Carlisle Patriot, 17 Dec 1825 - Local News (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 17 Dec 1825   (p. 3, col. 1-2 + 5-6)

 

The nearest approach that the prevailing commercial embarrassment has made to this city, is the failure of WENTWORTH & Co. The news arrived in Carlisle on Saturday, market day, and immediately gave rise to a great many absurd and alarming rumours; and some of the country people evinced no little aversion to every kind of paper money with which they were not well-acquainted. The stoppage of Sir Peter POLE & Co. of London, was partially known here on Tuesday: this was also completely unexpected, but it caused no very great sensation, for although they were known to be the town agents of Messrs. FORSTER & Co. of Carlisle, every one who knew the latter establishment were fully aware of their prudence and stability, and there was not even the slightest run upon them. We understand that as soon as POLE & Co. closed, the house of Sir John PERRING & Co. sent a message to that firm to say that they would take up Messrs. FORSTER & Co.'s bills, though completely unconnected with them, to any amount. This handsome offer (so honourable to both parties), was almost unnecessary, for Messrs. FORSTER & Co., acting with due caution, had but few bills in circulation, and therefore a mere trifle in the hands of POLE & Co.—The ferment occasioned in Yorkshire by WENTWORTH & Co.'s failure was naturally very great, as their notes and other paper constituted a considerable portion of the circulating media of that important county. A very general feeling, however, soon prevailed that the house would be found ultimately solvent; and, accordingly, their notes were received by the shopkeepers of Leeds and several other places at their full value, and a great number were purchased on speculation, by monied individuals, at from 15s. to 17s. in the pound, notwithstanding that the great scarcity of each must have contributed to lower the price, independently of the public panic. To this we are happy to add the following announcement from the Leeds Intelligencer of Thursday:—"We are authorized to state, that Messrs. CHALONER and RICHWORTH, two of the partners of the firm of WENTWORTH & Co. are now in London, making arrangements for the early resumption of their payments."

 

Messrs. FORSTER & Co. have received remittances of Bank paper from London, during the last three days, through the Post-office, to an amount unprecedented in this city. It will be seen by an advertisement in another column that our principal citizens have expressed the fullest confidence in this firm. There is not the slightest danger, indeed, that we shall experience in Carlisle much if any of that inconvenience which is felt in so many of the neighbouring commercial towns.

 

In their present avidity for gold coin, the public should be cautious, as there are a great number of counterfeit sovereigns in circulation.

 

On Monday night, the shop of Mr. Jonathan STOREY, grocer and provision dealer, Shaddongate, Carlisle, was entered by some unknown thief or thieves, who cut out one of the lower pannels of the front door (though a strong one), and stole several eatable articles, and a quantity of silver and copper coin which they found in the till. They appear to have carried the till away, in the first instance, and to have afterwards brought back and thrust it into the hole by which they entered.

 

The Carlisle Harriers will cast off on Monday the 19th instant, at Black-hall; on Wednesday, at Harraby; and on Friday, at Leach's-cover: each morning at nine o'clock.

 

Since the publication of our last paper, we have had a series of wet dull weather, almost unparalleled even at this gloomy season of the year. On Monday last, many persons, in close situations in this city, were obliged to use candles at mid-day, so murky was the atmosphere. Last night the wind again blew heavily from the south-west.

 

On Tuesday morning, a woman named HANSON, the wife of a nailor residing near the Irish Gates, Carlisle, put a period to her existence by swallowing arsenic. She purchased the poison at a neighbouring shop on the previous evening; to whom, however, not the slightest blame attaches, for he refused to let her have it until she brought another person along with her, although she alleged that she wanted the deadly mineral for the destruction of rats. When in the agonies of death she declared to a friend that she had swallowed it, being tired of life, on account of constant ill-usage at the hands of her husband; and the Coroner's jury returned a verdict in these words: "Committed suicide by taking a quantity of arsenic, while labouring under a fit of temporary derangement, supposed to have been caused by the ill-usage of her husband."

 

A most daring robbery was committed at Brampton, on Tuesday night last, on the premises of Mr. Thomas HAUGH, tobacconist. The thieves had contrived, by cutting holes in the shop door, with some sharp instrument, to withdraw the bolts which fastened it, and by that means obtained entrance into the shop, from whence they forced open and took away the till, containing, in notes, silver, and copper, upwards of twenty-five pounds. The till was found empty next morning in a field adjoining the town. No traces of the robbers have been discovered.

 

A Correspondent calls our attention to the following paragraph, and justly thinks that it affords a very cheering example to those who have so spiritedly stepped forward in support of the projected Railway between this City and Newcastle. We have no doubt that we shall receive similar benefits from the completion of that important undertaking:—

 

"We are informed, since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington rail-road, from the pits to the former place, that coals have been reduced from one third to one half in price; and that in consequence of such reduction, the demand has so increased, that the Company have not been able to supply many of the carts; and that they have been compelled to go by the usual way to the pits. We also learn that the Company are making preparations at Stockton for supplying the London Market, upon a very extensive scale—the coals being equal, if not superior, to the very best in the counties of Durham or Northumberland. A coach is also established on this line, which carries passengers at the rate of six to seven miles an hour, for a penny a mile inside, and three farthings outside. Nearly the whole of the work is done by the locomotive steam-engine, which goes at the rate of seven to eight miles an hour, with 60 tons of coals attached to it."

 

Mr. JOHNSON (at present one of the assistants in the Grammar School at Ripon) has been appointed master of the Grammar School at Cockermouth.

 

Inquests lately held before William BRAGG, Esq.—At Workington, on the body of Thomas LAMB, who was found dead in an out-house, near the harbour. Verdict, died by the visitation of God.—At Cockermouth, on the body of Isabella BUTLER, found dead in her own house. Verdict as above.

 

Mr. Geo. RIGG, of Kelsick, had his hand much injured on Saturday last, by the bursting of a gun; but it is hoped that amputation will not be necessary.

 

 

[to be continued]