The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-29 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY BY FIRE

NEAR MANCHESTER.

On Christmas morning the neighbourhood of Woraley
and Patricroft, near Manchester, was thrown into the
utmost state of alarm, in consequence of one of the most
destructive fires taking place at the latter village that has
been heard of in the neighbourhood of Manchester fur
some time, which unfortunate calamity will be the means
of throwing out of employment near 509 operatives. The
scene of this extensive and unfortunate conflagration i.
the Patricroft cotton mills, in the occupation of Messrs.
Mother and Rooth, merchants, spinners, and manufactu-
rers. The owner of the building is a Mr. Saunders, a
gentleman residing in London. The first alarm war
given between four and five o'clock in the morning. Thr
first engine that started from Manchester broke down,
owing to the axle-tree giving way, and before the rest of
the engines made their appearance the whole premises
were enveloped in flame, so as to render all attempts to
save any part of the machinery fruitless. The attention
of the firemen were consequently directed to a detached
part of the mill on the south side, in which was deposited
a great quantity of cotton twist in bundles, and a con-
siderable number of bales of lace cotton, some of which,
through the activity of Mr. Rose, the Superintendant of
the Police Fire Engines, was saved, as was also a portion
of the building called the engine-house, together with
the two powerful steam-engines. The rest of the factory,
which was a noble edifice, some stories high, and fourteen
windows in length, was wholly destroyed. The total
amount of property consumed is estim%ted at from
15,000/. to 20,000!. The parties, we understand, arc
insured in different fire-offices. The origin of the fire is not
accurately ascertained, but the opinion is that it was the
quantity of waste cotton which lay in the middle room
in the factory, heaped together, and being saturated with,
oil (the waste is used for wiping the machinery,) it became
through heat ignited. The fire was not observed till hall-
past four o'clock, and between six and seven the building
was in ruins.

SIR W. SCOTT.—When the Baronet was
urged not to prop the failing credit of his acquaintance, lit
replied—" The man was my friend when my friends were
few, and I will be his, now that his enemies are many."
FATAL CONSEQUENCE OF DRINKING.—
A murder was committed at Portsmouth on Tuesday last,
which was entirely produced by the use of those destruc-
tive spirits so much in use among the lower orders of so
ciety. The circumstances of the case are as follow:
The man, RANDALL, a shoemaker, and his wife, occu.
pied a small tenement i❑ a court in St. James's-street,
Portsea, and having been more or less drunk on the three
days preceding Tuesday, invited two or three friends t,
partake of their Christmas cheer. After the parties had
drank a quantity of spirits they broke up. In less tlan
four minutes after, one of the party, being RANDALL',
neighbour, heard a slight noise in the house, and imme•

diately saw RANDALL issue from the door, exclaiming.
" that he had done the job—she is in doors, go and look
at her." The neighbour went in, and found the wretched
man's unfortunate wife lying at the bottom of the stairs
with the blood issuing in a large stream from a wouml
inflicted behind the ear with a shoemaker's paring knife.
The unfortunate woman expired in twenty minutes after,
and the husband, who was still at large, raving about lik,
a madman in front of the house, was immediately take!
up, and conveyed to the gaol, where he is now cußfine(l.
preparatory to his being conveyed to Winchester to take
I.is trial, on the warrant of the Coroner, for the wilful
murder of his wife: E. RANDALL.