The Middlesbrough Weekly Exchange: news of Cleveland industry, 1 March 1877

from The Weekly Exchange
(Price One Penny)

1 March 1877

CLEVELAND IRON MARKET
MIDDLESBRO', TUESDAY

The iron market was but thinly attended to-day, and there was not much business transacted.  Prices are still tending downwards owing to the want of enquiry, the following being the quotations: – No. 1, 48s; No. 3, 44s 6d, f.o.b.; No. 4, 43s 6d; forge 43s net; truck brands 6d less, Bars very flat, but no specifications are coming to hand.  Plates keep firm as makers have work in hand.


EXPLOSION AT MIDDLESBROUGH
EIGHT PERSONS INJURED

Shortly before seven o'clock on Wednesday morning an explosion occurred at Messrs Hopkins, Gilkes, and Co's Teesside Ironworks, Middlesbrough.  Although the explosion is not accompanied by much injury to property, yet the results were such as to place the lives of eight persons in jeopardy.

At the time named a number of men employed in their works were sitting around a ball furnace getting their breakfast before commencing work, when a portion of refuse from the iron in the furnace, which is known as "tap" or "cinder," fell out of the furnace into the ash hole, which is always supplied with water; and the "tap" being heated to such an intensity that it ran like water; an explosion at once took place, and inflicted scalds and burns on a boy named Jeremiah Modigan and seven men, named John Barrit, Thomas Reddan, Michael McManus, Arthur Lochrane, Owen Thomas, John Shean, and Francis Fillijalick.

The two last-named were taken to their homes, their injuries not being so severe, but the other six were very severely burned, and they were conveyed to the North Riding Infirmary.


GUISBOROUGH
ACCIDENT AT CHALONER MINE

While a man named William Smith was charging a hole he had drilled in the ironstone with powder, preparatory to firing it, by some means the powder caught fire, and exploded, completely blowing the man over and seriously injuring his face, which got dreadfully burnt.  He was afterwards removed to the Miner's Accident Hospital at Guisborough.


NORTH RIDING INFIRMARY. – Report for week ending Feb 23, 1877. – In-patients – admitted during the week, 6; discharged cured, 3; relieved, 1; died, 0; remaining in the house, 41.  Out-patients: New cases, 17; number attended this week, 109.  The following contributions are thankfully acknowledged:- B Samuelson and Co (firm), £30; papers and periodicals from Mrs Bolckow, Messrs R Simpson, H G Reid, Burnett and Hood, the Middlesbrough Printing Co., and the Railway Station boxes.


SUPPOSED LOSS OF A TEES BUILT STEAMER WITH ALL HANDS

Lloyd's Committee has posted the screwsteamer James Mason as missing.  She sailed from Cardiff with a cargo of coals for Gibraltar, and has not been seen since.  She was a steamer of 870 tons gross, 99 nominal h.p., built at Middlesbrough in 1872 classed 100 A1 at Lloyd's, and owned by Messrs Dixon and Harris, of London.  She was worth about £18,000, and her cargo about £12,000.