Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-28 00:00:00

WATER COMMITTEE.

The usual weekly meeting of this clmmittee was held
on Saturday last. Present—Messrs. Hodson (chairman),
Jeffary, Mellor, Chilton, Ryley, Earle, Funvvorth, Wag-
staff, Vernon, Stitt, Woodruff, Bennett, erellin, and
Livingstone.
From a return produced, it appeased that the revenue
for the past year on the water account amounted to nearly
£BO,OOO. There had been a decrease in the tenancy
rptceipte of £lB7, but on the other hand an increase of
£2,330, in consequence of the addition of about 2 300 new
houses in the area of supply, each house averaging about
£1 each.

During the week there had been received from Riving-
ton 35,416,227 gallons of water, and from the wells
90,350,696 gallons. Of this quantity, 3,500,000 gallons
had been used in washing out the mains, and the balance,
70,382,395, distributed throughout the town. The com-
plaints of the quality of the water had been numerous,
and- it was explained that the great discoloration had
arisen from the increased proportion of the Rivington
water which had been supplied. The inhabitants of Bootle
and the neighbourhood, with a portion of the north end
of the town, are still supplied with the well water,
3,000,000 gallons having bean distributed to them, un-
mixed, during the week.
A supply of water was ordered to be given, on the appli-
cation of Messrs. Irving, Son, and Jones, for the use of
hydrants to be need on their premises in case of fire.
An agreement is to be entered into that the water is not
to be used, except in the suppression of fire.
It was elicited, in the coarse of conversation, that
hydrants are now placed directly into .he sewers, instead of
over the surface, as hitherto. This called forth the remark,
that unless there was considerable watchfulness on the
part of the officers of the committee, a very large quantity
of water might inn to waste, without any one being aware
of the fact.

The Rivington water works are constructed to supply
16,000,000 gallons of water every 24 hours to the town of
Liverpool. The Water Committee have received a letter
front Mr Hawksley, the engineer, stating that the works
are completed. Mr. Docwra, who laid the pipes, has had
charge of the line for the last twelve months, receiving
£1,600 to make good any damage that might result from
leakage. or breakage of pipes. His contract for that du'y
will expire on the 4th of next month ; and before taking the
works into their own hands, the committee have arranged
to have the supply tested. The resident engineer, Mr.
Duncan, reported that all the mains, valves, and other
appliances had been carefully examined preparatory to
the test, which is fixed to take place as follows :—On
Tuesday next the line from Prescot to Liverpool will be
tested. On Wednesday from Montry house to Prescot.
On Thursday from Aspull to Montry-house ; and on
Friday from the equalising tanks to Aspull. Mr
Hawksley is so much engaged in London that he
will not be able to be in attendance, but the
chairman intimated that every. fadility should be
given to the members of the committee, and conveyances
engaged 'to take them from one part of the line to another
in order that a thorough examination of the test might
be made.- It was reported that the Rivington reservoir
was still at a low level, having fallen nine inches during
the week, although the Auglezark reservoir had risen a
little.

Samples of the water are to be placed bsfore the com-
mittee at its next meeting, in order that th •y may be
able to compare the quality this month with that of last
month.

THE EAGLE/31W' POISONING CASE.—At the sitting of the
Glasgow Circuit Court, before the Lord Justice Clerk, on
Tuesday, John Thomson, alias Peter Walker, a young man,
apparently about 28, was placed at the bar, charged with
murder ; as also administering prussic acid or other poi-
son; as also contravention of 10th George IV., cap. 38,
sec. 2, in so far as, Ist, on the 13th of September, in the
house in Eagleslaam occupied by Agnes Montgomery, a
reeler in a mill, now deceased, and residing there, he did
feloniously administer, or cause to be administer, d or
taken by her, a quantity or quantities of prussic acid, or
other poison, in consequence of which she afterwards died ;
2nd, is having, on the 25th or 26th of September, within
a house in John-street, Glasgow, occupied by Archihall
Mason, manufacturer, he, the said John Thomson, alias
Peter Walker, did administer to Agnes Stenhouse, or
Mason, wife of Archibald Milton, a quantity of prussic acid
in whiskey or some other article, with intent to murder
her, and did her grievous bodily harm; 3rd, el the same
date, and in the same house, did administer, in a similar
way, a quantity of prussic acid to Archibald Mason, with
intent to murder him, and did him grievous bodily harm.
The prisoner pleaded not: guily. Upwards of thirty
witnesses were examined, after which the can't adjourn al
till the following morning. After a trial lasting a period
of three days, the prisoner was found guilty on the first
charge, and sentenced to death.

A. STORY, OF A B ,UQUET.-At the (meat charity ball
given to the Opera on Saturday, a regular gathering of all
the somites of Paris took place. The rich toilets, the
jewels, the beauty of the ladies, reminded us of the good
old times, when the Duchess de Berri was wont to ask,
as a favour of her friends, to wear a new dress, and have
their diamonds re-set, whenever she stood as lady patroness
of a ball. The new beauty from Genoa. whose reputation
has preceded her here, was considered the most lovely
person in the assembly, and the most inconvenient crowds
followed her whenever she moved, and pressed around her
when she danced. The Contessa della F— is the
herione of a romantic tale, to which may very likely be
ascribed a great portion of her popularity. The richest
heroine in Genoa, and the greatest beauty in the city, her
hand was deemed a prize well worth disputing, and she
was assailed on all sides by advantageous propositions.
Among her admirers, last but not least, was the well
known improvisatore, Geronimo dells F—, who sighed
in silence, not daring to own his admiration but content
with occupying, night after night, the same place beneath
the box of the proud beauty at the opera One evening
the fair heiress let fall her bouquet into the pit, but caring
nothing for the accident, she did not even bend forword to
examine ito fate. The next mornin a sprig of orange
flower was forwarded to her, with a beautiful stanza,
describing the accident which had thrown the flower into
the possession of one who dared not keep it. And then a
charming compliment, indicating the resemblance between
the peculiar qualities of the orange flower and her own—
in short, such verses ae those which create the dreams in
the young and regrets in the old. The next day came a
pomegranate blossom, with fresh verses and a new
compliment, and so on, for many weeks, the young heiress
wondering all the while who could be her modest but
talented admirer, It was some time after the bouquet had
been thus returned piecemeal, and the farewell had been
bestowed with the last flower, that the young lady by the
merest accident, being attracted by the gay binding of a
friend's album, opened it listlessly, and started on
beholding the writing so familiar and so dear employed to
describe a monntain-pass in Corsica. The book fell from
her hands on beholding the signature of one whom all
Genoa loves and admires. So great was her delight that
she wrote to him to express her thanks; and when ho
came to thank her in his turn, she was so bitter in her
reproaches at his cowardice in not daring to disclose his
love, that, in order to convince her that it was not from
indifference, but timidity, he bade her prepare for the
demand of her heart and hand ; and when she told him
wit h a smile that she was prepared for the worst that could
befil they perfectly understood each other, and were
married almost immediately. Count della F—, having
just been created an honorary member of the institute, is
here with his lovely bride, and both are decidedly the
fashion.—Court Journal.