CHARLESTON NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 316, 5 August 1868, Page 2

CHARLESTON NEWS.

The Progress Committee held their first meeting on Monday night, the following memhers being present, — Messrs Gasquoine, Kennedy, Dwan, Neale, Russell, Hennelly, and Bain. The business entered on was merely preliminary. A ballot having been taken for the election of a chairman, it resulted in favor of Mr Thomas Dwau. Mr Bain was appointed seer - tary, and Mr Grasquoine, treasurer, and a sub-commitlee consisting of the chairman, Mr Kennedy, and Mr Neale, was named to draw up a, setofimks for the guidance and conduct of the Committee. The day of meeting was fixed for Tuesday in every week, and the Committee adjourned for a week. Our readers will he glad to learn that the net proceeds of the late performance given by the Charleston Histrionic Club, in aid of the Hospital, amounts to the handsome sum of £4A 2s 6d.

Though the actual perpetrators of the late burglary on Messrs Skoglund and PurcelPs premises, have not been discovered, two individuals who are strongly suspected of having a hand therein, are now safely lodged in gaol for the next six months. The persons in question, named Robert Stevenson and Thomas Cain were brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Monday, the former charged under the Vagrancy Act with being unlawfully on the premises of Aldridge of the Charleston Hotel, and the latter with stealing a pair of boots, the property of Messrs. Skoglund and Pureed. Both men were well known to the police, and when" arrested prisoner Stevenson had in his possession two silk handkerchiefs, believed to be part of the property stolen from Mr Skoglund s shop. Both were convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Another man named Thomas Noonan was the same day convicted of being a vagrant, and associate of theives, and sentenced to three months imprisonment, and John Hudson brought up on a similar charge, was remanded to Thursday. In consequence of the heavy weather for the last few days no change has taken place in the shipping, the schooners Fanny and Jane Elkin and cutters Harry Bluff and Volunteer being still confined to the narrow limits of Constant Bay. Early on Monday morning an alarm of Are, wakened up the neighbourhood of Hefferman's Post Office Hotel, which was discovered to be iu flames. Prompt assistance however being rendered, and a good supply of water being at hand in the shape of one or two head races running past the house, the flames which at one time had hold of the lining of two rooms were happily extinguished before any extent of damage had been done, though the proprietor Mr Heffernan and a lady staying in the hotel were rather severely burned about the hands and arms. It is a fortunate circumstance that the progress of the fire was so speedly arrested for the house adjoios valuable property, the large store of Mr Bridson's and a number of hotels and houses being on one side, and Mr Galland's workshop and private house ■on the other,