The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-06-01 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL SINDARD.

LOCAL MEETINGS.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.—At the monthly meeting
of the Council tomorrow the proceedings of the health
committee will comprise the appointment of Mr. Thomas
Duncan as assistant surveyor, at a. salary of £450 per
annum. The proceedings of the gardens committee will
comprise a recommendation that the herbarium at the
Botanic Gardens be extended into a museum of foreign
vegetable products, and that for this purpose the surveyor
be requested to report as to the capability of the present
building for affording such a museum, or the necessity of
any further erection for that purpose. Notice of the fol-
lowing motion has been given by Mr. Councillor Higgins,
" That reporters be admitted to the weekly meetings of
the health of the town committee, so far as- regards public
business ; that a committee be appointed to inquire and
report why the rate for the payment of the policemen
employed to watch the property of the warehouse-owners
has not been levied according to the provisions of the
act." By Mr. Councillor Samuel Holme,, "That the
resolution of the Council of the 3rd March last, con-
firming the recommendation of the law courts committee,
' not to proceed with the erection of the organ of St.
George's Hall, until the interior of the hall' is finished,'
be rescinded ; and that the committee be requested to
take such measures, subject to the confirmation of the
Council, as may ensure the completion of an organ by
the time that the edifice is ready, to receive it."
WEST DERBY GVARDIANS.—The weekly meeting was
held on Wednesday, Mr. Sheppard in the chair. A letter
was read from the Poor-law Commissioners, recommend-
ing that, on account of the high price of wheat and other
grain at the present time, the diet of the paupers and the
out-door relief afforded in the shape of bread,. should be
made of a somewhat inferior description to the finer qua-
lity of the same article now used, and that in the unions
where the habits of the labouring classes admit of it, as in
Wales and the north of England, oatcake or stirabout
should be occasionally substituted for bread. The com-
missioners also state that they will• be willing to- make any
alteration of the dietary which may be found- necessary to
enable the guardians to carry out their suggestions. Mr.
Shaw, in accordance with his notice of last week, moved
that £lOO a-year be added to the salary of the assistant
overseer of Everton, to enable him to keep a rate book
and office clerk for the townships Mr. Parker seconded
the motion, which, after some discussion as to the pro-
priety of the overseer appointing his own clerk, was car-
ried. The Rev, Mr. Badnall hoped that the committee
appointed to inquire into the expediency of erecting a
hospital in connexion with the workhouse, would appoint
an early day for meeting. Mr. Peers said that something
must be done,as the present hospital was in avery crowded
state ; many of the patients were lying two in a bed.
DOCK COMMITTEE, THURSDAY.—It was reported that
the north stack of warehouses, No. 8, at the Albert Dock,
would be completed and ready for the reception of goods
on the Ist of June, and that the new offices would be
ready about the same time. A letter was read from Mr.
Elias Morley, complaining of impediments in the de-
livery of bullion from a ship in the Albert Dock. Letters
were read, showing the delay occurred with the Custom-
house officers, and not with the dock estate. It was re-
commended that an iron barge of forty tons burthen,
should be provided for transporting goods from one part
of the Albert Dock to another. Mr. Royden thought
that a wooden barge would be better than an iron one.
Wood would be more likely to stand the wear and tear
than iron.—The Chairman : I'm afraid you did not see
the iron buoys which came in the other day. The iron
ones stood double the tear and wear of the wooden ones.
—Mr. Royden : They can put stays into the buoys, but
you cannot do so in a barge. It is, however, a matter of
opinion.—In compliance with a recommendation from the
Shipwrights' Association, a bye-law was submitted and
passed, for regulating the graving docks. It provides
that no vessel shall be admitted into the graving dock
unless blocks have been duly
,prepared for its reception,
and lines stretched across the docks, and in the event of
the owner, consignee, or captain of any vessel entered for
the graving docks neglecting to provide those things, he
shall be liable to a penalty of £lo.—The receipts at Run-
corn for the month ending the 26th instant, were stated
to be £B2 12s. 9d. on 310 vessels 15,768 tons, being an
increase of 60 vessels, 1971 tons, and £8 19s. 9d. receipts,
as compared with the corresponding period of last year.—
Toxteth Dock was ordered to be let dry after the evening
tide of Sunday, for the purpose of repairing the gates.—
A letter was read from MeSsrs. Wilson and Sons, agent
to the Cork Steam Packet Company, requesting permis-
sion to use lock-up lanterns on board the Minerva in the
dock. The application stated that they understood other
vessels had this privilege.—The Chairman : No such pri-
vilege was ever given to any vessel, nor have we the slightest
power to give such permission.—Mr. Henderson : The
ships are allowed to have fires on board in the Birkenhead
docks.—The Chairman : That is no reason we should fol-
low a bad example.—Mr. Henderson : Mr. Mann says
there is no great danger of fire in the Birkenhead docks.
(Laughter.)—The Chairman : You are positively inhi-
bited by your acts. I bad such applications daily during
the winter, but they never were in one instance complied
with.—The Chairman stated that the new landing stage
would be removed on Tuesday, the Ist of June, (this day.)
Seven steamers had been engaged to tow it, and it would
be launched about an hour before high water. Mr. Hart-
ley, jun., said she was completely ready. They had no-
thing to do but to pull down the embankment.—The
Chairman said there was an inquiry from behind (the re-
porters)
as to wheti

Distritt prim

CLITHRROE.—Matthew Wilson, Esq., of Eaton-hall,,
issued an address on Saturday night to the electors of
Clitheroe, offering himself as a candidate for the borough.
The address alludes to Mr. Wilson's being elected six
years ago.

DISTRESS IN MAtvcimasTEni.—The condition of the
poor in this town is daily becoming worse, and the de-
mands upon the poor-rate are fearfully increasing. From•
16,000 to 20,000 persons are now relieved weekly, at a
cost of nearly £l,OOO. How long this state of things will
continue it is difficult to say.

On Friday, when the Blue-school boys at Chester were
taking a walk along the riverside, some of them, in the
absence of their master, would bathe, notwithstanding the
repeated remonstrances of the person under whose care
they were placed. The stream being strong, one of the
bathers sunk to rise no more.
THUNDER STORM.—During the progress of the thunder
storm that occurred in Lancashire on Friday the 14th
inst., an oak tree in Knowsley Park, the seat of the Right
Hon. the Earl of Derby, was shivered to pieces by light-
ning, between three and four o'clock in the afternoon.
At the bottom of the tree the electric fluid passed into
the ground, and tore up the surface, to the depth of four
or six inches, as if it had been forced by a rude plough,
the furrows extending about four feet on each side of the
trunk, towards the south-west and north-east.
FATAL FIGHTS.—On Wednesday week, two navi-
gators, one known as " Bristol Jack," the other's name
being Paul Price, entered into a pugilistic contest at Daf-
ford Green, near Worcester. At the end of the fifth
round, one of the men, " Bristol Jack," was so severely
injured that he could not continue the fight, and the next
day he died.—On Monday last, two men, named Marsden
and Hyde, quarrelled at Darwen, when the latter chal-
lenged the other to fight. They accordingly went into a
field, and during their contest Hyde frequently kicked
his opponent; and before the fight was over, Hyde felt
back, and died instantly.
___

MYSTERIOUS MURDER AT WALTON-LE-DALE.—On or
about Saturday week, the murder of a child, under myste-
rious circumstances, was, it is believed, perpetrated at
this quiet village, near Preston. The body was discovered
on the following Monday. A woman, on the previous
Friday, went to the house of an innkeeper there, to whom
she was a stranger, with a child in her arms, who she
said was poorly, and she gave it a little gin. She went
away towards Darwen, saying she was going to search for
her husband. She passed the same inn next day without
the child. She appeared too old to be the mother, but
said she was so. The body was found by two little boys
in Gregson's*Brook, near the bridge, with the face in the
water. The same woman had been seen before carrying
the child, and was also seen coming from the direction of
the brook without the child. The surgeon who examined
it said death was caused by submersion in water. Verdict,
wilful murder arainst a woman unknown.

occasion.—Mr. Rankin : It is not a matter for rejoicing.
—The Chairman : No, it is a very great imposition on the
dock estate, and one it has no business to bear.
MEETING OF THE RATEIAYERS OF BIRKENHEAD.
—ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS.—A meeting of the
rate-payers of the township of Birkenhead was held on
Thursday, for the purpose of considering the best course
to be adopted at the ensuing election of commissioners in
the present position of the affairs of Birkenhead. The

:he number o

room was crowded, and on the platform were William
Jackson, Esq., Joseph Mallaby, Esq., C. Bentham, Esq.,
John Hicklin, Esq.. Mortimer. Eso.. W.V.

Jackson Esq., was called to the chair ; the announce-
ment being received with loud cheers. The first resolu-
tion was moved by Mr. Hicklin. It was—" That in con-

resent corn:limn ot tile townshi affair
of Birkenhead, and acknowledged want of publicp confi-
s
dence, it is essential to the interests of the town and the
restoration of credit, that a ehanirA aumia brN L__

commissioners, who A totally independent
nrrr rve..A.........,........- I. _l_ al 1 • • • •. - _

lin went toshow that in consec

uence of a

auningbt, use commissioners, and the expulsion from it of
some of the master spirits, who had contributed so much
to the rise and progress of the township, there was a want
of confidence, injurious to the interests of the commu-
nity. He referred to the course pursued by the commis-
sioners in reference to the Gas and Water Bills, which he
deprecated in the strongest terms. They had expended
the township money in going to Parliament for bills which
would not only be no advantage to the people, but a po-
sitive disadvantage, as difficulties had been thrown in the
way of the present company, who were prevented by the
unsettled state of the question, from making those reduc-
tions to the community which they might otherwise have
done. It had been said they must support the docks, and
he agreed with those parties who said so. He wished the
docks to be supported, as they were for the benefit of the
town, but that was no reason they were to uphold a par-
ticular section, who did not study the interest of the people
at large, but their own private ends. He urged the meet-
ing to come forward on the day of election, and vote for
those men, a list of which he submitted to them—men
who would do all they could to relieve the township troth
its embarrassments in the present crisis, and be the means
of restoring that confidence which was essential to their
future and permanent progress. The resolution was se-
conded by Mr. C. Bentham, who observed that if he
should be elected a commissioner, as he understood his
name was on the list, he would serve the township to the
best of his ability. Mr. Appleton made some remarks in
condemnation of the conduct pursued by Mr. Mallaby at
the Board of Commissioners, to which that gentleman
replied in an energetic and well-timed speech. The reso-
elluon\t:ieoirnnggewn
uac then_as thA
Josepha proposed,n carriedd
aalisa
bayunanimously.l3ior. cf
jpr.oipie.rGtroeesenr:: trh. ewtioni-annishippikeeffexictur.alHly in.F pßoexerstn,
tioeAhn
rasrm. fitj presenti‘oaihnridi.
Hicklin, Mr. Henry J. Nicholls.' The H.
was proposed
sewchoenncleic
Willoughby,who
observed
and seconded ways knownM r. R
top,erret
township, and 1,200 of them
bHyugMhers.,
were 3,600 houses in the
empty, there must be something wrong, and it was high
time that a change should take place. The list was car-
ried by acclamation. Mr. Bentham proposed a vote of
thanks to the chairman, when the latter, after acknow-
ledging the compliment, referred to the history of the
township, the interest he had taken in its affairs, and his
expulsion from the Board of Commissioners, he justified
the course he had pursued, observing that in consequence
of the measures taken with respect to the gas and water
bills, he could not remain in the Board as the capacity of
buyer and seller, and there was no alternative left, but to
resign his trust. He administered several severe reproofs
to Mr. Appleton for some remarks he had made in refer-
ence to him (the chairman) having a great part of his pro-
perty out of thelownship. In reply to that, he said there
was not one sixtieth part out of the boundary of Birken-
head ; he asked Mr. Appleton how much money had been
lent them since he left. (Hear.) After a short-pause Mr.
Appleton replied—" When you left, the money poured in
till the fountains of money were dried up throughout the
country." (Laughter.) The Chairman thought the
flowing in was similar to the last drop from a pipe.
(Laughter.) After much cheering for the chairman, and
some groaning and hissing for Mr. Appleton, the meeting
broke up at a quarter past ten. - Great activity prevails in
canvassing the rate--payers, and a strong contest may
be expected ; various placards calling on the electors to
come forward are posted on the walls, amongst which we
observe the following squib :—" In the press, and will
speedily he published, a new edition of that popular work
The Last of the Lairds.' "

MEETING OF THE SELECT VESTRY

On Tuesday the second of the weekly meetings of the
Select Vestry was held at the Parish-office. The Rev.
Rector Brooks presided.

Mr. 130NNE1:r asked whether any answer had been re-
ceived from the Town Council relative to the filling up of
the cellars occupied by the Irish?

a other
iu. 0
fi consented;
ts e
ha town,
and
as,
The CHAIRMAN replied that, on leaving the vestry on
Tuesday last, he had seen the Mayor and mentioned the
matter to him. It appeared, however, in the course of
conversation, that Mr. Rushton had told the mayor that
the cellars could not be legally filled up. He (the chair-
man) asked whether Ihey might not be filled up with the
consent of the owners, and the Mayor then asked how
they could go and fill up the cellars until some other
places were provided for the people. Certain it was that
places were provided for them, and if both parties
ti
the people could not be turned into the streets ; but if
then the cellars could be filled up.
Guso:v thought it well to state for the inform-
o
the result of inquiries he had

been making upon the subject, that all the districts, with was about to strike a knife in the throat of his victim, and
the exception of those ocoupied by the Irish, were at pre- tried to prevent him, but the murderer was too strong for
sent in an exceedingly healthy state. (Hear, hear.) him, and such a frightful wound was made in the poor
Mr. CAFEEHATA.—HAve you got another lazaretto yet ? woman's neck that she did not survive more than three or
Mr. FERGUSON.—No ; but the fault is not with the four minutes. It is said that. the murderer had never
vestry; it lies with the owners of cotton, who 'are not dis- before seen the poor woman; And the only way in which
charging it as quickly as we could wish. the horrid deed is accounted for is on the suppositionthat
Mr. CAFFERATA.—The sooner you see the entire six of the man was a maniac, labouring.under delirium tremens,
the lazarettoes the better. from excessive drinking.—Sheffield &miry.
The committee reported that there were 1641 persons
in the workhouse at present, and that 557, of the inmates
were lying down in fever.
The committee passed a resolution to the effect that
money should not be borrowed for the relief of the poor
river Dee, close to the race-course. The river is there
under any circumstances, and that any relieving officer I The scene of the accident is the noble bridge over the
, feet in width, and is composed of massive iron girders,
theeek 24th
wa s crossed by an iron bridge of three spans. Each span 100
supported .by stone of the most firm and durable con-
iwnhstoanmtilgyhdtisbmiorrossewd.money for such A purpose would be
I one on each side of the up and down lines of rails. Strong
instant,
T Thehe
ta arwtr
aievlr a lea
amount
eoapfuoapr
tat
euadpf e
torr se
lib feeof r6eit
vhneea; wd eller
ikn
struction. There are four of these girders in each span,
gendithengw
the poor legitimately belonging to the parish had exceeded wooden beams were fixed across the girders, and along
last year by the sum the cost of the corresponding week 0f-
£645 6s. 6d. ; and the total costotrelieving the Irish and
these the lines were laid. The girders themselves were
of £763 16s. 3d. formed of two pieces of iron firmly riveted in the centre,
The CHAIRMAN informed the board that the large num- and seemed well adapted to sustain an immense weight.
ber of 1,363,000 quarts of soup had been given out in The train which left Chester at a quarter-past six on Mon-
day evening consisted of one first-class carriage, two se-
Liverpool since last December.
Mr. RIDING said, that in remarking at a former meet- cond-class carriages, and a luggage van ; but there were
ing upon the quantity of wine and brandy given to two of not more than two dozen passengers. The train was pro,
the patients of the Lock-ward, the Workhouse Committee ceeding as usual along the line, had already crossed two of
had not the slightest intention.of impugning the conduct the arches, and was in the act of crossing the third, when
Of the medical officers. The inconvenient practices which all the carriages were precipitated into the river, a depth
had been going on there were made apparent upon an in-
of about 120 feet ; the engine and tender, which had
vestigation before Mr. Austin, whose report had been
crossed the bridge, pursuing the course along the line.
transmitted to the magistrates ;: and with the opinions The consternation of the passengers at this time must have
then entertained by the committee Mr. Austin fully coin-
been frightful; and some individuals who witnessed the
cided. accident from the Roodee, describe their shrieks as being
Mr. FERGUSON gave notice of for motion • the next day most heart-rending. But even this terror was merely mo-
that an efficient medical staff be appointed. mentary ; for the sudden shock and concussion rendered
persons in the carriages totally insensible of
Mr. JOHN YATES, jun., wrote a letter, in which he almost all the
situation. One man, indeed, named Proud, reco-
begged to resign his office as member of the Select Vestry. their
ered himself almost immediately ; he found himself in .a
The Poor Law Commissioners begged to suggest that, v
in consequence' of the high price of provisions
carriage turned upside down in the river, and being. fully
probability of esculents continuing dear until the harvest, and the
sensible of the horrors of his situation, he exerted himself
to the utmost, and succeeded in getting through the car-
it was desirable that bread should be supplied to the pau-
r
pers of a somewhat inferior description to fine wheat.iage window, whence he precipitated himself into the
The letter was referred, and its receipt was ordered to be river, and swam ashore. The crash was heard at a great
distance, and assistance was promptly on the spot. Four
acknowledged with gratitude.
dead bodies were taken out of the river, John Matthews
-
and Knyvett, both coachmen, passengers, and the
guard and stoker of the train; one man is still missing,
Thirteen passengers were more or less injured Mr.
Towns has a severe concussion on the brain, and his sister
slightly injured: Mrs. Evison a fracture of the hip-bone;-
Mr. Isaac Jones his skull fractured ; Mr. John. Jones a
severe contusion on his head, and his wife her thigh frac-
tured ; Ann Evans, a servant-girl, her thigh and collar-
bone fractured, besides internal injuries ; Mr. David
Evans his thigh fractured, his wife seriously bruised ; a
boy, named Stevens, concussion on the brain ; a boy,
named M`Gregor, his skull fractured ; Mr, J. B. Ford a
cut on the head and some slight injuries ; a married fe-
male, name unknown, severe concussion on the brain.
The rest, happily, escaped uninjured. Upon examining
the beam as it lay in the river, we could perceive two
fcdctures in it,—one of which, in the middle length, had
to all appearance been the result of the fall, and anterior
to it. The other, doubtless the immediate cause of this
frightful accident, was from 17 to 20 feet distant from the
south pier of the bridge ; and as the engine driver said he
felt the giving way beneath him, allowing for the length
of the tender, there can be no doubt that this was the
fracture which caused the calamity. The fracture was
directly- across the beam, from its upper to its lower
flange; and connected with this, the flat side of the beam
striking against the rock or other hard substance. The
trusses, or tension rods, so far as we could see them, ap-
peared to be entire. Until this massive girder is got out
of the water, which in part conceals it, it is impossible to
say what may have been the cause of its fracture. So far
as it could be seen, it did not appear to be from any flaw
or defect in the metal. The single line of rails on the
bridge remaining entire, will be made secure for the work-
ing of both up and down trains over it in a few days.
For the present, however, and till it is so re-opened, pas-
sengers are conveyed from Chester to Saltney, a distance
of about a mile and a half, by the high road, in omnibus
or coach.
On Thursday, the remains of Roberts, the guard, and
Anderson, the stoker, were interred at Chester. The fu-
nerals were attended by a great number of persons. Mr.
Nivitt, the coach driver, was interred in the same afternoon.
On Friday, an inquest was held on view of the bodies,
before John Hostage, Esq., adjourned from Tuesday.
Meantime, Mr. Isaac Jones, tailor, of Wrexham, who had
been severely hurt, breathed his last. John Taylor, the
engineer, detailed the facts given :—He felt the bridge
sinking, put on all the steam, and cleared the bridge, but
the carriages fell over. He had never had any fear of the
bridge. The station-master said that the train in ques-
tion consisted of the three first-class carriages, one of the
second-class and a van. A young gentleman, named
Frith, who was fishing at the time, saw a girder fall into
the river, and immediately after the carriage fell, the last
one first. They fell in different directions, together with
a quantity of timber and rubbish. On the same morning,
while bathing under the bridge, when a train passed over,
he observed the inside girder of the part that gave way
bend downwards about four inches. Robert Barlos
fisherman, saw the bridge fall, and he and his f

TIIE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT
CHESTER.

get the others out

ye one of t