The Cork Examiner

(150 Years Ago Today)

November 4, 1846
TWO MORE DEATHS FROM STARVATION.
IN the letter of an "Out-Door Pauper" from Macroom, will be found the recital of the death at Sleaven, from famine, of a poor woman, returning from the Workhouse, where she and her children had received their daily meal. The Tallow Relief Committee, in a resolution just forwarded to the Lord LIEUTENANT and which we give elsewhere, announce the death of another man, named KEEFFE, of Kilbeg, who also perished for want of food.

We know not what to say. We have already expressed, with the most indignant vehemence, our horror of the negligence which permitted our fellow beings to perish in the midst of us. We leave these last instances to speak for themselves-- for murder speaks with a most miraculous organ-- and these are scarcely less than a murder. We trust in GOD we shall be shocked no more by such recitals. There is a promise of general employment, at last; and to this we turn from the prolonged horror of Irish suffering and despair.

November 6, 1846
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.-- STATE OF CASTLETOWNROCHE.-- TWO MORE DEATHS FROM STARVATION.
LET those who may yet doubt the statements frequently made in this journal, as grounds for calling on the Government and the officials of the Board of Works to do their duty, by procuring cheap food and sufficient imployment for the people, read with attention the letter of our Special Reporter, who writes from Castletownroche, and describes what he has himself seen and heard, and be convinced that we have not exaggerated the misery to which the labouring population are reduced by the total destruction of their once-abundant means of comfort and support.

We would rather direct attention to the letter itself than make any comments of our own. We shall therefore only say that the letter in question proves the necessity of Government depots, to supply cheap food, and to lower the price of food-- the negligence and inactivity, hitherto, of the Board of Works, and of attention and activity for the future; and it also proves that were it not for the influence of the Catholic Clergy-- stronger than a legion of bayonets, more potent than a park of artillery-- the famine-stricken people would, ere this, have been in open insurrection. Let the Rev. Mr. FITZPATRICK stand, this day, as a type of his order, and his acts as an illustration of the influence ever exerted in a good and holy cause.

Our Reporter gives two additional instances of deaths from starvation!

November 9, 1846
SOUP DEPOTS.
CLONMEL, NOVEMBER, 2.--A very important meeting took place here to-day. It originated with the Society of Friends (male and female), whose character for humanity and benevolence is so well known and appreciated. On this painfully-interesting occaision, the great principle of charity was well sustained, all sects and classes having cheerfully promised to co-operate with the good men who set on foot a subscription for the purpose of establishing in Clonmel a soup depot, where a substantial nutritious article might be obtained by all in need of it at a merely nominal price.

According to the present arrangement it is expected that the committee will be able to give out daily 400 gallons, at about one penny per quart, and that the decreasing fund will be aided by occaisional contributions. Upwards of £100 were subscribed on the spot, with a promise of further aid when required. By Saturday, I expect, the soup will be i nprocess of distribution; and I have the assurance of a leading member of the committee, that the materials will be of the very best description.--Evening Post.

November 13, 1846
EMPLOYMENT of the PEOPLE-- TASK WORK.
It affords us great pleasure to be able to state that the dissatisfaction felt by the people at the system of task work introduced by the Board of Works has been entirely removed. At first that system was considered harsh and oppresive, and the opposition to it was increased by the delay in paying the workmen their wages, which was not done until the work had been measured, several days, perhaps, after it had been finished. A judicious change has been made in that part of the system. The labourers are now paid "on account." They get a certain sum to purchase food while the task work is being proceeded with, and the remainder after it has been executed and measured.

This necessary and prudent regulation has been attended with the best results. The people have taken the advice of their friends, have given the system of task work a fair trial, and are now fully satisfied with it. All opposition to it has been given up, and the public works are now proceeded with under the system with order, peace, and regularity, and without any necessity on the part of government to employ force, or call in the aid of the police or military to have its orders carried into effect. --Freeman's Journal.

November 18, 1846
INDIAN CORN-- IMPORTANT FACT
AT the meeting of the Relief Committee, yesterday, Mr. JAMES DALY stated that, he had been offered Indian Corn-- the bill of lading ready to be handed over to him, the Insurance paid, and the vessel expected to arrive here shortly-- at £11 4s. per ton.

We have to announce the arrival since our last publication, of eight more vessels, laden with Indian Corn, besides which a large number of vessels nearly all grain loaded and bound to this port, have been spoken and are daily expected to arrive here.

Since writing the above we have heard of the sale of a cargo to arrive at £10 15s. per ton. The purchase, we believe, has been made by a Midleton House, and the vessel, having left Leghorn on the 6th instant, may be looked for very shortly. These facts are significant of the future price of the article.

We may add that we have this moment been informed by a gentleman from Cove that as many as fourteen or fifteen Maize laden vessels have just arrived at Cove. The particulars we have not yet been able to ascertain.

November 20, 1846
THE PRICE OF BREAD.
Is still kept up, while Corn is going down. The bakers say it is not their fault, for the Millers keep up the price of flour. They say that if they got the flour cheap, they would give cheap bread to the public.

Let us turn, then, to the Millers of Cork, and ask them, why they do not lower their prices, when the price of corn has declined? The cost of grinding is not more one week than it is another. If corn rise, the Miller raises the price of flour. If corn fall, the flour is stationary. Its tendency is ever upwards.

It is a very singular thing to us, who can only look on the surface of things, that the Cork Millers would not lower the price of flour, as the Kerry Millers have done. Prices have fallen about four shillings a bag in Tralee. No such reduction has taken place in Cork. How is this? In Tralee, there is a reduction of three pence a stone on flour sold by retail. The Cork retailer, not having received the benefit of the reduction on corn from the Cork Miller, cannot allow the Cork consumer the sixpence reduction that Kerry retailers allow the Kerry consumer.

We should like to have a little explanation of this singular discrepancy.

November 23, 1846
DEATHS FROM HUNGER
An inquest was held on Monday last, before Francis Twiss, Esq., Coroner, on the body of a poor labouring man, named John Botend, of Ballireanig, to the west of Dingle, who fell on the new road there making, and expired immediately after being carried to his residence. The verdict was "he came by his death from hunger and cold."

On Tuesday, the following day, an inquest was also held on the body of John Browne, Kilquane, who died on the road from Tralee through Littlerough to Dingle on Monday last, as he was on his way from the Workhouse at Tralee to Dingle-- fell on the road and was taken into a farmer's house at Kiloummen-- and expired in a few hours after. The Verdict was "that John Browne, being in the Union Workhouse and making his way home to Dingle, a distance of over 30 miles, died of fatigue and weakness." --Kerry Examiner.

STARVATION.-- Thursday last Mr. Atkinson, coroner, held an inquest on the body of Thomas Hopkins, at Rathnagh, near Crossmolina, county Mayo. Patrick Langan, son-in-law to the deceased, deposed that the family consisted of five children, himself, his wife, and deceased, and that they had been for the last six weeks subsisting on a scanty morsel on some days, and on others were obliged to remain without it; witness is certain that want of food was the cause of death. Dr. McNair examined the body, and corroborated the testimony of the witness, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly.

ANOTHER DEATH FROM STARVATION.-- On Wednesday last a poor man named Williams, from the neighbourhood of Foxford, left his residence for the purpose of seeking admission into the Swinford poor-house; when he had proceeded about half way he sunk exhausted from hunger, and after having been conveyed into a neighbouring house he expired. Such is the fearful destitution prevalent in that district that there are nearly 200 paupers more in the Swinford union workhouse than the house was intended to contain. --Mayo Constitution.

November 25, 1846
MORE DEATHS FROM STARVATION IN SKIBBEREEN.
WE regret not being able to publish, this day, the letter of our Reporter, who has returned from Skibbereen, where an inquest was to have been held on Monday last, on the bodies of three men, whose deaths are attributed to starvation. The inquest was not held, the Coroner being unable to attend, from the accumulation of business in the district in which he resides! --a fact that speaks volumes for the desperate condition of the people.

On the examination of the bodies, after being exhumed, there was found no trace of food in the stomach or intestines. The greatest sensation pervades the locality, it being currently rumoured and believed that certain officials connected with the Board of Works are averse to, or wish to procrastinate, an investigation into the cause of this dreadful mortality.

We shall publish the letter in our next.

November 27, 1846
REMISSION OF RENTS.
IT is understood that Lady Carbery, widow of the late Lord Carbery, in consideration of the loss her tenants have sustained this year, intends to make no demand for rent on her extensive estates in this county. She has even, it appears, intimated her intention, should any sums be received, not to appropriate any portion to her personal use, but to reserve the amount in trust for purposes of benevolence. This distinguished act of generosity is said to be only in accordance with the conduct, invariably kind and humane, which has characterized this excellent lady in the management of her property.

November 30, 1846
DESTITUTION IN YOUGHAL.
A CORRESPONDENT, who writes from Youghal, represents the distress in that district, to which public works gave a temporary check, as again increasing in consequence of their cessation. "On last Monday, he says, a number of men who were employed in repairing roads in the outskirts of the town, were thrown idle, the reason of which I have not discovered. What heart would not be softened to compassion at the sight of the pallid faces and despairing countenances of those poor creatures going to their desolate homes to mingle their tears with their unfortunate wives and children, fathers and mothers. I have seen persons from the mountainous districts who told me they were 3 days fasting trudging almost lifeless into town unable to bear the weight of their emaciated frames to get 2 or 3 lb. of Indian meal for 3 days subsistence."

In proof of the extent to which death is caused by these privations our correspondent refers to the quantity of coffins sold, which never before were in so much request.

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