The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-05-14

DISTRESSING CArAsrRoPHE-FIRE AND Loss OF LIFE
AT BRISTOL, X. IA serious fire, accompanied with
a distressing casualty, has Just cast sad gloom
over our town. This morning, about two o'clock,
the residence of James f. De Wolf, situated about
a mile from the town, was discovered to be on fire.
and was totally consumed. The house was large
and elegant mansion, and was probably one OF the
finest private residences in the State. 1t is not
known certainly hown the fire originated. but it is
supposed that it took from a defect in one of the
chimneys the flames were first discovered in the
attic All the furniture was saved, although In
damaged state and the extensive outbuildings, be-
ing in southeast direction from the house,
also saved, the wind fortunately being from that
direction. Mr.. De VOLTS family were absent at
the time with the exception of himself and one
son. There insurance on the premises to the
amount of Sl2 900, while the loss will much exceed
that amount. But sad calamity attended the fire
which makes the pecuniary loss but tri1ing. While
a large number of men were inside exertng them
selves to remove some of the dining-room urni-
ture one of the chimneys suddenly fell, crushing
the floors and burying several beneath the bricks
and burning timbers. Six or seven men got out
alive, but horribly burned They were removed
speedily to town and cared for as well as possible
under the circumstances. The heads of several
were badly burned and bruised, and the hands and
feet of others burned almost to a crisp 1t is
believed that none fatally injured, although
they nearly all very seriously. 1t twas thought
at the time that all had escaped, but this morning
| it has been ascertained that Mr.. Lewis Waldron
was doubt buried beneath the ruins, as he was
in the at the time and has not since been
| found. Mr.. Waldron highly respectable and
industrious man, and leaves widow with several
| children as well as an aged father and mother. A
Mr.. Horton is also reported to be missing, and 1T Is
feared that others have met with similar fate, as
| large number were in the house at the time OF
| the accident
| LATER.-We learn by telegraphc despatch that
| the bodies of Messrs Waldron and Horton have
| been taken from the ruins, and it is feared that
| i'm |nr
| May IL.
| A SNAIL SEr-To IN THE BRInsH PARLIAMENT
| The London writers have made the most of the
scene of confusion which occurred in our House of
| Representatives the occasion of LovejoY'
| Speech but the House OF Commons have also had a
! scrimmage; and at time the prize-ring seemed
| to be transferred to the door of St. Stevens On
the Goth of April, at the close of long and dreary
defamation by Sir Bulwer Lytton, whose speeches
are much duer than his books, the House thinned,
and the majority who had listened to him went to
dinner some to their homes clubs, and others to
| the dining room OF the House. The members pre-
sent were reduced to about or below forty, the
benches were deserted for the purpose of making
| a "count-out" possible. When the bell rang to
| announce that the House was being counted, there
| was, of course rush from the dining-room, where
| some forty or fifty members were at dinner. But
it was not easy to get into the House. party OF
Tory members were in the lobby, and not only shut
the outer door, but forciby kept it shut. 1t re.
quired the utmost force and violence to obtain an
| entrance, and members who succeeded in getting
| inside were assailed in the most offensive manner
| One member was struck powerful blow on the
! side, and member of the government was for some
| time jammed in the doorway in imminent danger
| ofpersonal injury.
SMITHS BREEcH- LOADING CARBINEs.-W find the
following notice of this admirable invention in The
| New York Herald of Saturday. Messrs. Poultuey
& Trimble, of this city the proprietors of thu
| patent. -.
"The Board appointed by the Secretary of Wa
| to examine the various small arms now in service
and who have been in operation for several weeks
| have finished their labors and made their report
After thorough and rigid trial of the several arm
presented, they speak in high terms of the new
rife musket now in the service, and have recon
mended for the mounted and light service limited
number of Smiths breech-loading carbines for fur
| Their trial. Smiths arm strongly recommend
| ed. 1t is understood that the Secretary will con
vene another Board for the purpose of additions
| trials"
FROM BARBADoEs.-The n ew Y ork Times CORES
| pendent writing from BTidgetOwn, Barbados, OF
| the 10th ult. notices the passage by the Legisla
| ture of act authorizing loan for the new Wa
| ter Works Company. As the citizens of Bridge
town have hitherto been obliged to rely rain
| water they anticipate the completion of the work
in question with much anxiety. To the date men
toned, 8, 10 hhds., 702 ties. and us bbls OF su
gar had been shipped from the island. The subiec
| of immigration occupies the minds of the Deme
planters to the exclusion of every other topic
| The three last cargoes of Coolie laborers take
home at the expense of the colony, carried will
them in money savings amounting to $40, 900.
captured African SLAYER had been taken into Trim
dad.
A New KIND OF SLAVE SPECULATIoN.-Consdei
able excitement prevails in Panama in consequence
of a phase in the slave trade having inst bee
brought to light. 1t appears that Senior LafOuri
de Bravo, Cuban, who has been for some year
past clerk in the office of the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company, has been in the habit of contractin
with negroes to go to Cuba, ostensibly to serve a
eight dollars a month, servants in the family @
Senior Moreles, formerly of Bogota, New Granada
but sort OF negro trader in Havana.
has been ascertaned that LafGure has Shippe
not less than twenty persons on these CONTRACTS
INTERESTING RAILROAD DEcIsIoN.-The Superio
Court of New York has just given an interesting
decision, affirming the exemption of railroad com
panies from Liabilities in damages for personal in
juries, where the passenger sustaining such lnJure
was being carried upon free pass, the condition
of which expressly release the company from sucl
liability, unless upon the fullest evidence of Niln
negligence on the part Of the agents of the CON
pany. The agreement partook of the nature of
contract between the parties, and the Court hel
that both parties were fully competent to ente
into a contract of that nature.
DISASTER AT SGA-Sie Lires Loa-The whale
. ship Benjamin Morgan arrived at New London o
Tuesday, bringing two men saved from the Wrec
of the brig H. NJ. Jenkins, of Bangor, Me. Tn
| brig found in the Gulf Stream on the lst
May, dismasted and waterlogged. The captain
mate and two men were lost, and only these tw
remained alive board of her. The brig wa
, from Bangor, bound to Havana, when she encour
! tered the severe gale that di sabed her.
MARRIED
On the 9TH instant by the Rsy pr Cunmins, It Col
F. GilANnIER, u S A to LOUISA, daughter of the Ia