The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-01-26 00:00:00

THE STARVING IRISH

• Newton Saville, Augher, Tyrone, Ireland,
1911 s January, 1847.
MY DEAR MR. GROVES,—I canal% rarely command
a moment's leisure that I have been. unavoidably pre-
vented giving you an earlier account of our proceed-
ings in relieving the wants of the suffering poor in this
locality; whose cause you have so kindly espoused. I
have now to report that since the severe frost we
have solely supported thirty families, comprising 139
persons, giving them twice each week as much meal
as they.- required to sustain them. We have one or
more of some of these families employed planting trees,
gathering stones, or any work we find convenienf,
to encourage industrious habits. We have been for
several
weeks giving soup daily to about 100 persons, and I have
purchased a supply of turnips which 1 sell at a low price-
Added to this I continue to purchase weekly half a ton of
meal (generally from Londonderry), and. after supplying
the families who have nothing but labour to give in return,
I sell it. at a reduced price to the poor men who are em-
ployed on the public works, an accommodation every dal
becoming more valued, as the price of provisions now is
fearful, and seems to become worse daily. Our rulers
have surely been criminally culpable in•not devising means
to remedy this dreadful evil. Only think of pour men
leaving their homes at five o'clock on a cold winter's
morning,. aftei• a breakfast of meal gruel, walking front
four to six miles to be in time for their work, working the
entir&day till dusk, and then returning the same distance
to their wretched comfortless homes, and half-starved fa-
milies, suffering such fearful toil for 9d.. or 10d. a day,
whilst is sold at 2s. 4d. to 25.. 6d. a peck ! Their
sufferings beggar all description. Many of the men live
on turnips in order to leave the scanty supply of meal they
can purchase for their children. Wives starve themselves
to feed their husbands to enable them to work, and I knout
many cases where the nourishment. for infant children was
dried up from such self-denial in mothers. To crown all
the public works are now stopped. The money presented
for at the last sessions all expended, and many persons
who were before able from their weekly earnings to come
to me and pay for meal, now come in their last extremiti
to,beg me to save them from starvation f Could I refuse
appeals like this, when I know their statements to be true •
Thanks to your kind exertions, I, have been enabled to
effect an immense amount of good, and I have done a°
the more extensively, with the expectation that the ma:,
jority of those now dependant on me would be taken o 0
my hands last week by the Landlord, who is expendiD%
£630 in drainage, but to my surprise I am told not oil°
of them is to be employed by him.

This disappointment has filled me with dismay, as yott
may well suppose our funds are almost exhausted, thong},
I have made every exertion in my power to husband nif
resources, but despite all economy of management another.
week will nearly finish our supply of meal, on which I
pended all the funds remaining. My private means, OP
which my family are depending for months to come firtr„
almost swallowed up in the same vortex,—and after so,;i
if my poor people are now, to starve they might as wed'
have done so at the onset.. I have given no meal since
last Friday, but to a few.of my former pensioners who live
on the property of a very wealthy, but most
_penuriouo
proprietor, who is doing nothing whatever. Retrench'
ment should be commenced, and I sought to throw ther°
on him for support. What has been the result ? Thel
have not tasted food since yesterday morning, except the
food given here to those members of the family employe':
Now I must give them meal to-night or they must stay'
Such is .the way I am led to keep up so large a nurnberi
My mind and body. are almost worn out. I knew 11°
where td turn, and, the very fact oftlgse persons_ being
hitherto emPlayed by me shuts theft/Pout from. othe

urces.
nr.l felt called upon to state to you simply and truly the
esent state and prospects of our famishing peoele.
Faithfully yours,
C. MAGINNIS.

Mr. Groves, Rumford place, will, we understand, g 1 04/1
receive any contributions for Mr. Maginnis.

-qv THE QUEEN'S HOTEL, RAILWAY STAT lON. elast
week briefly noticed the opening of this splendid horej
and having since visited it, we were not.a.little surpris'io
at its extent and the elegant and substantial manner.
which. it is, furnished. In all there are eleven aittleg
apartments, and thirty-five bed-rooms, together with tor
vaults at the back, in which there is a place set apart „r 6
parties connected with the fish-market, where they
supplied with hot water, &c., for meals, the Idtch„%;
cellars, &c. The rooms are all spacious and lofty. le
coffee-roam, which is lighted by four large wind°fit
opening, on the balcony, and commanding a magaificeo
view of St. George's.. Hall and the Railway Sts.tion,oe
papered in oak beautifully relieved in panels and arahelid
work in gold and colour ; and in the centre of each ISlfot
is painted by hand—wit All that skill and delicacy
which the French are so esteemed—a vase of flowers 07a
ported by zephyrs. The effect of the contrast in &We
is admirable and enlivening. The furniture in this r°° t;
as indeed throughout the house, is massive and elegv4ei
and though the designs are for the most part plain/
are of that substantial character not only suited t0..4
hotel, but pleasing to the view. There are four red.!?
rooms furnished in crimson velvet ; and throughout of
bed-rooms are uniformly fitted each with a maholor
four-post bed, in figured damask, mahogany dressfel
table, and wash-stand with marble top ; and indeed 0,
requisite of excellent quality. There are warm, hot, p 1
shower baths for ladies and gentlemen. Each lobb9„ie
the stairs are covered with wide Brussels carpet, Fl,: 01 .
has been. expressly manufactured, and are all sinalnil;
pattern. The chandeliers, and indeed every &ti t eep
hplay neatness, elegance, and simplicity. Tile
otel will be conducted by Miss Holloway, who 110/tb
been known to the commercial public as manager To ',
Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, and whose name alonde'
guarantee that this house will be conducted mriiw-
that will at least deserve patronage.