Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-07 00:00:00

observe

FLOODS AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY IN THE
—The late severe snow storm in Banffshire was
succeeded by floods of an extraordinary character.
Wednesday and Thursday were days to whicia, it may be
said, there have been few parallels in that district
within the last half century, and Friday night and
part of Saturday the storm was scarcely less severe.
More rain may have fallen, and the rivers may have
risen higher in the August floods of 1829, but, as
a tempest of wind and rain and stormy seas com-
bined, the past week is scarcely equalled. Nor are
the consequences less extraordinary. We have ac-
accounts, from all parts of the north, many of them
of a mournful character. Some damage was done to
the Strathisla Railway, some portions of the line having

NORTI

been entirely under water ; but 111 r. B. Blyth, C.E., was
over the whole line on Saturday, and found that the only
injuries of consequence were those sustained by the
bridges. The Deveron rose very high and flooded some of
the low-lying houses in Banff. Some injury was done to
the f-'' -rn still in g+- the bank

fields of col— - °cook of this river,
and at Cullen some bridges were destroyed. Two boats
belonging to Fortgordon were driven ashore in the course
of Friday night. The crews got off with the greatest
difficulty. The floods were more severe in the
Buchan, Formartine, and Garioch districts than any-
where else, and several bridges and corn-stacks were
swept away. A man named Gavin perished through
cold and exhaustion on his way home from Old Deer
market, on Thursday night. In Inch, Culsamond,
Fyvie, Forgue, Huntly, Rhynie, Towie, &c., the -floods

„
were very heavy, several houses and mills being inun-
dated with water. A good many beats were wrecked at,
Nairn. A young woman, named. Christian Allver per-
ished at Culloden from the severity of the weather. The
storm was severely felt in Inverness and Ross shires.—
Abridged from the _Banff Journal.

SERIOUS FIRE AND Loss OF LIFE .AT ROCHDALE.—
On Friday evening a fire of a very serious character
broke out, about twenty minutes past five o'clock, in
the shop of Mr. Swift, Cheetham-street, Rochdale.
Shortly before that time, a young man named Edward
Clayton, aged about twenty-seven years, was, it is said,
in the act of bringing into the shop a small cask of
naphtha upon his head, When the bottom went in, and
the whole of the naphtha saturated his clothes and ran
upon the floor of the shop. Mr. Swift is engaged
in the cotton waste trade, and, it is supposed, was at his
warehouse. The young man, Clayton,, instead of im-
mediately changing his dress, sent th boy to tell Mr.
Swift, and got a brush with the intention of sweeping
away the naphtha. How the flames from the gas jets
ignited the naphtha is at present unknown, but 'soon fire
was discovered, and the shop was speedily enveloped in.
flames, Clayton being inside. 'The alarm' was imme-
diately given. The door of the shop was found to be
closed, and by some it is thought an explosion of naphtha
took place, closing the door. At all dents the young man
was seen enveloped in flames, standing with his back to-
wards the counter, immediately behind the door, from
which position he fell on his back upon the floor. Police-
constable Wild seized Clayton by the thigh, and quickly
as possible dragged hip upon-the 'doorstep. A number
of men then carried him into a cellar opposite, and they
state that at that time the poor fellow was dead. Many
parts of his body are burnt to. a cinder. Meanwhile
the fire raged in the shop, which, in the course of three-
'quarters of an hour was completely gutted. Somo delay
took place in getting the water to play upon the burning
mass, but by seven o'clock the fire was extinguished.
The building belongs to the firm of Messrs. E. and H.
Howard, and we believe is insured in the Royal Insur-
ance office.. Mr. Swift is insured' in the' Equitable to
the extent of £5OO, but this will' not cover his loss,
which may be from .C6OO to £l,OOO. There are various
rumours afloat as to the cause of the accident.
,Some
sa.v deceased was lighting the_gas with a naphtha lamp,

exploded, and set on fire, a
shop,. thereby causing
door, and prevented the t,
-
confused ---- f

ask of naiihtha in ti
in 'which closed ti

Other
which

MUSICAL, DRAMATIC, LITERARY
AitTISTIC NEWS AND GOSSIP,

AND

M. Empis retires from the direction of the Theatre
Frangais, being called, it is announced, to superior func-
tions, having raised the theatre by his enlightened
management to a height of prosperity greater than had
been known for a long series of years. The gentleman
appointed to succeed him, M. E. Thierry, has long been
known to the public as one of the most eminent of our
dramatic critics.

The actresses of the Theatre Royal at Berlin are in a

die
Erector having interdicted them to wear crinoline on the

state of great agitation just now in cons€

stage, because it is inconvenient, he decl

sitting, and embracing.

s, in walking,

A critic of one of the journals

suggests that the manager would render a far greater
service to the public by 'interdicting the female part of

;he audience from wearing crinoline, as they thereby

take up too much room

Madame Celeste having signed with Mr. Arnold, for,

of years, as. the future 1

Mr. IN

:h -bett

a persiste