The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-04 00:00:00

EXPLOSION of a STEAM-BOILER.

THREE LIVES LOST.
BOLTON, JULY I.—A dreadful explosion occurred at the
wooden mill of Alde:man Brooks, of Manchester, this morn-
ing, soon after eleven o'clock, when the steam boiler blew
up with a report like a piece of artillery. The side of the
mill, at :he end where the engine stood, was shattered to its
base, the walls being rent and the windows completely de-
molished. Search was made among the ruins, and two
bodes were found dreadfully mangled, and three or four -
others were carried off, apparently in a dying state. The •
two men who are killed, and another who is dangermsly in-
jured, worked in a drying-room over the engine-house, and
must have been driven into the air with the building. The
fireman who was attending the engine is also much hurt,
but hopes are entertained of his recovery. A woman is also
in a dangerous state, who is supposed to have been passing
from the mill into the yard when the explosion took place.
The cause of the accident cannot be ascertained. The boiler
has only been in use about six months.
•
de, LATEST PARTICULARS.
BOLTON-LE ',MOORS, JULY 2.—The extent of the injury,
by the explosion of the steam-boiler at the linen-mill of
Mr. John Brooks, is now ascertained. • Three persons have
perished by the calamity.
Bridget Hart, who was the first person discovered among
the ruins, died at her house in Newport-street this morning, -
leaving a husband and three children. She was returning
from the yard to the mill, when the explosion took place,
an 3 thus met her melancholy end.
James Swift, an elderly man, was found dead. He has ,
left a wife and four children. He was employed in a drying- .
room over the boiler-house, and must have been thrown into .
the air with the materials of the building.
James M'Donald, of Dale• street, was also employed in the
drying-room, and met the same fate as his companion,
Swift.'" He was a young man, and has left a wife in a state of
pregnancy. He had only gone to work at the mill that
morning with his brother William, who was also much mu-
tilated, but is expected to recover.
James Rigg, the mechanic ; George Brinscow, the fire-
man, and the others who were injured, are also considered out
of danger.
This morning workmen commenced taking down the
chimney and the end of the mill over the engine-house.
There were nearly 600 hands employed in the establishment,
who are thus thrown out of employment, but we are happy
to say that 300 or 400 of them are expected to be at work .
again in about a fortnight, there being two other engines at
the other end of the mill, which will keep a considerable por-
tion of the machinery going.
An inquest will be held on the bodies of the deceased to-
morrow (Wednesday) afternoon at the Borough Court, when •
some light will, most probably, be thrown upon the cause of
this calamitous accident.

LAMENTABLE IGNORAN CE.—A singular circum-
stance, arising out of a man's ignorance of any difference be-
tween the Old and the New Testament occurred at a coro-
ner's inquest recently held by Mr. Higgs, where one of the
jurors summoned was of the Hebrew persuasion. Jews are,
of course, always sworn upon the Bible, and the coroner or-
dered a man to go for a copy of the Old Testament. After
some delay the man returned, and it was stated, amid the
laughter of the Court, that be had been looking for a literally
old Testament, namely, a copy of the Scriptures, published
some time ago' and one which, from its ragged and worn ap-
pearancc, affin.ded proof that it was an old one.
_

A circumstance, calculated to create a feeling of
confidence in the safety of railway travelling, inasmuch
as it prove,l the control the engine-drivers have over
their fiery steeds, occurred on Saturday last. The after-
noon down train, which leaves London at three o'clock,
soon after passing the Witham station, suddenly came to
a stand-still ; the up train, which leaves Colchester at
four, being also stationary at only a short distance. Tho
alarm of the passengers was speedily allayed by the
guards, who dismounted ; and from them it was learnt
that two horses had strayed upon the line, and were ap-
proaching at a galloping pace, crossing and recrossing
between the down and up trains. . The affrighted ani-
mals, after a few blasts from the whistle, made towards
the Witham station, where they were driven off, and
blth trains proceeded uninterruptedly on their journey.
But for the judgment and caution exercised on the part
of the engine-drivers, the poor animals must have been
destroyed, and one of the trains would, probably, have
been thrown off the line.—Essex Herald.

THE Firms IN SUFFOLK.—In Bury gaol there are
nine prisoners on charges of arson, and one for sending.
threatening letters ; at Ipswich gaol ten for arson, and
two for sending threatening letters ; at Beccles House
of Correction, four prisoners for arson, and one for
threatening to burn ; waiting for trial at the next assizes.
The Felice Gazette contains a notice of the apprehen-
sion of a man named Abraham larren, on the 7th
instant, by the Nottingham constabulary, on the
charge of setting fire to a stack, belonging to Henry
Beevor, Esq., of Barnley-moor, in the same county..
He is suspected of having committed similar offences
elsewhere, and he states that he has travelled all over
Essex and Suffolk, and that one of his companions
was transported in Essex, for incendiarism. He says he
is a woollen cloth weaver, and a native of Rodley, near
Leeds. He is remanded for further examination.—On
Saturday last, an old man named Francis Bye, was
brought before the county Magistrates at the Shire-hall,
Bury, and charged with hawking lucifer matches with-
out a license. He said he belonged to Cawston Wood-
row. The fact was clearly proved by one of the rural
force, and the magistrates said they were determined to
put down the' practice, so far at least as unlic‘.,.nsed
hawkers were concerned, and would convict in every
case that was brought before them, where the evidence
was sufficient. Bye was sent to the Castle for one
month's hard labour.—Essex Herald.

LIVERPOOL DOCKS.—The annual return of Mr.
Withers, the excellent treasurer to the Dock Committee,
has just been published. The following is a compara-
tive statement of the rates and duties received in the
years ending on the 24th June, 1843 and 1844 :—ln
1844, the duties on tonnage ware 99,044/. 13s. 7d., and
the duties on goods 86,119/ Bs. 4d. In 1843, the uties
on tonnage were 96,4451. I Is. 7d. and the duties on goods
91,840 E 10s. 6d. Increase of duties on tonnage 2,599/. 2s.
Decrease of duties on goods 5,72 a. 2s. 2d. The light-
house duty this year produced 7,357/. 2s. Bd. ;
floating-
light, 3,367/. 4s. 1 id. ; graving d0ck,9,4991. 10s. ; graving
block, 1,671/. Is. ; extra dock rent, 2,132/. 6s. 7d. ; being
rather less than last year, except as to light-house and
floating-light duties, which produced a larger amount.
The total income this year is 208,1911. 7s. Id., and last
year 212,402/. 3s. 7(1. ; the decrease on the wole being
4,210/. 16s. 6d. The following is a comparative state-
ment of the shipping, &c.:-1844, number of vessels,
18,411 ; tonnage, 2,632,712. 1843, number of vessels.
16,606 ; tonnage, 2,445,278. Increased number of
vessels, 1,805 ; tonnage, 187,434.—Liverpool Journal.
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE.—A circumstance
the like of which has never been known within the memory
of the oldest inhabitant of Beds, occurred in this county on
the 20th instant. Mr. Jeffreys, a farmer, residing at Great
Barford, whilst his neighbours were sowing barley, cut and
carted a quantity of the same grain. The barley in question
was the produce of a field that had been severely injured by
the hail storm of the last year, and the occupier had had it
ploughed up for the purpose of sowing it with wheat, but ob-
serving a good deal of the grain growing, he allowed it to
stand, and the result has been that he has obtained an excel-
lent crop, a fine sample of which was exhibited in Bedford
market on Saturday lase—Herts County Press.
LORD MOUNTCASIIEL AND HIS NURSE.—Our
readers will remember that, at a free-trade meeting in the
Liverpool Amphitheatre some time ago, Mr. O'Connell thus
apostrophised Lord Mountcashel, who had just been deli-
vered of seine monopolist absurdity :
" But who on earth, besides his nurse,
For Lord Mountcashel cares one curse?" •
Well ; his Lordship has row actually married his nurse
Having been dangerously ill and faithfully attended on hie
sick bed by an Irish lass, he has since shown his gratitude by
marrying the girl, who is now Countess of Mouuteashel.—
Leeds Times.
PRESERVED PISIL—Many of -the names of persons
and places in the United States are very curious and
not seldom absurd and ridiculous. It is the same in
England. One of the principal merchants in the city of
New York is a Mr. Preserved Fish. Although now the
principal of an extensive mercantile house, he was
formed) the humble owner and skipper of a small
trading schooner, respecting which the following anec-
dote is told !—Mr. Preserved Fish was carrying a cargo
of pickled fish to Baltimore, when ho was hailed by a
large ship, and the following dialogue ensued :—" What
ship ?" " The Preserved Fish."—" What captain ?"
" Preserved Fish."—" What owner 2" " Pres.arved
Fish."—" What cargo ?" " Preservel fish."—Aye, aye,
I we know the cargo ; but what's your captain's name ?"
.‘ preserved Fish, bound to 13a1timore, '—Mackeniee‘
Sketches.