The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-05 00:00:00

DISASTROUS FIRE AT HUDDERSFIELD

We have, at the commencement of a new year, to record
one of the most calamitous fires that has taken place in the
township of Huddersfield for many years. On Friday night,
Dec. the 25th, the inhabitants of Huddersfield, were, ate lit-
tle after eight o'clock, disturbed by an alarm that a factory was
on fire, and the broad lurid gldre which overspread the town
WU 0.14 • .n,...% ILL 411 C
tion, we found the flames to proceed from the mill of Messrs.
Roberts Brothers, situate at Bradley Spout, (a spring so
called,) near New Town, a short distance from the parish
church, on the north, and known as the Brick factory, from
the materials with which it had been built. On coming
within view of the conflagration, a few minutes after the
alarm, a singularly awful spectacle was presented to us.
The entire roof of slate had been blown off, and the interior
of the building of the three upper floors presented one com-
plete body of flame, shooting up in columns to a vast
height. So near to the time as a quarter of an hour before
the discovery took place, several persons had passed the
mill, some of whom remarked how very silent, dark, and
quiet, this usual scene of bustle and business appeared at
that moment. The flames were first discovered by a female
residing in a row of cottages opposite the north side or front
of the mill. In the upper floor, just below that of the attic.
occupied by Messrs. Learoyd, soribblers, carders, &c., so
uncommonly rapid was the progress of the flames, that be-
fore the alarm could reach the Pack Horse yard, where the
Leeds and Yorkshire fire-engine is kept, (about three
minutes' walk,) the interior of that floor and the one above
it, were one mass of flames, the fire working downwards.
At twenty minutes past eight, the engine above • alluded to
made its appearance, and although. from the very first, it was
most evident that the building could not be saved, yet much
valuable property in the lower rooms and casement, and the
engine and its house might have been saved had the firemen
been in a fit state to perform their duty. Unfortunately we
have to regret such was not the case. Of the few who came
with the engine, most, if not all of them, were in a state of
nearly complete.intoxieation, having been keeping Christmas,
from which cause, and the vast extent of the fire, they were
bewildered and knew not how to act ; they either would
not or could not work their own engine, nor would they
suffer any other person to meddle with it. One gentleman,
who endeavoured to screw on a hose' to one of the pipes,
had it taken from him by a fireman, who struck him a severe
blow with it on the back, and much injured him ; in fact,
they were shifting the engine from pillar to post, unknow-
ing where to take up a station ; and wheii they did attempt
to play, it was against the bare walls, and not on the flames,
At length the populace took possession of the engine and
worked at it, as hard as possible, with the best judgment
they possessed, directed frequently by several gentlemen
from the town and neighbourhood, among whom Mr. Brook,
and Mr. W. W. Battye, and one or two other magistrates,
were most conspicuous for their exertions. By their direc-
tions, and the able assistance of Messrs. Donson, Dalton,
and Clough, of the Huddersfield-place, who were inde-
fatigable, some wool, cotton, and piece goods were saved,
but with great personal ri§k, the flames ranging over their
heads with the utmost fury. In the mean time expresses
had been sent off in various directions for other engines,
which arrived as quickly as the distance rendered possible ;
among these were those of Messrs. Shaw, of Hooky, Messrs.
Armitage Brothers, of Milnes Bridge, Mr. Brook, of Mel-
tham, and one or two more ; that of Messrs. Armitage was
accompanied by their own men, and worked beautifully, and,
indeed, all the others exerted themselves to the utmost, but
the unceasing violence of the devouring element rendered
their efforts fruitless. From the very plentiful supply of
water from an adjacent reservoir, (had the Leeds and York-
shire firemen been in a state of sobriety) something more
valuable might have been rescued. The loss is variously es-
timated, some accounts stating £B,OOO or £lO,OOO ; others
extend it to £20,000 • at all events, the loss is very extensive,
but we think from £13,000 to £15,000 will prove the outside.
The remaining walls are now in a most dangerous state, and
should be taken down without a moment's delay, or fatal
consequences may ensue.

THURSDAY MORNING, DEC. 31.—Since the foregoing was
written our worst fears have been frightfully realised. Last
night the wind blew fresh from the north and north-west,
settling in the north, and increasing to a gale. About four
o'clock this morning, the upper part of the east end, or gable,
gave way to the pressure of the wind, and, falling outwards,
came down on the cottage of Joseph Bairstow, the engineer,
breaking through the roof to the basement, clearing and de-
stroying all before it, killing Bairstow, his wife Mary,
and daughter Zillah, of the respective ages of thirty-three,
thirty-four, and two years, severely injuring two men
lodgers, and a sister of Mrs. Bairstow. Four of poor
Bairstow's children most miraculously escaped, making a
way through a window; how, we have not yet ascertained.
The bodies were got out as soon as possible, much crushed ;
the head of the child nearly severed from the neck. The
remains of these unfortunates were removed to the Fox and
Grapes Inn, to await the coroner's inquest. They present a
shocking spectacle. Mrs. B. was far advanced in pregnancy.
After this misfortune had occurred, workmen were at last
busily employed in clearing away the rubbish. At the time
the end wall fell, the north or front wall also fell in with a
tremendous crash. We learn that it is the intention of the
inhabitants to call a public meeting to form a regular force,
or fire brigade, who will have to attend exclusively to such
duties. The present firemen are shoemakers, fancy weavers,
&c., &c., quite incompetent to the onerous duties of firemen.
—Leeds Intelligences.

Mr. Draper, of this town, shot, during the recent hard
weather, on the Tone river, at Priory, a fine Egyptian goose,
in excellent condition. The plumage is beautiful and very
curious. A bird of this description was shot about two years
ago in Sandhill Park.—Taunton Courier.
Go ir TEA-PoT.---A teetotaller at Barnsley, in stating his
experience, said he had been a married man seven years, and
had no children, the reason for which he assigned was,
because he had spent that time in intemperance. He. exclaim-
ed emphatically, did this Knight of the Tea-pot, it was from
no other cause, for as soon as he became a teetotaller he was
honoured with a child, in due time, and what was more
astonishing, when it was only fifteen months old it walked Barnsley to WorsbroY and back again, (six miles.)
Look to this, all ye nations, for from the spout of a tea pot
comes your strength.—Leeds Intelligencer.
Prince Albert is now studying the constitutional law of
England with great industry and earnestness, under the able
tuition of Mr. Selwyn, queen's counsel, the father of one
of the assistant curates of Windsor. Since the union of his
royal highness with her majesty, Mr. Selwyn has been fre-
quently at Windsor and at Buckingham Palace, reading,
with his royal highness, Blackstone and other constitutional
authorities, in order that the prince may be perfected in a
knowledge of the constitutional law, and be better fitted for
that seat in the council to which he has been appointed by
the sovereign.--Morning Herald.

SECOND EDITION.

Standard Office, Three o'Clock

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COLLISION BETWEEN H. M. MAIL STEAM-SHIP
MERLIN AND A RIVER STEAMER.

This morning, about eighteen minutes before seven o'clock,
as H. M. mail steam-ship Merlin was coming down the ri-
ver on her way to Dublin, and the Earl of Bridgewater
steamer was on her way up from George's Basin to the
Duke's Dock, the two vessels came into collision, and both re-
ceived considerable damage. The Bridgewater had at the time
just passed under the stern of the Windermere steamer, then
riding at anchor. The precise cause of the vessels thus
coming into contact has not transpired, but from what we
can learn, the collision—the light being imperfect—was in
all probability entirely accidental or unavoidable. The
Merlin immediately backed her engines. The men on board
the Earl of Bridgewater, thinking- the vessel might sink,
made their way on board the Merlin, while they were
foul of each other, with the exception of tn.
Captain Tudor, the commander of the latter vessel, imme-
diately sent one of his boats. The Earl of Bridgewater had
her starboard paddle-box and wheel completely smashed up.
One of the paddle-beams was broken, and there was some
.slight breakage of the engine. She was, however, got safely
into the Duke's Dock with the same tide, and is there afloat,
though leaky. The Merlin sustained such damage in her
head-works, that it was deemed advisable not to proceed to
sea until the vessel had been overhauled, and she was accord-
ingly docked immediately in the Coburg. The mails were,
of course, despatched by another vessel. The prompt assist-
ance given by Captain Tudor and his officers and crew, the
moment the accident occurred, was, we learn, most praise-
worthy and seaman-like. No one was, in the slightest de-
gree, hurt in either vessel.

for whom