On this page
-
Text (3)
-
November 5, 1853.] T H E LEADER. \ 1063
-
THE DALHOTJSIE WRECK. Tine loan by tho r...
-
BOILER EXPLOSION". TirKitu ban been a te...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Wioan Riots. Unpoutunatkly The Men O...
of great excitement . Two gentlemen came out ; somebody said they were employers ; hooting began ; from hooting the transition to stoning is easy ; the two gentlemen , ran into a watchmaker ' s shop , and thejr retreat was followed by a stone which smashed in the shop window . But the watchmaker ' s popularity saved his windows ; the two gentlemen retreated to the next public-house , and there stayed , the mob gathering force , and the police called out to oppose them retiring ,
for fear of causing '' irritation . " The mayor was called upon , and came out ; but vain were his efforts ; the mob made an attack on the Royal Hotel . It was fair day ; the streets were crowded . The , mayor , the regular police , some special constables , came up to the scene of action ; the mayor , Mr . Eckersley , was for " going at" the rioters , but there was nobody to second him , and again the police retreated ; the mayor going to the railway station to telegraph to Preston for " troops . "
On went the mob , a career of destruction before them . The shops were hastily shut ; night closed in ; the newly lighted gas lamps were extinguished ; the windows of several hotels , of the Town-hall , the Moothall , and police station , and other public buildings , were broken ; the Royal Hotel was again assaulted , front and rear , carried , and for a time in the hands of the mob , who smashed mirrors , flung out furniture , and tore down curtains . The houses of three manufacturers were similarly served , and one was set on fire , but
fortunately extinguished . Another attack was made on the Royal Hotel , and the shops of two provision dealers were entered and sacked . It was now nearly eleven o ' clock , and the mob grew tired . Their homeward f ootsteps were quickened by the cry that the soldiers had at length come from Preston , and only a few boys were arrested . The troops took up their position for the rest of the night in the town . The next day all was quiet ; but the streets were full of colliers , who seemed rather to enjoy the destruction they had
caused . The Wigan corporation are chary of their money , and keep up but a small police force . Hence this riot continued for several hours unchecked . Parsimony is but too often extravagance . The quiet of Saturday and Sunday had dissipated all fear of the soldiers from the minds of the Wigan men . Besides , a new subject of exasperation had arisen : Mr . Peace had brought up a lot of "Welsh colliers to work in the mines of Lord BaAcarres . When it grew dusk on Monday , an axidacious band of 400 young men marched through the town , drams and fifes playing at their head . The soldiers were instantly ordered out ; all was bustle among t he magistrates ; but the rioters had got the start . They had taken the road to the saw mills ; but as that was not believed to be thoir real destination , the soldiers waited for orders .
Shortly before seven o ' clock , ft servant of Lord Balcarrca arrived on horseback with a message from Mr . Peaco to tho authorities at Wigan , demanding the aid of the military . This man reported the road to tho saw-mills to ho very dangerous , and crowded with riotous people , from whom he had received several blows as he rode through them . The military now started on the track of tho turnouts . What nve called tho saw-mills are , in fact , tho works generally of the sawyers , carpenters , and other artisans employed in preparing timber , wagons , ironwork , and other materials for tho extensive colliery of the Eai'l of Balearres .
Mr . Peaco , tho manager , has his oflices Micro , and transacts his principal business at the works . Tlio canal forms tho loft , boundary of tho promises , and substantial buildings of stone enclose it on tho right and further side . At tho front cntrnnco a temporary wooden fence , six or seven foot high , in which is a wooden door , had been run up to complete tho enclosure on that sido . A pilo of warehouses across the centre of tho premises , with n gateway in tho middlo , divides thorn into ttro spacious yards , tho first lining about 100 and tho second nearly 200 yards in length , tho width varying from a few yards at the entrance to 100 yards along the creator portion of tho place .
it appears that oarly iij tho morniu £ a note had been received at tho Haw-milln , Htating that two meetings of the colliers wero to b ( 5 hold , one at Wigan and tho other at Aspull , after which one party was to Attack tho " knobntieks" at the saw-mills , white tho other wan to find work tor tho authorities and military at Wignn . Inspector Gillott , with ten men of tho Ilolton division of tho county police , was nmt for from Aspull to augment the small dolentuvo loreo of workmen on tho promises , and they were stationed in the outer yard . About nix o ' clock in the ovonuig , a noise was heard of a grout number of workmen coining from the direction of Wigan , and it was noon ascertained that they wore tvrinod with heavy sticks and Htonon . ' | 'he mob win about . % 6 in numbor . On reaching tho Iront , gates of tho saw-mills it appeared ovidont that they had exported to Tneel . a large reinforcement of colliorn ¦ f rom Ahi ) u 11 and Bluckrod . One of the hinders said their
promised allies wero " nof'fc , " mid dared not | oiri thorn . riiey punned on a short distance towards Annul ) , but , receiving no n ' mwuion of utrongth , they stopped , and , after h short continuation , wheeled about rind attacked tho ninv-niilln | ) y trying to force tho gatos of tho outer yard , 'iMHniling them with HtonoH and pieced of wood . Stones Avoro also thrown at , the police inside . Ah thciy wore unable to forcei an entrance , they attempted to HOalo the boarding ; but immediately their bands appeared on the top of this feneo tho police ntvuok them with thoir truncheons , tm & beat them off " . Mr . i ' eaco woh tlioro with four of his mon , and they , with tho policemen , fought with tho greatest determination . Tho bosiegors scorned oinially xoaoluto , and ¦ uvorul had to bo struck Heavily on tho head , no that tho
scalp was lacerated , before they would drop . After this point of defence had been maintained about a quarter of an hoin % many of the rioters got : to a part of the fence whence they commanded the flank and rear of the defenders ; and one of their huge missiles knocked down a policeman , and rendered him senseless for a few moments . An * other party of the assailants were at the same time steadily working to open a passage by tearing off some of the boards , in which they were at length successful . The police-sergeant steadily refused to use firearms , but said his men should stand at the gates as long as they could hold them . Mr . Peace , seeing their danger—for the * mob . were maddened by the resistance they had experienced ,
and yelled and uttered dreadful threats ^—now advised that they should retire to the inner yard , Where they would be able to keep their assailants at bay more effectually until the soldiery , who had already been sent for , were at hand . Immediately after this retreat , the mob burst into the yard in great numbers , and it was taken possession of by between 200 and 800 men , mostly ¦ active young colliers . A large fire was burning in the centre , and this they overturned , and commenced kicking about , to the Serious danger of the surrounding property . " The police held the doorway between the two yards , and Mr . Peace and his men took up a position in the warehouses , of which these gates form the centre , and the windows of which commanded the » pot where the rioters were now assembled . fired his at
One of the men in the warehouses now gun them , through the window , having first broken the glass with its muzzle , and this inspired them with a momentary panic , in vrhica they retreated to near the outer gate . Some of the leaders her * called out to their companions , that they were " soft" if they were frightened at that , and they were rallied , and again advanced about seventy yarda towards the inner yard . Four more guns were discharged at them from the warehouse , which evidently took effect ^ and led to a precipitate and general flight . The mob immediately evacuated the premises , and Sergeant Gillott and his men now left by a back way , and gained the main road , where they found the r ioters dispersing towards Wigan . Mr . Superintendent Scott soon afterwards arrived with cutlasses for the police , and now took the command of them himself .
It was not until half an hour after that the soldiers reached the besieged _ place ; the colliers had passed them on the road . The night wa 3 pitch dark ; the long files of steel were visible only by the light of the fire in the yard at the saw mills . Groups of men were hanging abmit , and skulking behind the shelter of hedges looking on . Fifty soldiers were left at the mills as a guard , the rest returning to Wigan . The next morning a troop of dragoons from Manchester trotted into the town .
Peace has been restored , but apprehension prevails in the borough . The military force has been increased to 280 men : and three troops of cavalry—Dragoons , Lancashire Hussars , and Yeomanry are in the town . Messengers , well mounted , rido from point to point during the night carrying intelligence . Some of the colliers have returned to work , and those who stand out are reduced to great distress . The authorities were seriously alarmed , however , for orders were sent to Portsmouth on Wednesday for two regiments to hold themselves in readiness to proceed at a moment's notice to tho scene of tho riots , on receipt of a telegraphic message ordering them to do so .
The latest reports state that the town and neighbourhood remained quiet , but there was no secuirity for this state of things ho long as the struggle between masters and operatives continued . The civil and military forces in the borough and neighbourhood are sufficient to overawe the people for the present , but it would not bo by any means safe to withdraw them .
November 5, 1853.] T H E Leader. \ 1063
November 5 , 1853 . ] T H E LEADER . \ 1063
The Dalhotjsie Wreck. Tine Loan By Tho R...
THE DALHOTJSIE WRECK . Tine loan by tho recent frmndering- of tho Dalhourdc is greater than wan stated at the time . Four young mon—a missionary , a surgeon , a midshipman , and sailmaker—were drowned . " Joseph Heed , tho only survivor , was so far recovered yesterday as to bo enabled to furnish norno important details of tho catastrophe , in addition to those which were embodied in tho protest of the ship ' s loss . He says , it was fclio chief mute ' s watch when ho took the wheel at 2 o ' clock on tho morning . she foundered ; but Captain Jmttorworth was up on deck tho whole night , now and then going into the cabin for short , intervals . At 4 o ' clock all hands were on deck , and so continued , JTo did not sen any of tho passengers until the vessel lurched over on her beam ends . Ho remained at the wheel till tho water camo up to bin knees . A . low minutes before she went over ho remarked to Burley , a fellow seaman , who avrs by him , that if sb « had a few more such lurche . 'i who would go over altogether . At A o ' clock a . m . he began to suspect that , thero was-a considerable quantity of , water in her hold . The last time he heard tho captain give ordern won when ho wan among the men directing them to throw tho deck load overboard ; thin \ m « about 5 o'clock . After tho whip went ovor on bor starboard beam ends , ho saw Captain
—_ >¦« a / Ill * i . 4 ^ ™ Buttorwort . h abreast of the maintopmuHt backstay , and ho thought lio must have -come up the poop ladder . Tho larboard quarter boat , remained , and , with Burley , endeavoured to get her clear . Ho had arranged the tackling , and called some LiwcarH to keep her hoad up while ho got tho Hfcorn round . In doing ho , however , the LascarM got , frightened and lot go , when « ho swamped , and went down botwoon tho main and mizon masts . When nlio was on lior boinn oihIh , Captain Buttorworth , seeing thai . tho ship waa lost , told thom to do tho bout , they could to savo their Hvoh , not forgetting tho passenger ;) . Ho pointed to tho schooner , uppurontly bearing down to tho wropk , which wight aavo thorn . Tho putmongoi'u wlw
were dragged through the galley window were Mr . and Mrs . Underwood and two children , and the young lady whevwas taken put of the water , and had come out of one of the poop cabins , was Mr . Underwood ' s eldest daughter , a young lady about 19 years of age . Just before a fearful sea had swept off Mr . and Mrs . Underwood and the two children he observed them embrace each other and in earnest prayer , evidentl y quite conscious and resigned to their fate . Captain Butterworth Avas holding on near him , when Miss Underwood , in her night dress , was washed out of the poop , and he exclaimed , pointing to tho unfortunate girl , " For God ' s sake , look here ! " She was floating- away , when he ( Reed ) caught her up under tho arms , and with the aid of Burley he got her out . Ho
should never forget the look she gave him . He had cut a piece of rope to secure himself to a spar ( the spare mainyard ) , but seeing there was no chance for the girl , he said , " You had better let me lash you to this ; it is your only chance , and you may be picked up j if you perish , there is some hope of your body being found . " She looked up imploringly at him and said , " Yes , do . " He immediately lashed her to the spar , and when it was sent adrift from him she ejaculated to Eeed , " May God bless you , and spare you to get ashore ! " ( Reed was moved to tears while re citing this scene . ) He observed the spar going to windward full 10 minutes after the ship had foundered . There were also clinging to it Captain Butterworth , Mr . Fitch , second mate ; James Burley , the young assistant saihnaker :
a youth named bunpson , ( son of Mr . Simpson , cabin passenger ) , and three or four Lascars . From the heavy sea which was sweeping over the spar he thought it very improbable that any of them could live many hours . He wag unable to form any correct conclusion as to the cause of the ship going over . He did not think that the ship had shifted , and if she had touched a wreck he fancied they must have felt the shock . If a bolt was rusty a sudden , strain might start it ; but he would not say that was the case in this instance . He saw nothing in the ship up to that morning to give the least uneasiness as to her safety ; in fact , he was quite proud of being on board such a
vessel , so well had she rode out the galo in the Downs . He believed the Lascars sometimes quarrelled among themselves and would get sulky , but he observed nothing in their conduct to indicate that they intended mischief . The chock just enabled him to kneel upon it , and with a piece of deal planking he held up a sort of sail . He adhered to the _ former statement regarding the conduct of the schooner which boro away from the drowning- people . The weather would prevent her lowering a boat , but ho added , that she could easily have come up to windward , and as for only seeing three men in the water , as she had reported to the Cowcs Pilot , more than thrice that number must have been observed .
Reed ' s escape altogether is most marvellous ; besides his ordinary clothing , he had on a heavy oilskin coat , with' a thick Guernsey underneath . Fortunately ho is a very expert swimmer , to which circumstance ho mainly owes his life . He , however , has expressed himself in most thankful terms to the captain and crew of tho Mitchcl Grove , Captain Ransom , who picked him up and for tho great kindness he received on board . " The bod y of Mrs . Butterworth has been picked up off Hastings ; an inquest has been held , and a verdict of "found drowned" returned . A subscription has been opened in the city for tho relief of the widows and orphans of tho lost men .
Tho master and crew of the steamer alluded to have published a statement of the facts . They deny that they sailed away before they were compelled by tho weather . They describ e in nautical phrase , what was done to keep the schooner on the spot . "Tho vessel would not come to windward , or near tho unfortunate men who wore struggling- in tho water . All hands were in attendance with head-linos , cork fondera , in fact , everything we had available for the purpose of saving life , but it was of no avail . By reason of tho distance w e wero from them , wo could render thom no assistance whatever , the win at this time making clean breaches over oxir little vessel , being only Hi ) tons , and heavil y laden with coals . " As th <( y wore drifting * on a lee shore , they determined to steer down channel , a resolve como to , wo are assured , " with anythingbut enviable feelings . "
Boiler Explosion". Tirkitu Ban Been A Te...
BOILER EXPLOSION " . TirKitu ban been a terrific , a fatal boilor explosion of P > lnckburn in the factory of n cotton spinner , Mr . ] fenkoth . Tho engine was stopped * at eight for brculdhst . At halfpast eight ; o ' clock it was started again , and almost immediately afterwards tho boiler exploded with a tremendous report , tho buck pinto / lying through ( he engine-house into a yarn behind tho houses in a . street called Kalford ; whilst tho boiler shot , in the opposite direction a dintnneo of about , twenty yards right , across Nttirku ' -Htreot , find imbedding itself in one <> f tho lower rooms of ( ho Fleece inn , at tho corner of I ' eiiny-Mtreot ; . it punned through three wnlln in its passage ; first tho outer wall of the boiler-bonne ( nino inches thick ) , then a 11-inch boundary wall in front ; of tho public-hoiiNe , and lastly through the wall of the houso
itself , hIno about nino inches in thickness . The Hfcotfi of tho oxplo . sion wero of the uiohI , widely spread an 1 disastrous character , tho whole of the boiler-house being levelled with the ground , a . s also the ono-dtory portion < ri tho weaving shed ; mid the upper story of the rtnnaindor , the lower Htory of the back part of thin building , and uIho the engine house , wero completely gutted . Tho nearest of the two cottages before npoken ' of wan Hhiikeii entirely down , not a fragment of a wall being left standing , except , tlio party wall dividing it from the next , cottage , and a . short piee ' o of tho front wall , whero it joins ( . ho latter . A piece of calico from tho looms wan found after tho accident , carried ovor tho ton of thin pioco of wall , and twisted tightly among the oxpoHod mflorn of the roof of tho , cottujro adjoining . Two rooms ( ouo uvw tho othor ) at tho buck of this eocoud
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 5, 1853, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05111853/page/7/
-