The Portadown Weekly News - Abstracts

The Portadown Weekly News
and County Armagh Advertiser.
August 13, 1859
Portadown, county Armagh

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CLEVER CAPTURE OF ROBBERS.—On Wednesday, the 3d. inst., Sub-Constable Farrell of the Police force at Coalisland, arrested a man named Daniel Dougan, for a robbery of £15 from his master, Danl. Rourke, of Greenagh. When this fellow was examined before Mr. Brooke, J.P., at Dungannon, he acknowledged to have been concerned in a robbery of shop goods from Mr. M’Clusky, of Coalisland, some months since, to which no clue had since been received ; and offered to inform on and discover his companions in that robbery, named Conn and Hagan, two returned convicts, then skulking about Belfast. Mr. Brooke immediately despatched our active and successful officer, Serjeant M’Clelland, in company with Sub-Constable Farrell and Dougan, to Belfast, to hunt up the ruffians, and after a search of 9 or 10 hours through the purlieus of the town, they succeeded in effecting their capture, bringing them to Dungannon, and lodging them in the bridewell. They will be brought up before the local Bench on the 12th inst. Great credit is due to Sergeant M’Clelland and his companion, Farrell, for their unwearied exertions in this case, so happily crowned with success.—Communicated.

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CONVICTION FOR ATTEMPT TO MURDER.—At the Central Commission Court, Dublin, on Tuesday last, a respectable looking woman named Ellen M’Grane, was convicted of attempting to murder her step-son, a boy about nine years old, by throwing him into the canal, near Russell Street, in the city. The principal witness was the boy himself who had a narrow escape from drowning. As soon as she threw him into the canal she went to Phibsborough for Holy water.”

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DREADFUL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION—FIVE PERSONS BLOWN TO PIECES,

   Ballincollig, Saturday
   By one of the most appalling explosions which have taken place in this district within the memory of the oldest inhabitants, five individuals have been killed, and property destroyed to the value of £500.
   The Royal Ballincollig Gunpowder Mills, which are among the most extensive manufactories of the kind in the kingdom, are distant about six miles from Cork, and have been for many years in possession of Sir Thomas Tobin & Co. By that firm they have been worked with much energy and success, the employment afforded being the chief support of the village of Ballincollig, and furnishing and important item in our local export trade. Every precaution which human ingenuity could devise had been resorted to for the prevention of accident, as well as diminishing the injurious result of explosion should such occur, and to this, in all probability, it is owing that the lives of hundred have not been sacrificed by the fatality of this morning.
   The origin of the explosion seems destined for ever to remain undiscovered. The only parties who could clear up the mystery have, unhappily, fallen victims to the calamity, and no clue now remains by which the cause can be even guessed at.
   The time when the accident occurred was about twenty minutes past ten, almost immediately after the workmen had returned from breakfast. At the Ballincollig mills, as is the case with some of the Continental gunpowder manufactories, an expedient is resorted to by which not only the chance of explosion is lessened, and the amount of injury resulting from it, when it occurs, is greatly lessened. The mills, instead of being concentrated together under one roof, are scattered over nearly half a mile, thereby isolating the buildings, the distance separating one from the other being of a quarter of a mile. The amount of explosion is limited to the place in which it originates, and does not extend to the remainder of the concern.
   The building in which the explosion took place was termed the dusting house, being that in which the gunpowder, in an advanced stage of manufacture, is freed from the finer particles (technically called dust), and brought into a fit state for the next or glazing process. This building, like all the others, is constructed of the lightest materials, being composed of thin deal and floored with leather ; adjoining it was another building called the “ pressing-house,” the two being separated by a massive embankment of masonry and earthwork, twelve feet high and four feet thick, the strength of which, it was supposed, would prevent any explosion in one building extending to the other,[sic] The “pressing house” had been for some time past disused, and at the time of the accident was empty and locked up. In the other building were a man named Wm. Mooney, and two boys, James Merrick and Timothy Lyons. A fourth individual, Edward Horgan, would have been also at work in the building, but being unwell had gone to see the medical man, a circumstance to which he owes his life.
   The buildings which compose the manufactory being distant from each other, communication between them is carried on by means of a canal which traverses the entire length of the concern. At the instant of the explosion a boat in charge of Timothy Burns and John Corkran was opposite the building, for the purpose of carrying powder to the glazing house. Burns was in the boat and Corkran on the opposite bank of the canal.
   Mr. Somerville, the superintendant of the works, was proceeding towards the building at the time of the explosion, and describes it as appearing in the form of a column of flame, shooting upwards to a height of over 40 feet, followed by an immense black cloud, which settled to the air immediately over the building. The report was so loud as to be distinctly heard over the city, and even at Passage, a distance of twelve miles, the sound resembling that of distant thunder. In the vicinity of the occurrence the effects were most numerous and remarkable. Every house in Ballincollig, though a mile distant from the works, was shaken and the windows of several broken. The roofs of three houses at the opposite side of the river, separated from the works by half a mile, were blown off, the windows smashed to pieces, and the furniture more or less injured. Several of the houses of the workpeople are shattered, but the most fearful results of the explosion are to be seen in the immediate locality. Of the two large buildings which stood there, the only vestiges that now remain consist of huge fragments of charred timber, some of which were driven two miles. The massive embankment which separated the two buildings has been reduced to a heap of debris. Large trees which grew in the vicinity have been torn up by the roots, hurled into the air eighty or ninety feet, and driven to a distance of nearly a mile. The banks of the canal were torn down, and the site of one of the buildings is now a large lake. The three persons who were in the buildings, as well as the two who were in charge of the boat, were literally blown to pieces. Many of the mutilated fragments were hurled across the river and deposited on the hills at the opposite side, several disjecta membra were found scattered in various parts of the concern, some fully a mile distant from where the explosion took place. After the occurrence numbers might be seen searching at both sides of the river for mutilated and blackened fragments, but several of them have not as yet been discovered.
   An inquest was held on the bodies by Mr. Honahan, coroner, when the jury found that no blame was attachable to any person connected with the establishment.

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JAMES CARLILE,
PLUMBER AND GASFITTER,
WOODHOUSE-ST., PORTADOWN,

AND WILLIAM-STREET, LURGAN.

J. C. HAS JUST OPENED THE ABOVE establishment in Portadown, and it will be constantly supplied with every description of Force, Farm, Yard, Liquid Manure, and Public Pumps ; Common Lift Pumps, with Brass, Lead, and Copper Chambers ; Water Closet Fittings ; Hot, Cold, and Shower Baths ; Garden Engines ; Bidets and Wash-hand Basins, fitted up on the most improved principles ; Milled and Cast Lead ; Patent Lead Piping, of all descriptions, supplied on the most reasonable terms.
   Orders punctually attended to, and competent workmen sent to all parts of the country.
   Metal Spouting and Malleable Iron Piping of all sizes ; Toes and Knees, &c.
   Tin and Copper Work of all descriptions neatly executed.
   Portadown, August, 1859.

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BIRTHS.

   On the 30th ultimo, at Paris, the wife of J. W. M. Bond, Esq., M.P., of a daughter.
   On the 8th inst., the wife of Mr. S. Smart, Haberdasher, &c., Banbridge, of a son.
   On the 11th inst., in this town, the wife of Mr. W. Wright, Baker, of a son.

MARRIAGES.

On the 4th instant, in the Presbyterian Church, Clare, by the Rev. John Bell, uncle to the bride, assisted by the Rev. Andrew M’Caldin, Hiram Moneypenny, Esq., Laurel Cottage, to Agnes, daughter to John Watson, Esq., Cornascribe, both of County Armagh.
On Wednesday, 10th inst., in Lurgan Church, by the Rev. William Colles Moore, Rector of Carnew, Co. Wicklow, Wm. Liddell, Esq., Lurgan, to Georgiana, fourth daughter of Robert Morris, Esq., Lurgan.

DEATHS.

   On Sunday, 7th inst., Anne, wife of John Macoun, Esq., Moyraverty.
   On Sunday last, at Mullentine, Mrs. Cregan, relict of the late William Cregan, Esq., very much lamented.
   On the 8th inst., Jane, youngest daughter of Mr. S. Smart, Banbridge, aged four years.
   At Solitude, near Lurgan, on Wednesday, 10th instant, in his 72nd year, Abraham Bell, Esq.

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SUICIDE.—An inquest was held on Monday last, 8th inst., by E. D. Atkinson, Esq., coroner, on the body of a man that had been found in Lough Neagh, near Derrylard, between the Bannfoot and Maghery, on the previous Saturday. At the time no clue could be ascertained to the name of the deceased. Dr. Stewart was in attendance, and said the body was perfectly free from any mark of violence, not even scratched by rubbing along by the bottom, and could not have been more than twenty-four hours in the water. A verdict of “ Found Dead” was returned. Immediately after the inquest the body was identified as that of John M’Donald of Timmakeel, who had been missed from his father’s house on the day in question. It would appear that deceased, about 15 years ago, was in Armagh Lunatic Asylum, but had returned per- fectly recovered. A fortnight since he showed re- turning symptoms, and they watched him closely, but on the night of the 5th, or morning of the 6th, he made his escape, and immediately walked, it is supposed, to where he was found, a distance of five miles, and drowned himself.

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FOUR PERSONS DROWNED.—Four persons, one of whom was Rahilly, who escaped from the memorable and ill-fated Pomona; another, a policeman, named Moran, said to have been the only son of a widow ; and two other young men, who were crossing the Kenmare river from the Kerry side in a row-boat on Sunday last, were drowned, the boat having been upset in a squall.

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On Tuesday last Lord Mandeville gave a soiree to the children of the Duke of Manchester’s schools in Tandragee, at which a great number of the townspeople were present. The Duke and Duchess, with their interesting family, presided at the tables, and afterwards joined in the amusements out of doors.

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WHAT IS THE CAUSE?—Since the 31st of July the police of this town have not had a single person in custody.

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The state of the street in Edenderry, to which we called attention before, is really disgraceful. Could not a grate be inserted alongside the pump ?

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HOUSE AND PREMISES IN LURGAN.

TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, ON THE PREMISES, HIGH-STREET, on MONDAY, 15th AUGUST at TWO O’Clock p.m., that HOUSE and PREMISES, as now in the occupation of Mr. JOHN COTTER, and held by lease under Robert Morris, Esq., for Sixteen Years, from the First of November next.
   The House contains Shop, Parlour, Kitchen, and three Pantries, with four Bedrooms ; there is a large well-enclosed Yard, with Coach, Gig, and Car Houses, and Stable with Loft. There is also a good Garden.
---TERMS AT SALE.
   ANDREW CHERRY, Auctioneer.
   Lurgan, 9th August, 1859.

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“Is it possible for a Man once Pardoned to be finally Lost through falling into Sin?”

JUST PUBLISHED,

A LETTER TO THE REV. THOMAS COSGRAVE, Curate of Lurgan, with reference to the Sermon preached by him in Lurgan Church, on Sunday, 30th July, 1859.
Lurgan : RICHARD J. EVANS, Gazette Office, Church Place. Portadown : JOHN H. FARRELL, WEEKLY NEWS Office, High-street.

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POSITIVELY THE LAST DAY OF SALE AT CHARLEMONT FORT.

ON WEDNESDAY, THE 17TH OF AUGUST, AT Eleven O’Clock, will be

SOLD BY AUCTION,

And without the least reserve,

The remaining Materials of the Buildings within Charlemont Fort, Comprising—Large Timber Beams, Roofing, Flooring, Joists, Window Frames, Sashes, Doors and Frames, Shelving, Presses, and Staircases, all of the best Memel Timber, a Glass Case shelved, Metal Chimney Pieces and Chimney Pots, two Metal Pillars, 10 feet long, and some old Iron : a large quantity of prime Slates, consisting of Milled tons, Queen Tons, Duchesses, &c. ; Ridge Stone, Fire Bricks, Stone Coping, Flagging, Door Blocks and Steps ; Building Stones and Bricks ; a lot of Stones suited for Road Contractors.
TERMS—CASH
Purchasers to pay Five per Cent. Auction Fees.
JOSEPH MATHEWS, Auctioneer.
College-st., Armagh, August 9, 1859.

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WANTED.
A SCHOOLMASTER AND SCHOOLMISTRESS

for Richmount National School on Lord Lurgan’s Estate, within two miles of Portadown.
   There is a Dwelling House, Three Acres of Land, and Half-an-Acre of Bog attached to the School.
   The present Master’s salary is £49 per annum.
   For further particulars apply to
       JOHN HANCOCK.
Lurgan, 3rd August, 1859.

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WANTED IMMEDIATELY, AN ASSISTANT,

who must have a knowledge of Bookkeeping.—One who understands the Flour and Grain Trade
preferred. Apply to
BENJAMIN ROBB.
Thomas-street, Portadown.

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WANTED.

TWO APPRENTICES to the Wholesale and Retail Grocery Trade. Apply to
STUART MONRO.
Portadown, August, 1859.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: All rights to the pages found within this site are retained by the original submitter of the information. Pages may be printed or copied for personal use only. They may NOT be reproduced in any form in whole or in part by any individual or organization for profit.