The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-19 00:00:00

TURN-OUT OF WEAVERS.

(From the Manchester Guardian of Saturday.)
We regret to state that during the last two day;
there has been a partial turn-cut of cotton weavers
in this town, accompanied by circumstances which
at one time gave reason to suppose that there might
possibly be a recurrence of the riotous scenes which
occurred about the same period last year. The
turn-out, we believe, is confined to the weavers of
coarse shirtings and long cloths, who, being the
least skilful, are necessarily the worst paid class of
weavers in this neighbourhood. These men are
mostly Irish, and it was amongst them that the
disturbances of last year commenced. It would
appear that the weavers now conceive that the
improvemeot which has taken place in the mar-
ket for manufactured goods is a sufficient ground
for calling upon their employers for some ad-
vance on the small pittance which they have been
receiving during the late depressed state of trade.
We are not able correctly to ascertain whether any
proposition to this effect was made to the masters
previous to the turn-out. The men allege that there
was one made to Mr. J. J. Parker, of Newtown ;
but that, instead of complying with it, he discharged
the proposers ; this allegation Mr. Parker denies.
It appears, however, that on Thursday, about nous,
the own employed in a small mill in Mather-street,
occupied. by Mr. Barber, turned out in a body, and
proceeded to Mr. Hartley's factory in Dyehe-street,
St. George's-road, where they forcibly compelled
the weavers to cease working, and turn out, They
then proceeded to Mr. Parker's factory in New-
town, whose hands had gone to dinner. These, on
their return, were prevented from entering the mill,
and the whole body, nearly 200 strong, proceeded
to Mr. Parker's factory in Oldfield-road, Salford.
In the evening the turn-outs, augmented by the
hands of Mr. Reed, Mr. Smethurst, and Mr. Jack-
son, who had also turned out (hiring the day, met
together in the fields near St. George's-road.
What was the object of the meeting we are not
exactly awara ; but we understand that a good
deal of violent language was used towards one
or two individuals who were considered the most ob-
noxious; but they at length separated, without com-
mitting the slightest violence. Yesterday morning
they met again m the same place, about nine o'clock,
but left the ground after having been a short time
assembled. Having assembled before Mr. Parker's
factory, Mr. Foster mildly remonstrated with them
upon the impropriety of their going about in such
large bodies, and recommended that a deputation
from their number should see Mr. Parker, and talk
the matter calmly over with him. Accordingly
three men—two of them Mr. Hartley's weavers, and
one from Mr. Barber's factory—proceeded inside
with Mr. Foster, where, we believe, they did not
see Mr. Parker; but the result was an arrangement
that they should wait upon the gentleman at two
o'clock, at his power-loom factory in Middleton's-
court, Salford. At the time appointed the deputa-
tion called upon Mr. Parker, but what took place
between them we are not aware. At a late hour
isst night, however, the deputation had not arrived
at Mr. Parker's house; and it is therefore probable
that they could not meet with the parties, or had
been tillable to obtain their concurrence in an ad-
vance of wages.--Manchester Guardian.

The oldest persons in the neighbourhood of
London do not remember such a rapid start in vegetation
a 3 lanie tAkep plug slaw the ware} piing of the kat week.

DREADFUL FIRE AND LOSS OF LIVES.

A fire, attended with the most destructive conse-
quences and fearful loss of human lives, broke out
yesterday morning, about twenty minutes past one
o'clock, in the house of Mr. Grant, baker and cern-
chandler, No. 84, Fetter-lane, near Holborn. At
the time-mentioned the watchman on duty noticd
a volume of smoke and flames issuing out of the
lower part of the premises. He immediately gave
an alarm, but such was the rapidity with which the
fire extended that by the time the shop-door was
burst open the devouring clement had reached the
first-floor. Almost directly • afterwards a most dis-
tressing and
.heart-rending scene presented itself.
The inmates, of whom there were nearly thirty in
all, each room being occupied by a family, presented
themselves at the windows, and men, women, and
children were to be seen clinging to each other, and
shriekini.in piteous accents for assistance, all retreat
by the shop being cut off. Several parents threw
their children out of the window, and they were
caught by the persons below, and the mothers and
fathers followed afterwards, and were also saved,
but unfortunately not without receiving some severe
contusions. Others escaped by the roof and the
hack windows over the bakehouse into Barnard's-
inn at the rear, and were subsequently observed
running about the streets in a state of nudity, while
the screams of the females and the cries of the chil-
dren added to the consternation which prevailed.
In less than fifteen minutes after the first alarm was
given the whole house presented one sheet of fire,
and on the arrival of the parish-engine, with Corby,
the fireman of St. Andrew's parish, who was first
on the spot, the adjoining dwelling, No. 83, belong-
ing to Mr. Wright, eating-house-keeper, was also in
flames, and in the space of half an hour both houses
were entirely consumed.
The fire continued to spread with inconceivable
rapidity, and -the stables of Mr. Hawkins, at the
back of Mr. Wright's premises, were next in a
blaze, arid the flames, rising to a column of nearly
100 feet in height, illuminated the atmosphere to a
considerable distance. The greatest fears were now
entertained for the safety of Messrs. Anderson's ex-
tensive distillery closely abutting on the back of the
burning premises, but a plentiful supply of water
being obtained, and several engines having been
brought to play on the fire, it was fortunately pre-
vented from extending further. Mr. Grant's house,
a very large one, and formerly two distinct dwell-
ings, was entirely destroyed, and flat a single article
of property saved. This house, tis well as that of
Mr. `Fright's, were composed chiefly of lath and
plaster, which accounts for the rapid manner with
which the flames spread. They both presented a►
curious specimen of the ancient domestic achitec-
ture of our ancestors. Mr. Wright's house was, as
well as the other, inhabited by labouring persons
and their families, and the loss which they have
suffered is very great. Ont of fourteen families
nine have lost every thing, and the others, in the
confusion, only saved a small portion of their pro-
perty. Mr. Hawkins's stables were burnt to the
ground, with a
.considerable quantity of hay and
straw therein.

We regret to state that four persons pelished in
the flames, and three others arc so dreadfully burnt
that their ultimate recovery is considered as vet),
doubtful. Among the sufferers is Mrs. Sirett, an
elderly lady, aged SO years, who lived in a state of
seclusion in a front room on the second floor at Mr.
Grant's. The remain, of the unfortunate woman
were dug out of the ruins at eleven o'clock, and
conveyed to Mr. Russell's, an undertaker, at No. 51,
opposite. The head and arms were completely
burnt from the body, and Mrs. Sirett's remains
were with difficulty identified by one of her sons.
Mr. Howard, a bricklayer, aged 60 years, who
rented a room on the second floor back, on the first
alarm endeavoured to escape with his wife and son,
a lad aged 12 years, but by some misfortune Mrs.
Howard and her son fell a sacrifice to the flames, and
Mr. Howard narrowly escaped destruction ; he
rushed through the flames, and got out of one of the
hack windows. lie was burnt in a shocking man-
lier, and one part of his person reduced to a cinder.
He was instantly removed to Baldwin's ward in St.
Bartholomew's hospital, and but very faint hopes
are entertained of his recovery. The other sufferers
were Mrs. Burgess (a widow) and her son and
daughter (John and Charlotte Burgess), who occu-
pied a room on the attic story. The mother was
burnt to death, and her son and daughter, who saved
themselves, were so much scorched, that they were
removed to the same hospital. The young man is
in the same ward with Mr. Howard, and his
sister was placed in Elizabeth ward, on the
south side. The fate of their relatives was
carefully concealed from the wretched sufferers in
the hospital, who had every attention paid them on
their admission. A bricklayer's labourer, named
Richards, had a very natTow escape ; he inhabited a
room adjoining Mr. Howard's, and, on opening his
door, after being alarmed by the crackling of wood,
was met by the flames, which scorched him ; he re-
treated to the window, jumped on the roof of the
bakehouse, and escaped into Barnard's-inn. Mrs.
Thackeray, the housekeeper to Mr. Grant, went
through the roof, and got off with some slight cosi-
tusions. Mr. M‘Laughlin, a clerk to Mr. Douglas,
a barrister, with his wife and five children, threw
themselves from the window of their apartment,
and were caught by the persons below. An aged
woman, one of the pew-openers of St. Andrew's
church, also threw herself out, and escaped unhurt.
A Mail, whose name we were unable to ascertain,
who jumped out from the third story, was not so
fortunate, and, although his fall was broken by se-
veral avho held out their arms to receive him, he
alighted on the pavement, and was seriously injured.
A woman, who was removed to the house of a
neighbour in King's Head-court, also met with a
! similar casualty.
Mr. Grant, who made his escape in his night-
clothes, was not insured, and is consequently ruined
by the calamity. Mr. Wright was more fortunate;
he is insured in the Phcenix ; and Mr. Hawkins is
also, we understand, covered to the extent of his
loss. The houses were the property of Mr. Perry,
of 227, Edgware-road, who had insured them in
the County and Royal Exchange offices.
The inmates who were burnt out were hospitably
received at the houses of their neighbours, and
clothing and food was provided for them. Mr. Gill,
a fishmonger in Fetter-lane, whose humanity is be-
yond all praise, received no less than six families in
his house, and saved a portion of their furniture from
Mr. Wright's house.
How the fire originated remains a mystery; every
thing appeared safe at half-past twelve o'clock, when
Mr. Grant retired to rest. At a quarter past one
the house was one body of game. Soon after the
fire broke out a disgraceful quarrel took place, owing
to the conduct of some of the ward Makers, who
refused to let three new policemen of the division G
interfere to save the property of the sufferers. A row
took place, which added to the confusion of the
scene; but eventually the policemen were allowed
to assist. The affair is to be investigated by the
Common Council of the ward of Farringdon.

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61
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'he intense interest of
the plot and the startling nature of the catastrophe are
likewise, it is NO, UIQIO sufficient to ensure its popularity.
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