The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-07 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRE IN PETER-STREET, AND
LOSS OF LIFE.

THE IMPROVED PATENT OLMSTED AIR STOVE.—We
have had great pleasure in inspecting a number of elegant
specimens of this stove, the invention of Professor Olmsted,
of Yale College, in North America, where they have been
been most successfully brought into use. So highly has the
invention been appreciated in America, that Joint Stock
Companies have been established to extend amongst the
general community the comfort and convenience they dif-
fuse wherever applied. They are adapted for the effectual
warming with pure air, every kind of building or apartment,
from the spacious church to the family parlour. These
stoves are also, from the neatness of their construction,
highly ornamental. They are of two forms, the double pillar
or treble pillar stove, each pillar being circular, a few inches
apart from each other, and connected by a small flue or short
length of stove pipe. In one of the pillars, (which are of
polished malleable iron) is the furnace, which is so con-
structed that all danger of accident from fire is abated, and
no ashes can escape. The other pillar, in a double pillar
stove, or the other two in a treble one, arc " radiators"
through a casing or lining, in which the hot air passes from
the furnace, and is radiated in all directions; while through
a wide aperture or open pipe, forming the interior of the cas•
ing, or concentric cylinder, and open to the ground below, as
well as above, the cold air in the chamber or building where
the stove may be situated, is drawn up, heated in its passage,
and finally diffused throughout the apartment. In the treble
pillar stove, the centre pillar forms the furnace, and the
two others " radiators." An even temperature may be kept
up, and the consumption of fuel is very small. A constant,
equal, and healthy temperature may, without the slightest
danger, be kept up by these stoves, even in a sleeping apart-
ment in the night. They may be obtained of any size, so
as to heat small or large rooms or buildings, all that is requi-
site to determine it, being to supply the number of cubic
feet to he warmed. They may be fitted either with ascending
or descending flues. The sole agents for Liverpool are
Messrs. Betteley and Higgs, of 41, South Castle-street,
where an extensive stock of them may be seen, and one of
them in full operation.
THE ROYAL CORONATION PICTURE.—We understand
that the splendid engraving from the magnificent Picture of
the Coronation, painted by George Hayter, Esq., her Ma-
jesty's historical and portrait painter, will be on view after
to-morrow, at the establishment of Mr. W. Burland, in
Church-street. The London Journals speak in the highest
possible terms of this authentic memorial of the most in-
teresting event in her Majesty's reign.—See advertisement.
" BRIEF MANUAL OF PRACTICAL PIETY."—We have
just perused a little volume, entitled, " A Brief Manual of
Practical Piety," puhlished by L. and G. Seeley, London,
which has been submitted to our nispection—and so satisfied
are we that this little book really is what the title sets forth,
that we cordially recommend it to the heads of families, as a
valuable addition to the various helps already offered to
Christians, young or old, in their warfare against the world,
the flesh, and the devil. To use the words of a clergyman
of this town, " the advices given are brief but comprehen-
sive, the portions of scripture wisely chosen, and the selec-
tions of sacred poetry peculiarly appropriate; in a word, the
little book shows the author to be a man of much taste, kind-
ness of heart, and Christian experience."
Miss WHITNALL'S CONCERT.—Miss Whitnall's annual
concert, which took place in the Templars' Hall, on Friday
evening, was attended by a numerous and highly respectable
auditory. The Mayor's and several leading families were
present. Miss Whitnall, Mr. Templeton, and the other
vocalists sang admirably, and Mr. Brown, if we may so
speak, surpassed himself upon that delightful instrument,
the flute. Mr. Gat ayes, the pianist, did not, from some
cause, appear, and by way of compensating for his absence,
Mr. Templeton sang " Black Eyed Susan„" which was
loudly applauded. The entire performance went off exceed-
ingly well, and the manner in which the auditory manifested
their opinion of it, must have been highly gratifying to the
feelings of Miss Whitnall.
THE GREAT Sroroc—This day is the anniversary of the
great storm of 1839, by which so much devastation was
caused, not only on the coast adjoining Liverpool, but in
Manchester and many other inland towns. The loss of life
was terrific. In the shape of shipwrecks and accidents, no
greater desolation has occurred in these islands during the
present generation. From our report of the Sessions it will
be seen that the Recorder alluded to the storm, and also to
the valuable charity which it was the means of establishing
in this town. Whilst upon this subject, we may take the
opportunity of recommending that institution to the sym-
pathy and support of our fellow-townsmen and the public.
MINISTERIAL SCHEMING.—The opinion gains ground
that parliament will be dissolved shortly after the marriage
of her majesty, and that the ministry will take advantage of
the enthusiasm caused by that event to make an appeal to
the country. It is also stated that the repeal of the corn
laws and the ballot will be thrown out as " tubs to the
whale," and that under the combined influences of these
moral and elevated motives, the whiga will risk their last
chance upon a general election.—Glargow Courier.

Yesterday morning, about half-past one o'clock, an alarm
of fire proceeded front the house No. 20, in Peter-street, a
street leading northward from Whitechapel. Many of the
neighbours speedily rose from their beds, and found the mid-
dle portion of the house, particularly at the back, to be on
tire, and the flames rapidly gaining a fearful ascendancy.
Every possible exertion was made to assist the inmates, all
of whom slept up stairs ; and the fire-police and engines,
under the able superintendence of Mr. Whitty, were soon
brought to the ground, and were effectively employed in sub-
duing the fire ; but we regret to say that out of nine indivi-
duals, one (an old man) lost his life, at an early part of the
conflagration, and several other persons were seriously in-
jured, in escaping from the flames, by dropping from the
middle and also the upper window into the street.
As the particulars that transpired at the inquest related
exclusively to the death of the deceased, we have visited the
spot, and obtained some additional information relative to
the fire, and the destitute condition to which it has reduced
the survivors, whose case has already excited much commi-
seration amongst the humble neighbours, and is, it appears
to us, worthy of the humane consideration of a benevolent

public.
The house is of the small cottage description, of three sto-
ries in height, and two rooms in each flat. It is tenanted
by a poor aged widow, named Elizabeth Lee, whose principal
support was in letting several of the rooms to lodgers. There
lived in the house at the time a young man and woman,
James and Jane Lee, the son and daughter of the tenant ;
George Moss, a tailor, his wife and two children, who inha-
bited the front room on the first floor; Robert Gooch, a
young man, who, with James Lee, slept in one of the attics;
and George Hodgson, the deceased, also a tailor, who occu-
pied the back room on the first floor; making, with Mrs.
Lee, nine in all. Mrs. Lee and her daughter slept in the
attic over the deceased's room. The former and the deceas-
ed were the last who were up in the house, and went up
stairs together, to go to their beds, about half-past eleven
o'clock on the previous night (Sunday), the landlady, Mrs.
Lee, giving the deceased a light. In what manner the fire
originated cannot be ascertained ; but the probability is that
the deceased, who was somewhat infirm, (he being 78 years
of age,) had, by leaving the candle burning, or some
other means, ignited the bed curtains, or some combustible
matter in the room, and that he was suffocated and burnt
before he could, in his confusion and terror, make his escape.
George Moss, who slept in the next room with his family,
was first awakened by a strong smell of fire and a smothering
smoke, and when he opened the door, he saw the deceased's
room on fire. and the door nearly burnt away. He gave the
alarm, and Mrs. Lee and her daughter escaped down stairs
in almost a state of nudity. He did not see the deceased,
who, it is probable, was at the time either suffocated or in a
state of insensibility. His first care was, if possible, to secure
the safety of his family, and as the stairs were now burning
fiercely, his only resource was to open the window of his own
room, facing the street, and successively to drop from it his
wife, his two children, and finally himself. The wife and
children were but slightly injured ; but the poor man himself,
who appears to be in a very feeble state of health, was so
much bruised, that he could with difficulty walk to the coro-
ner's office. The two lodgers in the front attic, James Lee
and Robert Gooch, were still more unfortunate. Finding no
means of escape by the narrow stairs, which was now partly
burnt away, they had no alternative but to drop from the
window of their room in the third story, upon the flagged
footwalk below ; and both were so severely injured, that
they were shortly afterwards conveyed to the Infir-
mary. Lee had his ancles and feet much hurt from the
fall ; and Gooch sustained a dreadful wound in the head,
from which he may not easily recover. The most kind and
humane attention was paid to them by Mr. Whitty, whose
active and considerate conduct throughout is spoken of by
all present as being beyond all praise. He was on the spot
amongst the first when the alarm was given, and remained
until all was done that could be accomplished at the time for
the sufferers. Mr. Inspector Morley was also very active.
The other officers and firemen, too, exerted themselves to the
utmost. The neighbours lent all the aid they could ; their
cry before the escape of poor Moss's family being still
" Save the poor woman ! Save the children!' One man,
named Byrne, ascended by a ladder to the top window, in
hopes of saving the deceased, and did not relinquish his en-
deavours until his hair was singed by the flames.
Two engines were brought up, and one of them was almost
immediately put in play. The other was also soon in ready-
ness, and though the four upper rooms and the staircase were
on tire, and the back of the premises, where the flames were
the most intense, difficult of access, the conflagration was en-
tirely subdued in about three-quarters of an hour. The in-
terior of the house, after dawn, presented a scene of wreck
and demolition that could only have been slightly increased
by the falling in of the roof. The lower apartments are
flagged, and the doors were covered with fallen rubbish,
pieces of charred timber, remnants of burnt clothing, &c.,
all in a state of humidity from the water necessarily injected
by the engines. There were numerous holes burnt in the
floor above the back apartment, through which the greater
portion of this accumulation had fallen. The smell of burn-
ing was exceedingly strong. The damage to the house is,
that the two upper back rooms are burnt out with the excep-
tion of small portions of the floors, the beams of which in the
attic are completely charred. The upper staircase and the
two front rooms are also partially burnt, and the bedding,
clothing, &c., of the inmates completely destroyed.
The most lamentable portion of the narrative remains. In
the back bedroom of the first floor (which was so much
burnt that the jury could only ascend a few at a time), lay,
amongst the rubbish, charcoal, and tinder caused by the
combustion, the remains of the unfortunate deceased,
through whose culpable carelessness or infirmity the acci-
dent had taken place. The spectacle was one which we have
no desire to dwell upon, and a few words will suffice in no-
ticing it. The deceased was literally burnt to a cinder. What
remained of a rather stout and corpulent man was little more
than a mere skeleton, in an imperfect state, and in a reclining
position, with the face portion upwards. The right side of
the skull was burnt off, and a portion of the brain was seen.
The ribs were visible ; the bones of the thighs and legs ex-
posed, and apparently calcined by the fire ; and what adhered
to the skeleton generally was reduced to dark and unshapely
lumps. The bedstead, within about two yards of the de-
ceased, was so consumed that only a small portion of the
stocks and posts remained, reduced to slender rods of char-
coal.
The jury haYing viewed the body, the sight of which ex-
cited the most painful feelings, they returned to the Inquest-
room, in Orrell's-court, when the following evidence was
given before Mr. Curry :
Elizabeth Lee, being sworn, said—l am a widow, and keep
a lodging-house, No. 20, Peter's-street. The deceased,
whose name was George Hodgson, lodged with me. He was
78 years old. The deceased was a tailor, and used frequently
to work in his bed-room. He had lodged with me for eleven
years back. Yesterday evening the deceased went to bed
about half-past eleven o'clock. He was quite sober at the
tune. We both went up stairs to bed at the same time.
About half-past one o'clock this morning I was awakened by
the cries of fire. I got up immediately, and went into the
street. I used to sleep in the room over the deceased's bed-
room. On coming down stairs, after the cry of fire, I ob-
served the room where the deceased slept all on fire. I did
not see the deceased, nor did 1 observe the bed, as it was
placed in the corner of the room. Several people endea-
voured to go into the house, for the purpose of saving the
deceased, but they were not able to get in for fire and smoke.
The deceased was a little infirm, hut was able to go about
very well. A fire had been burning all day in the room
where the deceased slept, but it had gone out before we went
to bed, and I gave the deceased a light as I went up stairs.
George Moss said—l am a tailor, and lodge in the house
of the last witness. I occupy the front room on the first
floor, and the deceased occupied the back room on the same
floor, and which is close to mine. Last night. about half-
past eight o'clock, my wife and I went to bed. The deceased
was not then in the house. About half-past one o'clock this
morning I was awoke by a strong smell of fire. The room
was full of smoke. I immediately got up, and, on opening
the door, I found the room where the deceased slept was on
fire, and the door nearly burnt away. I opened the window
of my room, and threw the children out into the street. I
alarmed the first witness, and she got up, and I shouted out
" fire" as loud as I could. I did not observe the deceased
or any one else in the room. The fire-engines came, and
the fire was put out in about three-quarters of an hour.
The last time I saw the deceased alive was yesterday morn-
ing. I have seen the remains of the body in the room since,
but they are so much burnt that it is impossible to recognize
them. I have no doubt that the body is that of the deceased.
This being all the evidence adduced, the Coroner stated,
as the body could not be recognized, though the last witness
had stated his belief that it was that of George Hodgson—no
other person inhabiting the room—the only verdict they
could return would be to the effect, that, the house had taken
fire, and was burnt, and the deceased along with it, but how
or in what manner the fire had originated there was no evi-
dence to show.
The jury returned a verdict accordingly.

ENCOURAGEMENT TO MINERS.—A most splendid disco-
very has, within the last few days, been made in the mining
district near Mold, by a company chiefly composed of Liver-
pool gentlemen, from which they have every prospect of not
only regaining the heavy outlay which they have been at,
but of realising enormous profits ; the oldest miners in the
neighbourhood feeling confident that it will fully equal Pot
Hole or Mnes Safi, the ore, already obtained, being of the
finest quality.

VULCAN LODGE OF ASSOCIATED SMITHS.—The National
Associated Smiths of the Vulcan Lodge, Liverpool, held
their annual festival on New-Year's day, at the long room
of Mrs. Cunningham, Grapes Inn, Great Charlotte-street,

when, after the cloth was removed, an appropriate address'
was delivered by the chairman, with suitable remarks on the
rise and progress of the society, principally alluding to the
good moral conduct displayed by the members, and conclu-
ding with a wish to have the principles of the society more
universally extended. After the address, several toasts were
given, with songs, &c. Dancing commenced, and was kept
up with great spirit until a late hour, when the whole com-
pany separated highly delighted with the evening's entertain-
ment.

PROGRESS or TILE CHuncll.—Among the many cheering
signs of the times, which are almost daily presenting them-
selves to our notice, there are none more remarkable than
the increasing love in the people of this country for our ex-
cellent church establishment ; and we have much satisfaction
in recording an instance of this description in our own imme-
diate neighbourhood. The delightful village of Wavertree is
too well known to the inhabitants of the " good old town"
to need our aid in description. We, therefore, without fur-
ther ceremony, mention the propitious manner in which the
new year commenced in that village, by the opening of a
chapel for the service of the Church of England. For the
success of this undertaking the natives are indebted to the
persevering zeal of the Rev. William Badnall, their resident
minister. The want of church accommodation had for some
time been felt ; and to supply this want, the rev. gentleman
took, and fitted up, on his own responsibility, the chapel
lately occupied by the Wesleyan Methodists, but now con-
verted, by license from the Bishop of Chester, into a church.
When this circumstance became known to the villagers, the
seats and sittings were eagerly sought after, and before the
chapel was finished, every sitting was taken by the industri-
ous poor, and had there been more than double the present
number, they would not have met the anxious demand. The
lower part of the chapel is let in single sittings, at 2s. each
per year, and the gallery in pews, not one of which remain
unlet. This is very satisfactory, and clearly proves, that if
increased accommodation is supplied, the result must be fa-
vourable to our truly scriptural church. On Wednesday
sermons were preached in the morning bfthe Rev. Mr.
Stafford, and in the evening by the Rev. Mr. Wilson, from
Childwall. After both sermons collections were made in aid
of the church, to the amount of £27 10s. 2id. Although
this sum may be considered handsome by those who know
the congregation to be composed of individuals who obtain
their living by manual labour, it is very far short of the sum
wanted to clear their minister from his responsibilities on
s
that account. We may therefore venture to hope, that .his
more wealthy bearers will not forget that they have I
im-
portant duty to discharge, and will; to use a
mercantilervices the
phrase, " hold him harmless." Between
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boys of the National Church of England Schutdohodelinpsgea,rswtcgoiriolviikpe
handsome supply of roast beef and Omni
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them by the subscribers to the school. This
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for this period of the year. We cannot close this account
better than by using the language of the Rev. Mr. Wilson,
who, when addressing the congregation, said, " May the
cs"ustnodmest
Almighty bless your excellent minister with health to see his
labours crowned with success, and may he reap, in your de-
votedness to God, in Christ Jesus, a plentiful reward."