The Cotton Factory Times. — 1886-10-01 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

CHI3INET.—The highest chimney in the world has recently been completed at the Mecherneck lead works in Germany. The whole height of the structure is approximately 440 feet, 11 feet of which is under ground. The subterranean portion is of block stone, 37 feet square in plan; al: the rest is of brick. The plinth. or lower part of the chimney above ground. is 34 feet square. so that the height of the shaft is nearly thirteen times the lower diameter. For about 34 feet the chimney continues square, then becomes octagonal in plan for a little distance, and finally changes to a circular form, retaining this shape to the top. The exterior diameter of the shaft at the top is about 11i feet. The flue is 11i- feet in diameter at the bottom and 10 feet at the top. Until the completion of this chimney, that of the St. Roliix chemical works, near Glasgow, which is 434 feet high, was the Wien in the world. TERRIBLE COLLIERY 1::::FLOSION ixPRESSIA.—• A terrible colliery explosion is reported from Rhenish Prussia. At the Consolidation mine, near Schalke, an explosion of firedamp occurrred on Friday at an hoot when there were 420 miners in the pit. 'According tc one of the men who was rescued a stream of gas was suddenly noticed to be issuing irom a fissure. and immediately afterwards came in contact with a lamp whereupon a dark blue flame instantly seemed to E.l the mine. This was followed directly afterwards by a terrible pressure of the air. The attempt to rescue th J miners began about noon. and did not conclude until 11 o'clock at night. Forty•tive men were brought to the pit's bank dead. Another man was so injured that he died on the way to the hospital, where 16 men, all suffering from dreadful injuries, are now lying. One or or two of them have become insane. Half these killed in the mine perished through the explosion, the others by suffocation. Most of the dead leave behind them large families in a state of destitution. The explosion has quite destroyed the galleries of the mine for a length of more than 3,000 feet.  ALLEGED FENIAN PLOT TO BLIIN DONN HrLT..— There has been received at a Hull newspaper office a letter bearing the Loudon postmark, and announcing the determination of the Fenian Brotherhood to burn down that town. The letter states that the writer had sent information to the police of the affair. The letter runs :—.• Most hellish plot to set tire to Hull in 20 different places simultaneously." It states also that the Fenians had picked Hull to commence with, because they were confident of success, knowiuo t the town is woefully weak in appliances for the subje.:tion of tires. The letter is written by one of the Fenians, who is, according to his letter, tired and disgusted with his brothers. He also enjoins strict secrecy, as if it became known that he had written the letter les would be murdered. He further states that he was induced to join the brotherhood by false represents.tions, but on discovering the nature of their works he was horrified at their schemes. He wishes the letter to be made public, as by that means the a 4 of the Fenians will be defeated. The letter is sigu...l One of Them," but bears no date.