The Cotton Factory Times. — 1886-12-31 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

GENERAL NEWS.  Tr r TAT BRlM:E.—Another of the large girders, weighing upwards of 550 tons, has been floated ont and placed in position, leaving but one more to be built to complete the series of 13 which spau the navigable part of the river. The contraotors are also making rapid progress with the other portions of the bridge, and it is expected that, should the weather continue comparatively favourable, the superstructure will be finished about June.  finial: IN THE IRON Tiain:.—The blast furnace men employed at the Associated Ironworks in Cleveland on Friday evening handed in to their employers fourteen days' notice to cease work owing to the refusal of the latter to grant a. 5 per cent advance in wages claimed by them on account of a rise in the price of pig iron during the past four weeks. The employers are alleging that the notices are illegal, but the workmen have taken advice and insist on their legality.  SUICIDE ON A CommoN.—The body of a well•dressed man, with a bullet wound through the head and H. recently-discharged revolver in the right hand, has been found on Woodbury Common, near Bndleigh, Salterton. Devon. The body has been identified ac that of a gentleman who had been staying for some weeks at the Beacon Hotel, I._;xinoutli. A, piece of paper was found on the body containing the follow. I um Arthur Aston, of Lancaster Mansion, Savoy, Loudon." A ghoot story which has lately agitated the minds of the country folks of hurley, a Devonshire village, had its eud when Ellen Cook, servant, was charged, at Tiverton Police Court, with damaging wearing apparel to the value of £5. On the night of December 17th, clothes were torn at the house of Mr. James Wood, damage to the extent of £25 being caused. The occurrence was attributed for a time to supernatural agency, and wise men and tablets were consulted. At 'length a police inquiry officer traced the offence to Cook, who wit:i sontenced to two mouths' hard labour.  SHARING OUT IN HIS DrIETIME. On the recent opening of a will made by a gentleman who had prospered in his own steady, quiet, hopeful way until 90 years was his scor-, the following remark (says the City Prcah) was found:--" I recently sold out £lO,OOO consols. the fifteenth KM of that amount which I have had great delight in dividing between old and valued friends and their children in my Wetime rather than that they should await my death." Beyond this considerably more than £j.00,000 remained. A SCHOOL PARTY POLiONtI Christmas Day, at a Sunday school tea party, held in Preston, pork pies formed part of the viands provided for the company. Immediately after the repast several of the guests were taken ill, and during the evening the number of the sufferers was greatly augmented. It was found that all those who complained of illness had partaken of the pork pies. whilst those who had not eaten of them were not experiencing any illness. Several children are suffering from violent diarrhwa.  On SuLciay morhing the mail train from Belfast, which was one hour and twenty minutes late, when about a mile from Ainiens.street Station came into collision with a train of wagons proceeding on to the Liffey branch of the Great Northern Railway. The engine of the Belfast train left the line, and dashed _  hi-oug.h the signal box and watchman's house, hurling  them 'down it;-; Incline, where the engine stuck fast.. Blake, the signalman was seriously injured, and taken to the hospital. Mrs. Boyle, South Frederick-street, and Mr. Job s Kearns, Berkeley road. passengers, were injured.