Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

13 articles on this Page

THE COAL CRISIS.

News
Cite
Share

THE COAL CRISIS. THE STRIKERS' PROCESSION: A DREARY MARCH. In the hill districts a considerable amount of aotivity is maintained, chiefly by the circulation of alarmist rumours, which cause the military to be despatched hither and thither to frustrate the reported designs of the strikers. Ebbw Yale still gallantly holds out, or rather it should be said that no real attempt has been made to test her powers of defence. Many of the inhabitants, however, are getting heartily sick of the prolonged state of siege in which the town is being held. The military and the constabulary are pretty well worn out with wait- ing for the foe who never seems to come, as also are the residents, many of whom in their anxiety to be Teady for any emergency have not had their clothes off for a week. According to present information, the so-called plan devised by the strikers for march. ing on the town in the early hours of the morning and compelling the men at work to throw down their tools ended in dismal failure. There was, however, the nucleus of a procession and an attempt at a march which it may not be interesting to follow. Porth, a place of some importance in the Rhondda Valley, was selected as the rendezvous. As the strikers continued to turn up in considerable num- bera at this centi e on Monday night, there seemed at one time some probability that after all the Ebbw Valians would be afforded an opportunity of trying eonelnaio .B with them. But it subsequently became evident that a large section of the assemblage were adverse to the proposed march. Perhaps, however, some five or six thousand would have made a start but for tho disquieting speech of a workman. He jpointed out that the soldiers at Pontypridd, through -waich place the procession would have to pass, were all armed. A.s soon, he added, as the strikers Approached Pontypridd the military would be called oat and drawn across Pwll Gwaun Bridge, and then, he oonclnded, You will all be caught as in the neck of a bottle." The effect of this warning was seen in the quiet departure of a large number to their homes. In the twinkling light of the little oil lamps hundreds of retreating forms could be descried along the mountain passes There were still a few hundred intrepid cnes, however, who seemed determined that nothing should defeat their design to bombard Ebbw Vale. So shortly before midnight they sallied forth, Vale. So shortly before midnight they Rallied forth, armed with sticks and carrying lantern?, which latter, as the journey layover mountains and through ▼alleys, woutd be very much needed. The men, mostiy young fellows, marched four a-breast. Shortly before they reached Treharris, in the early hours of the morning, raiu commenced to pour in torrents and Wil3 gusts of wind swept up the valleys. Still the processionists maintained their course, endeavouring to keep up their spirits with snatches of popular aongs. They presented a strange spectacle, these Srimy amateur warriors, with their rude cudgels and ickering lanterns, as they strode on, in spite of wind and rain, up hill and down dale, to the accom- panimeat of The man that broke the bank of Monte Carlo. On they went to Quaker's Yard, and so to Merthyr Tydvil, a distance of another seveu miles. At one fetage, however, probably owing to the temper of some of their number getting out of order, two or three of th3 men coming into conflict with each other. On the procession reaching Merthyr it was met by the Chief Constable of tha county, Captain Lindsay, and some of his officers. They consulted for a brief period, and then intimated to the man that they would be allowed to pas3 if they behaved in an orderly manner. At this time, however, the nu aber taking part in the much cannot have exceeded more than 150 or ISO. As they crept slowly up tho High- street, drenched apparently to the skin, there was no singing and little manifestion of any kind. The men were, indeed, miserable-lo -k'.ng objects. Ac Fontmor!as & halt was called, and some leaders com- menced to make inquiries as to the kind ot reception which they were likely to meet with from the iron- workers of Dowlais, which is practically a part of Merthyr Tydvil. They were anxious to know what the military force in that locality wa#, and at last declared that as they were only a handful it was of very little use marching on another twelve miles to Ebbw Vale. Within twenty minutes of this dec'ara- tion the little band had scattered. Most of them returned home, a few advanced as far as Caeharris station, but on seeing the cavalry drawn up at this point they beat a hasty retreat. So ended the latest Attempt at a midnight march on Ebùw Vale. In the coarse of conversation with a bystander one of the processionists iaid it seemed likaly that, they would all b,) returning to their pita soon, for there was IO reason ill borne men remaining idle while others were at work- DISTURBANCES IN SWANSEA. WEDNESDAY. The scene of active discord has beenol"a,ugedto the wes'ern portion of Glamorganshire. In West Glamorgan, notably at Swansea, Morriston, Landore, and L'ane'ly, there are situated those great tinplate works whOfe proriuc's are known all over the world. A good supply of fuel is indispensable to their exis- tence. Assembling at ISkewen to the number of a<out 1.200, and accompanied by several hundred WOtjJll. the miners who are out on btrike set out about six o'clock on Wednesday morning for a march ott tJtvinsea, w- ere works belonging to Lord Swansea (form,-rly Sir Hus-aey Vivian) and others situated. JkT, tÍleir head they had a brats band, whilst a fife band brought up the rear. At Dynevor the number ■cawe swelled to about 3 000, and the dimensions of the procession attracted to it a great oeal of public I notice. The people did not regard the demonstra- tion with fiavoii,. At Birchgrovo the pr''ce&siorii.itn, who wi re tiiere joined by a continent, from Potstar- dawi-, SUM cded in inducing a number of colliers who were at work to join them. There was a counter demonstration, however, on the part of the inhabi- tants, who cried "Mabon for ever," who is favour- able to work under the sliding scale. Passing on thp processionists reached Clydfioh, in the Swansea val- ley, whr" 8, attempt to induce the local colliers to abandon work was unsuccessful. Th principal colliery proprietors became appreben- sive oi serious disorder, and after boding a hurried mwrti-g despatched OlIle of their numlnr to Swansea to e.vsat the local magistrates. The result of this •coafervnce waa a telegram appealing t,) the uuthori- ties to despa' ch a troop of cavalry into the district. At tÚe conclusion of their meeting at Clydach the processionist* fell off for luncheon, and when the etftrch was again resumed their numbers weremateri- ally tfecwaxea. They reached Morriston, two miles ontfttdeuf S watisea, out connected with that bo/ough by continuous row-* of cottages. Thousands of the in habitant» turned out and manifested a by no means frioody feeling. The Mayor of Swansea, who had driven out iu a hansom, met the processionists at rho Iwrottgh boundary, and besought the loaders to advise tha men t) turn back. The leaders declared that ihair object was only a peaceable one, and if they wer"-LILovved to vo as far as Morristou bridge they wottid return. They added to this a request that the Mayor should precede them. This he consented to do. The hi-ass band then struck up, and the men, about 2.500 strong, marched on, the Mayor, accompanied by three county policemen, precediug them, and t,.re" leaders of the strike on horseback foliowing. Oath's bridge being reached, however, tho strikers showed no disposition to halt and pressed on towards Some eoppof pits. The Mayor turned to the leaders and warned thvm not to go further, but there seemed a geaeral inclination to go. Here again a crowd of Morriafcoi; people had assembled and drawn up by the entrance to the pits were about a dùzn. consta- b and four mounted police. Just as the mounted leaders got up to the pit thd 3tt.ay--r again urged the man to go back. He aio said that if therd was any indication of a serioas breach of the peace b.'ing com- rnÍtted he would have no alternative but to read the Riot tet, ad the responsibility of any disturbance would be on the heads of the leaders of the men and those who support d them. The men again declared their peaceful intention, and said their only object wam to go Oil to Swansea, as all peaceable men had a rigfettto do if they felt inclined. At the sime time One of the attendant bands struck up a triumphant tnu., and a few of the strikers, brandishing the sticks with which they were armed, rushed toughly past the Mayor Thereupon the mounted police who were in attendance swung round and formed a cordon across tht-L road in order to intercept the parage of the bulk «the strikers. They pressed forward, however, and thereupon the mounted men were reinforced by a de- of foot constabulary. The menacing aa- pect of the crowd did not dimiid-h, and the police advanced towards them. There W.,8 no baton charge, though. several of the foot policemen drew their staves. The horses wer < so maDoeuvsed as to drive the crowd of strikers back. Tney retreated -elue. tantly 8,mid a display of considerable excitement on the part of the spectators. The Mayor then directed the latter to come to a standstill. The men com- Siained strongly of what th«y regarded as the Eayar's arbitrary conduct. His Wotship said stones bad been thrown in his preaenc-, and that the men were marching towards. the pits brandishing sticks nod in a menacing attiAdo. The leaders promised that the men should march penceabiy by the pits, the tfeeire being to get to Swansea. His Worship said -there were special constables at the next pits, the re-atropiteand Mynydd Nesycid pits belonging to Lord Swansea, and if they got so far he was c-B- Vineed there would be bloodched Mr Councillor John, one of the Executive of the tinplate woikers, sujCgCited that if the strikers desired -to hold a con- sultation with any of the men working in the neigh- boarbood they should do so by means ota deputation imfceed of marching in thousands strong. This ad- VUKJ waik accepted, and the strikers proceeded to wend their way home. At the same time they ques- tioned amongst themselves the right of the mayor of say borough to stop a pi occasion, and doolared on Ttutraday they would return reinforoea itit-h 5,006 i stahms from the RhgudU V--iley. In the district of Ruabon, Johnstown, and Cefn there are no signs of a settlement, and matters are rapidly becoming serious. Nearly 1,000 men are idle at the Wynnstay pit alone, and all the other collieries in the district are idle. Numbers of the men are already in an extremely destitute condition and are going about begging at the shops and inns of the district. Large parties of colliers are parad- ing the roads singing. A considerable number marched through the streets of Oswestry on Wednesday afternoon singing in excellent style a number of Welsh hymns. The supply of coal on the pIt banks is now practically exhausted. The lara-e terra-cotta works of Monk and Newill, which have been drawing their supply of coal from the Vauxhall pit, have received the last load from that source. The delegates of the National Miners' Federation resumed their deliberations in London on Thursday. They unanimously decided not to accept any reduction in wages. A resolution pledging the men to resume work at once, on condition that the coalowners should withdraw their notice for the 25 per c-iit reduction in wages, and not to ask for an advance in wages until prices reached the level of 1890, was also passed. It was further resolved that no pit in the Federation should be allowed to work until a general settlement was made for all to conimenc,, at one and the same time. The position of the Durham miners was considered, and the Conference, after expressing the belief that the miners of that county had not had the principles of the Federation or the benefit which would accrue from united action thoroughly plased before them, decided to send representatives into Northumberland and Durham to explain to such branches as asked for their services the present position of the wages question. The Conference also offered to co-operate with those coalownerts who desire to put a stop to the baneful system of underselling which prevailed among coalowners.

[No title]

AN ANGLER HUNG BY A CATFISH.

1 SCENES WHICH DISGRACE HUMANITY!…

ANOTHER WELSH BOATnG DISASTER.

j HOW TO CATCH SPENCER BALFOUR*

CAERSWS.

LLANFYLLIN.

Advertising

CAMBRIAN ARCHXIOLOGICKL ASSOCIATION.

♦ THE ESSEX MURDER.

THE HOUSE OF GOD.

Advertising