Carlisle Patriot, 25 Feb 1826 - Local News (3)
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Saturday 25 Feb 1826 (p. 3, col. 1-6) [continued]
The Whitehaven paper states that on Saturday evening last, about seven o'clock, the town was visited by a terrific storm of thunder and lightning accompanied by a shower of hailstones of extraordinary dimensions. Many of these snowy concretions measured 2½, and some of them 3 inches in circumference; others appeared to be entire masses of ice of various forms—spherical, oblong, and triangular. Though the shower continued only for a few minutes, the streets were completely covered to a considerable depth, as if by a heavy fall of snow. Nothing could be more awfully sublime than the strong and frequent flashes of lightning, which were of the most vivid description, following each other in rapid succession, and often appearing like a glowing sheet of sulphurous flame. The thunder burst forth in dreadful grandeur—not with a continuous rumbling noise, as in ordinary thunder storms, but in tremendous peals, incomparably louder than the report of the largest artillery; and from the quickness with which the explosions succeeded the flashes of lightning, the cloud from which they proceeded must have been at a very short distance, if not immediately over the town. Considerable loss has been sustained in Whitehaven and the neighbourhood. In the Castle gardens upwards of 600 panes of glass were destroyed, and very few sky-lights in the town have escaped injury. At Rose Hall, in the vicinity, the seat of Milham HARTLEY, Esq., 720 squares of glass were broken in the greenhouse.
The thunder storm, on Saturday night, was very severe both at Workington and Maryport.
On Wednesday week, a very industrious man named William CAIRNS, was unfortunately killed in the Saltom Pit, Whitehaven, by an explosion of fire damp. He was but slightly burned, but in the confusion of mind naturally produced on such occasions, he mistook his road in retiring, got into the return air, and was suffocated before any assistance could be rendered.
The great men of the little Isle of Man are still in the most delightful state of effervescence. The House of Keys have given the Rev. Mr. GELLING, Vicar of Kirk-German, notice to vacate the Peel Grammar School, and quit the house and premises by the 12th of May next! and the Lord Bishop has countermanded this proceeding, by laying an injunction on the Rev. Gentleman not to relinquish his post!!
A fine bittern, of the largest specimen, was shot last week on the estate of Broompark, which stretches almost to the edge of the Nith, and is within a few minutes' walk of Dumfries. This bird is obviously a cock, with very bright plumage, considering its colour.
There are 40 prisoners to take their trial at the Durham assizes, which commenced on Thursday.
We are sorry to find that there is likely to be a very considerable deficiency in winding up the affairs of Messrs. DILWORTH, ARTHINGTON, and BIRKETT, the Lancaster bankers. The Commission of Bankruptcy was opened on Wednesday week, when the debts owing by the firm, were stated to be £265,565; assets, including real property, and deducting £13,000 for bad and doubtful debts, £148,000, leaving a deficiency to the amount of £117,565.
In the course of last week, the Settle and Kirkby-Lonsdale Banks felt the severest run they have ever experienced. They, however, stood firm.
Mr. HIGGIN has been re-appointed Keeper of Lancaster Castle.
A Correspondent lately called our attention to the gangs of notorious swindlers, pick-pockets, and bad-money-passers, which, he said, infested the North of England; and the truth of his assertion is now fully verified. At the Carlisle horse-shows of Saturday week and Saturday last, some of these fellows made only a few attempts to exercise their calling; but at Wigton, on Monday, from 'early morn to dewy eve,' a constant scene of cheatery was exhibited. One person received 50 base sovereigns in payment for a horse; others were taken in with the same worthless metal for smaller sums according to the value of the animals disposed of; some were so stupid as to be gulled with notes of Banks which never existed, or long ago suspended payment: and counterfeit silver coin was very current. Well-dressed pick-pockets, in bands of three or four each, went from one part of the fair to the other, rummaging the pockets of the Johnny Raws with an audacity hardly conceivable; they were even so barefaced as to attack a horse-dealer who has swapped and sold the prads from Scotland to Bewcastle for ten long years, and, consequently, is up to a thing or two, and no chicken! Two well-rigged young nobs insinuated themselves into his company while he was in the act of exposing his cash in order to secure it in his "reader" in his vest side-pocket. In a little time he ordered his nag, and was proceeding to meet the ostler in the yard; and while that useful curly-headed animal held the stirrup, one of the aforesaid gentlemen kindly aided his new friend to mount, and another, kinder still, dashed his hand into the side-pocket, snatched the book with its contents and ran off; but the veteran Bewcastler was not so easily "done;" refusing to put up with unwarrantable liberties even from smiling good natured young gentlemen, he instantly put his legs in requisition, flew after the chace like lightning, seized him, dragged him to the inn with herculean grasp, and there demanded assistance, but the landlord interfered, and the thief on the outside secured the doors upon the Bewcastler, and the end was that nothing was found on the delinquent, and he was suffered to escape. Upon the whole, these reapers of other men's produce never obtained a more plentiful harvest. At Brampton, on Wednesday, the same game (says our correspondent) was attempted by a native of Carlisle, who was apprehended and held to bail.
NORTHUMBERLAND ELECTION.—That contest commenced at Alnwick on Tuesday last. State of the Poll on Thursday evening, at the close: Mr. BELL, 720. Hon. T. LIDDELL, 672. Mr. L. was proposed by Thomas CLENNELL, Esq., and seconded by Wm. CLARKE, Esq., of Benton. Mr. BELL was proposed by Sir Charles LORAINE, Bart., and seconded by R. L. ALLGOOD, Esq., of Nunwick.—The contest proceeds with much spirit, and both candidates are confident of success!
The Hope, HUDDART, a three masted schooner, belonging to Wm. MIDDLETON, of Maryport, is a shore near Carrickfergus. She has lost her masts, and it is thought she will be a total wreck.
The Courier, OWENS, London trader, got ashore and received damage on entering Whitehaven harbour, on Wednesday week, but only a small part of her cargo was injured. She has taken in coals, and proceeded to Belfast, in order to be repaired there.
Maryport, Feb. 23.—Arrived: Donegal, HATTON, fr Dublin: the captain reports that there are very few vessels there and coals as high as 28s. a ton. There are a great number of coal-laden vessels for Ireland in Whitehaven, Workington, and Maryport, which cannot sail, owing to the strong south west wind still prevailing.—Weather boisterous and rainy, with high tides; coal shipping almost at a stand from bad weather.
