concourse of people, of both sexes
and all ages. The commencement was made on a
PRIOR of land at ir'niwoonibe Heathlield, the property
of Mr. Harvey, of Langley Park, Bucks, and the
spot was oarlatuly no of Use roughest bits of country
oaths heath. A little before ow o'clock, Sir Pere.

grins Acland, with his son•indaw, Sir A. Hood,
arrived, and they were received with loud cheers
from the assembled crowds. Lady Kgremont.
Hoed, and a large party of their friends soon ate'
drove up. A polished oak wheelbarrow (containing
a pick-axe and spade,) having been placed on a
plank forming the tip, and all the requisa. prlffifi•
"ries being inade, the worthy baronet of Fairfield
took off iiicoat and commenced plyin, the pick•
axx most vigorously upon the turf, amidst tlie enthu-
siastic applause of the multitude. After two or
three sturdy strokes, Sir Peregrine took the spade
and dug ur the first sod, which he threw into the
barrow. '1 he Countess of Egremont and lady Itaxl
followed, each turning A soul and placing the aune in
the barrow; Sir Alexander Hood, who was stripped
to his shirt sleeves, also turned a sod and deposited
it in the barrow. "Now. gentlemen," said Sir
Peregrine, " I have got a long run to take," and he
at mice wheeled the barrow ti the end of the tip,
where be turned out its contents in a style that
evinced something more than a mere theoretical
acquaintance with such matters A bottle of chain-
patine was here introduced, and Sir Peregrine
Aclainl having handed a glass of the sparkling
liquid to the Countess of Egremont, her lanyship
gave "Success to the West SomersA
The toast was repeated by Lady Hood, and received
with immense cheering. Sir P. Adaml afterwards
addreaseti the assciuhly, and the proceedings passed
off very enthusiastically.
ELLS.—The first open meeting of the Town
Council, at which the public and the press were ad-
ulated, took place on -Monday week, when nearly
every member of the Corporation was present ; the
pniicipal business being the new drainage for the
city, and to take into consideration the thivernment
Inspector's report thereon. The appointment of a
Clerk of the Works was postponed until the next
mee tin g.

iLMlNSreit—Conf..,nalion.—On Wednesday week
the Lord Biahop of the Diocese attended at the
parish church, and administered the right of con-
firmation to 269 pia.ons of the town and surround-
ing villages. We understand that his Lordship has
lixed Tuesday, May 3rd, to consecrate the new
cemetery.
BILIIPOWATZR.—COL C. J. K. Tynte, and Mr. A.
W. Kinglake, the present representatives have again
come forward to solicit the suffrages of this borough.
It may be remembered that they were, on the List
occasion, elected by a very large majority, and at
that period only one Conservative candidate—Mr.
Follett, came forward to oppose them. On the present
occasion, however, the Conservatives of the borough
have thought proper to bring forward two candidates,
Mr. Padwick and Mr. Westropp, although they
profess ability to return only one of them—Mr. Pad-
wick. On the other hand, the friends of the two
Liberals are united, and that unity has produced a
great strength in the Liberal party. The Con-
servative party have already held meetings; and a
large and influential meeting of the Liberal party
took place on Tuesday evening, at which both candi-
dates were prevent. Several laughable and telling
squibs have been issued by both parties, and the re-
sult of the contest is looked forward to with unusual
interest.