The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-11 00:00:00

DISTRESS IN LIVERPOOL

Last evening, a public meeting of the burgesses of Lime-
street Ward, called by the alderman and councillors, was
held in the York Hotel, Williamson-square, for the purpose
of considering the best means of relieving the distressed poor
in this ward during the present cold and inclement season.
There was a large attendance of men of all parties. On the
motion of Mr. Councillor Rigby, seconded by Mr. Councillor
Kilshaw, Jonx BRAMLEY-MOORE, Esq., the alderman of
the ward, was called to the chair.

The CHAIRMAN, after few preliminary observations, said
the object of the meeting was to take into consideration the
best means of raising a fund towards the relief of their poorer
brethren in this ward. Every one knew what they must
suffer at such a season as the present ; and the miseries they.
must endure from the frost. A great number of them were
thereby throv.n out of employment, and much misery in-
dicted upon their families. However, it would ill become
him to make an appeal to their feelings or passions to induce
the meeting to subscribe, for they all came with benevolent
intentions, to do whatever they were able to do, and in sub-
scribing their mite to think they had aided and assisted the
poor man, if it were only for one night, to enjoy a comforta-
ble fireside with his wife and children about him.

Mr. BLACKBURNE moved the first resolution, which ex-
pressed the deep sympathy of the meeting with the situation
of the poor inhabitants of the ward during the present in-
clement weather, and pledged itself to use every means to
raise a fund to alleviate their sufferings. He trusted that all
would feel great pleasure iu contributing for this purpose,
but, at the same time, whatever was contributed must be dis-
creetly and properly distributed to meet the wants of the
really deserving poor. It was an undoubted fact that much
distress existed, but there was also much simulation of dis-
tress, and unless due care was taken much property might
be wasted upon those who were not worthy of it, whilst the
really deserving, who required to be sought out, were for-
gotten. One advantage of association for this purpose was,
that persons went from house to house to ascertain where
real distress existed, and to provide means for its alleviation.
It would not be in his power to take an active part owing to
his professional engagements, but he should be willing to
contribute his mite towards accomplishing this important
object. With these remarks he begged to move the first
resolution.

Mr. Councillor RIGBY had very great pleasure in second-
ing the resolution; and said, that if every gentleman would
assist in this object with his money, that would be the best
speech he could make.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and it was unani-
mously adopted.
Mr. WILLIAM BENSON moved, and Mr. WIGHTMAN se-
conded a resolution, appointing several gentlemen, with
power to add to their number, a committee, to obtain sub-
scriptions and to distribute relief.
On the motion of Mr. Councillor KILSHAW, seconded by
Mr. COOPER, Mr. George Riding and Mr. A. King were
appointed trrasurers of the fund, and Mr. Henry Holt and
Mr. George Silk Harris secretaries.

Mr. Councillor RIGBY said the next business would be to
send a subscription paper round the room, that gentlemen
might put down the sums they intended to give; likewise
that sections of the committee should take districts in the
ward, and collect as much money as they could.

Mr. CROSSNIELD said, as there was no doubt of the exist-
ence of distress, he hoped the committee would go to work
immediately, and that, to enable-them to do so, a consider-
able sum of money would be put down before the meeting
separated. If any gentleman would take the trouble of visit-
ing the soup shops, they would see how thankfnl the poor
people were to get the soup; and if any person would distri-
bute sixpence in copper there, he would be surprised with
what gratitude it would be received. He bad no doubt that,
if applied to, the soup committee would make the committee
just appointed a grant of tickets, as they had already granted
£5O worth each to the District Provident Society and the
Friendly Society.

Mr. C. E. liawhiNs, although not a burgess of Lime-
street,Ward, but of the neighbouring ward of Rodney-street,
begged to be allowed to make a few observations. Last year
when he went to the alderman of his own ward, Mr. Evans,
requesting him to call a meeting in consequence of a good
deal of distress existing in the ward, Mr. Evans thought it
was very doubtful that distress existed, although he and some
of his own family had gone round on a personal inspection,
and bad made a report of it. He had adopted the same
course the present year. He spent the whole of yesterday
(Sunday) and part of to-day (Monday) hi visiting the poor
in their own habitations ; and as Rodney-street Ward was
supposed to be one of the best in the town, as far as regarded
the wealth of the inhabitants, he would give a few records of
the visits he had paid. There were in that ward families
composed of two hundred men, women, and children who
were so destitute, that any gentleman in that room with
ordinary sympathy and humanity who had gone into their
wretched cellars, would have felt himself imperiously called
upon to relieve their distresses. As some index to their
actual condition, he would state, that among those two hun-
dred men, women, and children, he found only five blankets
to cover them. He found five women, all within three
weeks or a month of their confinement ; and of those
five there were only two that had baby linen ; three out
of the five had obtained the valuable aid of the La-
dies' Charity, and the other two were seeking for it, but
hitherto they had not succeeded. The destitution of the poor
in Jones-street, and the other similar streets bordering upon
Lime-street Ward, was 50 per cent. greater at the present
time than it was twelve mouths ago. The poor were more
destitute of clothing of every description, and some cases of
this description which had come to his knowledge were really
distressing. In one instance, a man, who had a wile ill, and
seven children, told him that on Saturday be had been
obliged to sell the bedstocks from under his sick wife to pro-
vide her and the. children with food till Monday. (Hear,
bear.) Indeed, he had found several cases in which he could
not avoid administering as much relief as was in his power
both on Sunday and yesterday; and he mentioned these
facts in support of the suggestion offered by Mr. Cross-
field, upon the necessity of domiciliary visits. It was very
true that when the poor found their distresses relieved, their
gratitude was beyond bounds. The point, however, was to
clothe them in these cold night times. To think of them
being entirely destitute in this respect, as 54 families were!
In most cases they had nothing but a hit of carpeting and
and some old clothes to cover them ; and in three instances
he found three children stark naked, whilst their mothers
were washing their clothes! It being Sunday, they were
crawling round the fire, whilst this office was done for them,
as they had no change! And this lamentable destitution did
not arise merely from the present severe frost, for the parties
had been out of work from three weeks to three months,
and many of them were a class of persons whom he had
never met out of work,—that was the coopers. The frost
did not prevent them from working ; and if the frost went
to-night (Monday), of which there were some signs, the
distress would still remain. Indeed, it would take these
poor families weeks and months before they could get those
little necessaries about them which were absolutely necessary
for their comfort and subsistence.

The CHAIRMAN said the meeting were much obliged to
Mr. Rawlins for the statement he had just made, because
Rodney-street was one of the wealthiest wards in the
borough, and if destitution prevailed in that ward how much
greater must it be in Lime-street ward ? It had been stated
that it was not intended to distribute anything in the shape
of money or clothing, es it was thought more prudent to
distribute coals, potatoes, and meal ; but, he supposed, it
would be open to the committee to distribute blankets in any
extraordinary cases which might come under their observation.

Mr. CitossrmLn remarked that there must be limits to
relief in this way, otherwise, from the experience he had had
three or four years ago, it would be abused. _

The CHAIRMAN replied that all such cases must be left to
the discretion of the committee.

A Subscription paper then went round, headed by the
alderman and the three councillors, who put down their
names for £lO each. When it was returned to the chair,
The CHAIRMAN said he had the pleasure to announce that
the subscriptions obtained in the room amounted to £64 Gs. ;
and he thought with so good a beginning the list:could not
fail to meet the expectations of all.
The meeting then separated.

On Tuesday next, there will bean annular eclipse of the
sun. It will be invisible in this kingdom, but visible at the
Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn, &c. On the 26th of the
present month there will be a partial eclipse of the moon,
visible in this kingdom.

GETTING ON WITII A BARROW•—Thomas Louth, better
known be the appellation of the " Crowland Barrow-man,"
has, until lately, regularly attended Spalding market twice a
week with his arrow for 30 years, and during that time has
wheeled a load of between 1 and 1.1- cwt. a distance of 62,400
miles, the distance between Crowland and Spalding being 10
miles. In addition to this labour, Louth has for the last 20
years visited Deeping Fen (distance eight miles) once a week
with h's ponderous vehicle—making altogether the astonish-
ing number of 79,010 miles. During the period, he has worn
out three new barrows and several old ones. This singular
individual, although in his 80th year, still continues his visits
to Deeping Fen and Cowbit, and performs his herculean task
with the greatest ease.—Stamford Mercury.
ACCIDENT ON A RAILWAY.—On Thursday morning, at
seven o'clock, as a train of laden coal waggons was coming
down the branch of the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Rail-
way, close by the Union Plate Glass works, at Pocket Nook,
the swing bridge, by which it should have crossed the Sankey
Canal, was withdrawn to allow a flat to pass ; and, it is
stated, without giving the usual signal. As soon as the cir-
cumstance was seen by those having the care of the train, the
steam was thrown off trom the engine, and the break applied ;
but, finding that an accident was inevitable, the engineer and
stoker jumped off, safely ; and the engine, which had lately
been repaired at a cost of 1,500, with the tender and two of
the coal waggons, were precipitated into the canal. The en-
gine was under the waggons lying on its side, and the damage
it has sustained is not yet known ; but the tender and wag-
gons were much broken. The water was immediately let off
from the canal, and preparations made for getting the wreck
out ; but it is probable that the engine must be taken to
pieces, as there was no tackle on the spot that would lift one-
fourth of its weight. At the time of the untoward accident,
the fiat had not approached near enough to be injured.

POISONING THE MARQUIS OF WATERFORD'S HOUNDS.
—X most influential meeting of the gentry of the county of
Tipperary was held in Clonmel last Wednesday, for the pur-
pose of expressing their regret and indignation at the perpe-
tration of the atrocious act of poisoning the Marquis of Wa-
terford's hounds in the covert of Dangan. On the sugges-
tion of the chairman, Mr. Stephen Moore, of Barn, it was
agreed that an address should be presented to his lordship in
accordance with the object of the meeting, which in a few
minutes received upwards of 100 signatures, comprising the
names of gentlemen of all creeds and parties. The noble
marquis, notwithstanding his many unaccountable treaks, is
greatly beloved by poor and rich in the district where, as is
unfortunately too seldom the ease, he spends the princely
fortune he draws from a contented tenantry. But if his
lordship's patriotism is to he reciprocated in the way it has
been, by the commission of such a wanton outrage as that
which has disgraced the county, it is only natural to suppose
that the marquis's name will be speedily added to the long
and dismal list of Irish absentees. The radical papers de-
dare that " the people" were guiltless in the matter. Do
they mean to insinuate by this that the wanton act was per-
petrated by the gentry of the neighbourhood ?
Ye that sit easy and joyous amidst your commodious
apartments, solacing yourselves in the diffusive warmth of
your fire, be mindful of your brethren in the cheerless tene-
ment of poverty. Their shattered panes are open to the
piercing winds ; a tattered garment scarcely covers their
shivering flesh ; while a few faint and dying embers on the
squalid hearth rather mock their wishes than warm their
limbs. White the generous juices of Oporto sparkle in your
glasses, or the streams, beautifully tinged and deliciously
flavoured with the Chinese leaf, smoke in the elegant porce-
lain, 0 ! remember that many of your fellow-creatures,
amidst all the rigour of these inclement skies, are emaciated
with sickness, benumbed with age, and pining with hunger.
Let " their loins bless you," for comfortable clothing•
Restore them with medicine, regale them with food, and
baffle the raging year. So may you never know any of their
distresses but only by the hearing of the ear, the seeing of
the eye, or the feeling of a tender commiseration:
inks
the bitter, blustering winds plead for the poor
indigents.—
May they breathe pity into your breasts while they,
hard-
ships into their huts. Observe those blue flames and ruddy
they look more
coals in your chimney ; quickened, by thecold,
onable admoni-
tion and glow more strongly. Silent but..seas_
to the gay circle that chat. and smile
kindle into a
around them. Thus,
may your hearts, at such a j.uncture. of need,
Islupe'rfluous piles of
peculiar benevolence ! Detain
not
wood. Let them hasten to.the relief of the starving family •
blaze, to mitigate the '
bid them expire in many a
God and
sever-
ity of the season, and cheer the blak abodes of want. So
shall they ascend, mingled with thanksgiving to
ardent prayers for your welfare—ascend more gratefull to
i
Heaven than columns of the most costly incense.—riertn.