Description of an Industrial town in nothern England. Word Effect

A river that ran purple - This phrase is a Personification, as the writer is telling us about the river's movements. He has also mentioned purple as the colour of water in the river that is running.

Brick that would have been red - This phrase tells us that the building had turned into a deep shade of reddish-brown due to dust in the air.

Serpents of smoke trailed - This phrase indicates that the smoke from the factory rose up in the pattern of snakes.

Ill-smelling dye - This phrase means that a dye which smells very bad and stinky.

State of melancholy - This phrase tells that it was a sad moment going on.