Saturday 23 Dec 1815 (p. 3, col. 1-3 + 5)
We have often observed, with pain, the cruelty with which are treated the poor asses who are accustomed to ply the streets with coal-sacks in carts. The young urchins, who drive them, through mere wantonness or malice, most barbarously mal-treat these poor animals, not only by unmercifully loading them, but by cruelly and unnecessarily flogging them, both where their physical strength is unable to keep pace with the wishes of their inhuman masters, and even, it would appear, through infernal amusement.—Were these young rascals committed to the House of Correction for a few days, scantily fed upon bread and water, and their languid powers now and then stimulated by a sound whipping, they perhaps might learn to have a little compassion for their fellow brutes.
On Sunday last, a liberal collection, for the relief of those of the Reformed Religion in France, now undergoing all the horrors of infuriated persecution, was made amongst the congregation of the Independent Chapel, in Annetwell street, under the pastoral care of the Rev. J. WHITRIDGE.—We understand that a collection for the like laudable purpose will be made in the Scots Meeting-house, Fisher-street, on Sunday morning, after an applicable sermon by the Rev. A. HENDERSON, A. M.
THE WEATHER.— Since the publication of our last number, the weather has not belied the season of the year.—On the night of yesterday week came on a sharp frost,—with a considerable fall of snow on Saturday morning, that covered the ground, in many places of the neighbourhood, to the depth of 12 inches; and some idea may be formed of the thickness of its fall, from the circumstance of numerous fir trees having huge branches broken from the trunks by the incumbent weight. The frost has continued with almost unabated severity, and the occasional descents of snow have materially impeded the communication on the public roads, the mail and other coaches, to and from Carlisle, having been obliged to be drawn by six horses; nor was this expedient entirely efficacious, for on Thursday afternoon, at four o'clock, not less than nine mails were due, some of them for nearly twenty-four hours,—a fact which never before occurred to our notice.—The thermometer, on Sunday night, at 9 o'clock, was so very low as 3 deg. and on Monday night, at same hour, at 2 deg.
The continuance of snow has proved highly favourable to those sportsmen designated pot-hunters, by whose machinations poor puss has suffered most dreadfully.—Such, indeed, is the severity of the season, that the snow has closed, as with an impenetrable rampart, every gap and crevice in every hedge, and the hares, forced from their lurking places, by the stimulus of hunger, have been observed by scores in almost every field.
On Wednesday, during the storm, the post from Keswick to Alston was overwhelmed in the snow, and perished. His body has not yet been recovered, nor probably will it be, until the breaking up of the weather: our readers will remember, that the postman to that district was also lost in the severe storm of snow and frost which occurred in the year 1813.—On the same day, as two countrymen were travelling over the same dreary spot of ground, they were assailed, on Hartside, by one of those tremendous hurricanes which are generally known by the name of helm-winds. One of them was blown from his horse, as if struck with the rapidity of lightning; and would most certainly have perished, had he not, by an uncommon effort of agility and strength, prevented himself from being forced into the hideous abyss on the border of the path.
On the same night, the mail-coach from Newcastle to Carlisle was overturned, near Haltwhistle, with six passengers, owing to the state of the roads.—We are happy to add, that no serious injury was sustained.
On Tuesday evening last, an inquest was taken, before R. MULLENDER, Esq. Coroner, on the body of Mr. H. GOODFELLOW, weaver, in Brampton, aged 25. It appeared the deceased with his associates, a few evenings previous, had been gambling in a public house in the above place till a late hour, amongst whom an altercation took place, by which the deceased received a foot stroke upon the abdomen, from one of his opponents; in consequence the Jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter.
Another inquest was taken on view of the body of a person of the name of CAIL, a resident in Brampton, and who had served in all the heroic campaigns of the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula.—It appeared that the deceased had crept into a shed at Crosby (about 5 miles distant), where he had perished from the inclemency of the weather.—The verdict was given accordingly.
On Sunday evening, at Stainton, near this city, a tenement, occupied by one JOHNSTON, together with the adjacent cow-house and barn, in which was contained a small quantity of hay, &c. were totally consumed by fire. The accident originated in some of the family, on going to bed, placing a bundle of brush-wood below the chimney, for the purpose of being dried, which kindled by the heat, and communicated the flames by means of some timber which passed into the chimney. The conflagration was so rapid, that scarce an article of household furniture was saved.
[to be continued]
Reproduced with kind permission of British Newspaper Archives
