The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-07-27 00:00:00

THE GLUE WORKS.
To the Editor of the " Observer."

a,—Ref erring to the report of the Stourbridge Corn-
missioners' Meeting in your issue of the 29th ultimo, I,
as an interested pirty, respectfully request of you the
favor to reply through your paper to the slander perpetra-
ted against the Glue Works by Messrs. Welsh awl Camp-
bell, in their letters to the Commissioners.

The vat from which fumes arise has been for many
months covered with an apparatus so constructed that
when close down over the vat no fumes can escape, and
for nine-tenths of the time the vat is in use the cover is
so down. Formerly, this vat was freely exposed to every
blast of wind that blew, and es this was the nuisance then
complained of it is simply preposterous for Dr. Campbell
to say it is " unabated," and for Rector Welch to observe
that " during the whole period of the history of the glue
works I never remember the stencil to have been so offen-
sive as it has lately been." Such remarks if not conceived
in malice and written in spleen, if based on truth, must
apply to something else—something which these gentle-
men may imagine to be DIY glue works, but which is not
so. The assertions they make prove this. The Doctor
refers to Mill Lane, where no glue works are, and the
Rector complains of a stench on days on which in the
glue works no work is permitted likely to create a stench.
In Mill Lane there are other works, not glue works; and
in the vicinity of the glue works there are smells more
offensive than ever came from them. Besides this, in a
position far apart from the glue works, in the direction of
Mill Lane, by the side of the canal, there are frequently
stinks the most offensive. Hence, according as the wiad
blows, so will these scents be wafted to other parts of the
town; and according as the people are enticed by such
letters as Messrs. Welch and Campbell's, so 'rid they im-
agine every bad smell that exists in Stourbridge comes
from the (Hue Works, and thank these gentlemen for
their determination to have the said works removed. But
those who know better, who are not partial in their judg-
molts, who are not prajudiced, who have the trade of the
town and the prosperity of its inhabitants at their heart
can render a different account. They can tell of a smell
so overpowering at times, that those near the c teal are
forced to leave their offices while it lasts. They can tell
of tinit which causes it, when run into the caual, sevcral
hours after, dead fish float on the water. Yet we learn
nothing of this through the public prints and why ?
Because, these men are wise and know that the necessi-
ties of business can re mere be avoided at times than the
necessities of a higher nature.
But nothing like that can be said against the Woe
Works. On the contrary, ie• far from their being in any
way injurious to health as Mr. Welch asserts, they contri-
bute to it. The best evidence of this are the statements
of those who work i•osale them, and the general healthy
condition of the inhabitants round about outside them.
The medical men who give the returns of sickness in
town should give the localities where they find it mostly
seated; they should state whether the town has been wore
or less scourged with smallpox, or like infectious dis-
eases than other towns; whether the few epidemics which
have appeared were more or lees located in the vicinity
of the Glue Works; and whether such diseases as have
appeared were more or less malignant than in other lo-
calities. It is remarkable out of 59 cases of small-pox
in and about Stourbridge, only five or six sre due to this
locality. And it is more remarkable because of the fol-
I lowing facts. The neighbourhood is the seat of old dwel.
hag-houses whose occupants, for the most part, are not
; such as ean improve the condition of any place in which
they may reside. It is a rendezvous of the poorest of
travellers from all quarters. There they get their night
or week's lodging, and give and leave behind them what
they can of infection. And, added to this, not a stone's
cast from the Glue Works, within a small square, are con-
tained slaughter-houses, privies, pigsties; and if the
effluvia from this combination of prolific sources of stink
has not promoted disease er created a pestilence, it is be
cause of their proximity to the Glue Works. I chal-
lenge Dr. Campbell and the Rev. Yr. Welch to disprove
it. They strain at gnats, they swallow camels, and upon
the score of consideration far themselves forget the many
whose comforts depend on the works they so ignorantly
They cry "Wolf, wolf," where no wolves are;
they call good evil, and broil' with the name of " nui-
sance " e source of both health and wealth to the corn.
insanity around them.

Now, as Mr. Tarney who owns both the works—the
Ohm Works on the cior and the Leather Works in Mill
- . _

Lane—contributu to the town fully (t 200 two .hundred
pounds a week in wages alone, and u I know it is his in-
tention to soon double this amount, it is • disgrace that
he should be molested and arrested in his promotion of
the industry and welfare of its inhabitants by such as
seem to care little for these things. The precipitate em-
sections of those gentlemen whose letters under reply,
are before me, show the spirit they are of cm/ hut they
mould do if they had the power. Therefore it is for the
tradesmen of Stourbridge, the men of business, the men
who desire the greatest good for the greatest number, to
make such attacks recoil upon the assailants, sod repel
their interference with indignation.
Yours respectfully,
W. P. JARDINE.
Stourbridge, July 23rd, 1872.

What is true Economy? Many thousands are daily
studying the them,' of economy, but fall abort in its
practice, for trot eadholny is found in buying the beat
article at the lowest market price; avoid bad tea, that is
tea " got up " to look well to the eye, with mineral pow-
der, Prussian Blue and Black Lead, and sold at • low
price; select your purchases from • reliable source where
the high standing of the firm is a guarantee to you that
you will be well served, this is always found with Horni.
man's tea; the public have for upwards of 30 years given
a marked and decided preference for this really genuine
import, because it is always strong to the last, very deli-
cious in flavour, wholesome and invigorating, as well as
cheap. Here is found true economy,-2,538 Chemists,
Confectioners, Booksellers, &c , are agents. For list of
local agents, see advertisement in our columns of this
day.

has. WHIBLOW'II SOOTHING STRUT FOR CHILDREN!
Should always be used when Children are cutting teeth.
it relieves the little sufferers at once, it produces natural
quiet sleep by relieving the child from pain, and the little
cherub awakes "as bright as • button." It is perfectly
barmier, and very pleasant to tare. It soothes the
child, it softens the gums, 'Hays all pain, relieves wind,
regulates the bowels, and is the beat known remedy for
dysentery end diarrhrea, whether arising from teething
or other causes. Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup is said
by thousands of Medicine Dealers in all puts of the
world at le led per bottle, and Millions of Mothers ra
testify to its virtne.—Maaateetory, 493, Word-eked,
London.

Mated awl Publimbed by the Bole Proyalstur, _IMO*
TIM% at Ye Mem n, nyn:nr•n. 99•117197." aa
the emir ireetheter: to Irina phoe all bare awl
other eommoleelless hug be eddreseel.
Baturdey, July 97, 1971.