Pontypool Free Press and Herald of the Hills

STOCK AND SHARE LIST. Supplied by Messrs. THACKERAY & SAYCE, Stock and Share Brokers, 1, Pearson-place, Cardiff RAILWAYS. Paid Priccs Stock Great Western £ 100 .104 105 „ London and North Western 100 .140 141 „ Monmouthshire l!)0 .150 152 „ Rhymney .100 .168 169 „ Taff Vale Iu0 .207 208 x.n PREFERENTIAL. Stock Monmouthshire 5 per cent. 100 .120 122 12 Do. New. convertible 6 11 Ill Stock Taff Vale No 1 100 .207 208x.n „ Do. 4t per cent 100 .111 113 2 „ Do. 5 per cent. 100 .120 122 GUARANTEED AND LEASED Stock Rhymney, 5 p. c. guaranteed 100 .119 121 50 Aberdare, 10 per cent 50 .120 121 20 Coleford illon., & Usk, 5 p. c. 20 23 23t Stock Great Western 5 p. c. (guar) 100 1271 1281 „ Hereford, Hay, & Brecon 100 94 95 „ Do. do. Pref. 100 95 96 DEBENTURE STOCKS. Stock Hereford, Hay, and Brecon 5 per cent 100.124 125 „ Great Western 5 per cent. 100 .128 130 „ Taff Vale 4 per cent 100 .102 104 BANKS. 20 Bristol West of Erigiand,Li m. 7k. 7- 7 £ 100 Glamorganshire Banking Co. 100 .135 14o 10 Glamorganshire 10 13:1 14 10 London & Provincial, Lim. 5 101 lli 50 National Provincial 21 67 69 20 National Provincial 12 38 39 10 North and South Wales 10 26| 27:t 20 Swansea (Limited) 7 8| 8| 8 5 GAS. 10 Aberdare 10 104 3 11 Stock Bristol. 100 .173 175 „ Cardiff A 10 per cent 100 .180 182 „ Do. B 8 per cent 100 .135 140 25 Do. Shares 7 per cent.. 25 30 32 10 Llynvi Valley. 10 10 11 Stock Newport A 100 .172 177 „ Do. B 100 .128 132 20 Do. C 17 18 19 25 Swansea 7t per cent 25 31 33x.d z GAS AND WATER. 10 Bridgend 10 9 10 Stock Do. Deb. Stock 100 .101 102 „ Pontypool (Max 10 p. c.) 100 .135 145 12 Do. ( do. ) 12 16 18 10 Do. (Max. 7 p. c.) 10. 9 11 10 Ystrad 10 21 22 WATER WORKS. 25 Bristol 25 63 64 Stock Cardiff 100 270 290 11 Do. 1860. 100 -165 175 10 New 6 12 14 Stock Neath 10 p. c. Guaranteed 100 .190 195 10 Do. 5 per ct. Preference 10 9 9! 10 Newport 10 17 19 10 Do. New 7 14 16 Stock Pontypridd5p.c.Preference 100 107 109 MISCELLANEOUS. Stock Alexandra Dock, 6p. c. Pref. 100 .110 120 „ Ditto 8 p.c. Pref. 100 ..120 130 10 Bristol and South Wales Wagon Co., Limited 4. 6 £ 6J 23 Ebbw Vale 20 6f 7\ 100 Nantyglo and Blaina Iron Works, Preference 100 21 23 10 Newport Abercarn Colliery 10 4| 4t 5 Do. Tramways 5 2| 31- 20 Patent Nut and Bolt, Lim. 14 18 19 50 Rhymney Iron, Limited 50 19 21 15 Do. New 15 6 7 25 South Wales Colliery 24 2J 3 £ 1 z 50 Tredegar Iron&Coal, A Lim. 26 14! 15 25 Do. do. B Lim. 25 19 £ 20 Bank Rate 2 per cent. (since 10th April). SELLERS Tredegar Iron and Coal "A" Shares at 15 Do. do. "B" do. at 20 Rhymney Iron X15 Shares at 6î 4 BUYERS- Cardiff and Swansea Colliery Shares Newport Abercarn do. do. South Wales do. do. &c. THACKERAY & SAYCE, CARDIFF, October 22, 1879.

A SCENE IN A POLICE At the Ryde (I.W.) Borough 1 Monday, George Fuller, errand boy with stealir.g two 4 lb packets of tea of his master, of Union Street. Tl Buspecting prisoner, secreted himself in saw him go to a chest and take out the was going out with it he called him bat. prisoner that he knew he did not take th to his parents, who were very honest p. that he was determined to find out how he of it. Prisoner then admitted having taken viously, and said that he had sold it to a mai Shepherd, who kept a rag and bone shop iL Street. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and elec have his case settled by the Bench. The Si then observed that the Bench had no doubt that boy had been in the habit of selling the sea he at to the rag and bone merchant. If they could on get a clear case against Shepherd they would inflic a most severe punishment. Here the man referrea to jumped into the witness box and asked. to be allowed to speak. The Mayor: "No; we believe the boy's statement, and we believe that lots of the boys brought before us are led to steal through such men as you buying what they steal." The man here caught up the Testament usually used for swearing witnesses, and dashing it violently from the box to the table below, shouted at the top of his voice, "It's a lie It's a lie The Mayor ordered him to be turned out. The man on being pushed to the door shook his clenched first at the Bench, and called out, "lam not going to sit here and be abused by you. You'll hear more of this before a week's over your head." The prisoner was sentenced to mouth's hard labour.

FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT. During the very heavy squall which broke ovei the neighbourhood of Weymouth, a small fishinc smack, whilst in the bay between Weymouth ano Portland, suddenly went down, carrying with hei the two men, Towell and Moggridge, on board, both of whom were married. Towell leaves a wife and seven children, and Moggridge a wife and foul children. It waaJJust after two o'clock that a very eudden squall from the north-west set in, accom- panied with hail and rain. At this time the smack was off s-andfoot Castle, and just prior to the gale bursting on it, the two men were engaged in short- ening sail. When the storm came the hail and rain were so thick as to completly hide the smack; but when this ceased nothing was to be seen of the little craft. An alarm was at once given and at consider- able risk five men manned a galley and rowed as fast as possible to where the smack had last been seen, and on getting near found one of the men (Towell) floating with his face downwards, the air under his oilskin coat keeping him a float. Although diligent search was made for Moggridge, his body could not be found. Attempts were made to restore animation in the case of Towell, but he was too far gone, and his body was taken to Portland, where all inquest was held, and a verdict of accidentally drowned wae- returned.

On Tuesday morning ex-Detective Inspect Palmer, Druscovich, and Meijklejohn, having c( Eleted their term of two years' imprisonment v ard labour, for complicity in what were knowr the Great Turf Frauds, were released from Cold Fields Gaol. Mr. Edward Froggart, solif who received a similar sentence, was re-ari on leaving the prison on a charge of frauC; trusteeship. Some alarm is felt in the neighbourhood of Ve as to the condition of the path leading throup famous landslip in the undercliff between V and Shanklin, it having been reported that f indications of another pfobable slip. Two men, formerly employed at the coppc at Swansea, but now on strike, have been rf on a charge of intimidating two men who h their places. One of the complainant.) wa: into the canal by the defendants. The Bristol Board of Guardians, has re leave to informers the further prosecution orderly housekeepers, and requested the Tow; to take steps for obtaining a local act em them to deal with the whole subject. The dead body of a man named Richard road contractor and cattle dealer, of I county Mayo, has been found in a riv five or six cuts on the head, and ho is sui have been murdered^ The place is one of ti in Ireland. in Ireland.

i5irfbsl Jttaumges, nntt Dentbs. -v-vv-o. DEATHS. Oct. 14, at Nantygollen, aged 48 years, Eliza, wife of Mr John Rosser, gardener. Oct. 15, at Garndiffaith, aged 70 years, Mr Patrick Dogherty, carpenter. Oct. 15, at Lower Grove Cottage, Pontymoile, aged 72 years, Sarah, widow of Mr Wm. Mason, haulier. Oct. 16, at Pisgah-row, Talywain, aged 19 years, Mr John Hughes, coal miner. Oct. 19, at High-street, Pontypool, aged 47 years, Mr George Jones, banksman at coal pit. Oct. 20, at Yew Tree Farm, Mamhilad, aged 41 years, Sarah, wife of Mr Philip Morgan, farmer. MAKRIAGE, SNAZELL—HATTON.—October 21, at Trevethin Church, by the Rev. J. C. Llewellin, Vicar, Win. Lawrence Snazell, of Birmingham, to Emma Clara Hatton, also of Birmingham (daughter of Mr T. Harris, of Hartlebury, and sister to Mrs Potter, Glanuant Cottage, Pontypool).

CORRESPONDENCE. The Proprietor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions of his Correspondents. The columns of this paper are at all times open to the ex- pression of opiniol. on subjects of a public character. Correspondents are requested to write on one bide of the paper only, and to avoid personalities; and must enclose with the letter their OWN names and postal addresses, not necessarily for publication (unless intended by them), but for the satis- faction of the Editor.

BLAENAVON PUBLIC LAMPS. To the Editor of the Free Press. Dear Sir,—I observe, in last week's publication, that my name has been brought before the public in reference to the above by an anonymous writer called Traveller." "Traveller" complains of the darkness of the streets, and the apathy of the Local Board in not lighting them. I ask Traveller how he would feel had he any rateable property of any extent, if he happened to collide with the tax collector for his rates, or if he pays any, during the present disastrous state of trade in this unfortunate town. I rather think it would bring on a fit of the gout, which he fancies I have but I am thankful to say that I have not, or ever had it. Traveller," no doubt, thinks that, by his rushing into public print, he will bring himself into notoriety from his obscurity. I now ask the rate payers a simple question. Is this a time to spend money when the Blaenavon Iron and Coal Works are nearly at a standstill; when the main part of the heavily-taxed publicans, shopkeepers and house-owners, are doing scarcely any business when many houses, shops and cottages are void, and those that are occupied paying little or no rent; and when general ruin and distress are staring them in the face ? I own I would like to see lhe town lighted and improved in every way, and I have always advocated improvements for the last 50 years. I have seen Blaenavon in a state of darkness before the present Gas Company erected their works, and long after then, when we were left in a state of darkness and were obliged to resort to the use of oil and candles. No one complained then, neither did they rush howl- ing into public print. If we could do without gas then, why should we not do without it now for a short time. until we can afford to pay for the luxury ? As to the apathy of the Local Board, I do not think there is much of that there—the majority of them being gas shareholders, no doubt they are anxious to get the town lighted to pay the dividend to their shareholders. A few words to the other anonymous Old In- habitant." who doubtless is a gas shareholder and a worthy and respectable gentleman. As to my re- mark about the majority of tradesmen" drifting into insolvency, I am pleased he is in the minority, toge- ther with many others, to whom I tender an apology. If they have taken umbrage at my remarks, I do not think their creditors (if they have any) would lose confidence in them from any remarks made by me. He also states that J. G. Williams, being a large ratepayer, has no right to dictate to our Local Board what course they are to take in the administration of public affairs; he says, It is, indeed, cool." I should like to know to whom the ratepayers are to comptain, when their funds are to be made subser- vient to support private speculation ? As to polling the town, let it be done by all means. I have no objection. Hoping you will excuse me in trespassing so much on your valuable space, I am, yours respectfully, JOHN G. WILLIAMS.

THE special reports made by Dr Ogle to the London Local Board upon the three Local Board districts of Abersychan, Pontypool, and Panteg emphatically set forth his opinion respecting the sanitary arrangements of this populous valley. That opinion, as by this and the two previous issues of this paper our readers have been enabled to see for themselves, is by no means a flattering one, and his reports furnish food for reflections of a very depressing nature. Some of his statements reveal an amount of disregard for the ordinary decencies of life which is positively astounding, and from which most of us had fondly imagined this neighbourhood to have emerged generations ago. This is from what may be called the domestic or individual point of view, but from tha more public and general aspect, in which sanitary matters assume much larger proportions, and where the interests involved are of far greater magnitude, the revelations are of a scarcely less startling character. Dr. Ogle tells us in unmis- takably plain language, that the sanitary con- dition of the entire valley of the Afon Llvvyd necessitates the immediate adoption of effective remedial measures; and in his report, as well as in his recommendations to the Local Boards of the district, he indicates the course of action which those authorities should take in order to effect the desired improvements. Certainly it is manifest that Dr. Ogle, like all other Medical Inspecting Officers, appears to have in his mind's eye some imaginary hygienic Utopia, in which all the most admirable sanitary systems of the most clever and advanced engineers are carried out wjth the utmost care, and he would, probably, in the execution of his duty, be able to suggest im- provements in almost every district. But it cannot be denied that his recommendations are excellent, and if the ratepayers can only bear up under the pressure of local taxation which would be rendered necessary by their complete adoption, there can be no doubt that a vast amount of benefit would result, and the inhabitants of this valley would then enjoy almost perfect immunity from fevers or other zymotic diseases, and at the same time, the general health of the public would be raised, and the average duration of life would very probably be much increased. The most inportant, as well as the most costly of Dr. Ogle's recommendations, is that which refers to the designing and constructing of a thoroughly effec- tive system of sewerage, and the depuration of sewage matter, instead of its being cast into the river, as at present. The supervision of Slaughter- houses and other premises in which are carried on trades likely to become nuisances, is a matter which we believe is now fairly well looked after, although, perhaps, not quite so closely as it might be. Dr. Ogle also calls upon the Pontypool and Abersychan Boards jointly to adopt measures of supervision which shall ensure the efficient filtra- tion and purity of the public water supply. This will not be an expensive duty, as the onus of supplying pure filtered water is laid upon the Water Company by their own Act of Parliament, in the terms quoted by Dr. Ogle where he says, they are bound under heavy penalties to effectu- ally filter all water supplied by them for domestic use, before the same shall pass into pipes for distribution." The Local Board need not find this even troublesome or irksome, for the Directors of the Company will surely undertake their part in the due perform- ance of such an important public duty with the utmost willingness. The Abersychan Board has to take steps without delay to provide Garndif- faith and the Tranch with an adequate water- supply. This is not by any means an easy task, on account of the great height to which the water would have to be raised. The present sources of supply possessed by the Water Company do not give sufficient head for such an altitude, and unless some higher source can be found, the required force would have to be communicated by means of a pumping engine, or in some such way. Pumping would be costly, and unless the Company were guaranteed a sufficient return for the outlay involved, they could scarcely be expected to burden their capital with unremu- nerative charges, which would simply have the effect of reducing the dividend paid out of profits derived from other districts. Unless such a guarantee is forthcoming, it may transpire that the Board itself, as the Local Sanitary Authority, will have to bear the additional expense. Dr. Ogle makes allusion to those cases where the Company are obliged to cut off the water supply because of the- non-payment of their accounts, and argues that, as their business is to sell water, not to give it away, the Company are justified in so doing: he says, the Local Authorities should compel owners of cottages to provide a proper supply. Other gravely-import- ant recommendations are, the establishment of a hospital for infectious diseases, and a disinfecting oven for the purification of clothes and bedding after fevers and similar disorders. Discussion of Dr. Ogle's reports was postponed until the next sitting by each of the Local Boards specially interested, namely—Pontypool, Abersychan, and Pantcg.

No less than four district public authorities have held their usual periodical meetings during the week, but in no case was there anything which particularly calls for comment. At 1.111.0- vrechva tho only remarkable thing was the Medical Officer's report, showing that there had been 20 deaths during the quarter, six of which were in the Union, and their rospective ages were 91, 82, 79, 80, 81, and 77, giving all aver- ago of over 80. The fact speaks well for the 6are taken of the inmates at the Union. At Abersychan tho moetiug generally was a tame one, while at Poutypool there would have been actually no discussion but for a member's re- ference to a jocular remark made at the last meeting respecting the Chairman. At the Board of Guardians there was literally nothing, and so the week amongst our local representa- tives has been, with the exception referred to, smoothly passed over.

ON DIT. BY AN ABERSYCHAN CONTRIBUTOR. OUR friend, the whilom leader-writer of the defunct Critic," appears to take umbrage at my remarks in yours of the 11th instant, and admin- isters, in the columns of the Argus," what he no doubt considers a very proper castigation. As I have always recognised my friend Will of the Wisp," as one of the ablest writers in our district-and this I speak in perfect sincerity- allow me to tell him that the rambling effusion in question is one of the weakest I have ever seen from his pen. Evading a direct answer to the charges against which he cavils, he goes out of his way to make insinuations against a brother tradesman, who, I may remind friend Will, was well known, and equally well respected, before Master Wisp was out of his long clothes: but his regret that he has not suffered from consumption, thus necessitating a trip up the Mediterranean (for this is the English of the sneer), is alike unmanly and unworthy of the writer. A private meeting, I learn, has been held this week at Abersychan, respecting the necessity of a good market in the village. What decision was arrived at I know not, but the motive is a good one, and I trust something practical will result. At present, with the additional facilities of the new line at Talywain, the Talywain, Var- teg, and Garn people flock to Pontypool on mar- ket day, leaving the legitimate tradesmen of the place with empty shops. Several of our oldest inhabitants have asked me to ventilate the question of the now closed-up path from Talywain Church to the Abersychan Works. This path, I am led to believe, was a public one 50 years ago, and no one has had any right to close it. If this is the case, I shall be glad to see some one better acquainted with the facts of the case than I am to take the matter up, as I am informed the present road or path from Abersychan, in particular, to the Works, is a most dangerous one for the women and children who have to take meals day and night to the Furnacemen, while winter nights, drawing on, will make it equally unsafe for men and boys. How very differently different people treat the same matters. At Pontypool—that happy town —the ratepayers, who are labouring under a tremendous rate or rates, grin and bear it, or, at least, give us no outward or visible sign of their discontent. But Blaenavon representatives take the matter up in a very different spirit-one of the ratepayers paying his brother-tradesmen the compliment of saying that they were all drifting to insolvency and ruin, and actually petitioning the Local Board not to sanction public lights in their dark and dangerous streets and roads. I have somewhere read about straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel;" lind this gentleman appears to me to be one of these professors. If not, I cry peccavi."

Sir Harry Parkes, British Minister in Japan, has .eft that country for England, returning by way of ;he United States. The reason assigned is Lady Parkes' illness. Several shocks of earthquake have been felt along the Valley of the Danube, extending as far as Bes- jarabia. Several towns on the military frontier have been seriously damaged. For attempting to smuggle a case containing 241b. of cigars, Thomas Williams and Nicholas Henshaw, boatmen, have been at Liverpool, each fined X-54, with j65 6s. lOd. costs. The New York Times reports a horrible death in Brooklyn, from blood poisoning, alleged to have been caused by the use of arsenic _by a dentist to destroy f i*t p.n wAina LO.

A DANGEROUS MAN. A special reporter of the Chicago Times, who was sent to YazooCity to ascertain the facts in regard to the killing of Dixon, has given a long and ap- parently conscientious account of the murdered man's history. It appears from this that Dixon, who was born in Virginia in 1817, and who ran away to join the Confederate army, arrived in Yazoo early in 18Go as a professional gambler, and presently opened a gambling-house, which he gave up only a short time before he ran as independent candidate for sheriff, and on the stairs of which he was lately assassinated. In 1872 or 1873 lie openly shot down a negro to whom he owed money. In the political campaign of 1875 he became the head of a body of legulators called" Dixon's Scouts," among whom was Barks- dale, and who passed their time in breaking up He- publican meetings, terrorising the coloured popula- tion, and hanging such of them as were charged with crime or were otherwise obnoxious. One of these victims had 1,600 doilars on his person, which he begged the Scouts to send to his mother at Ohio. Dixon demanded this money of the man to whom it was entrusted, and pretended that he paid it into the Democratic Campaign Fund, to be used to stuff the ballot-boxes, if necessary;" but the Democratic committee denied having received it, and the pro- bability is that Dixon appropriated it for his own advantage. In January, 1876, on tho eve of the Democratic return to power through the efforts of the legulators, the county treasurer's safe was robbed of 50,000 dollars, an act of which the outgoing treasurer could not be accused, for he had handed over his accounts, but which was publicly fastened upon Dixon by a fellow-gambler named Harrison. This led to frequent encounters between the two men, until Dixon had killed his 'accuser. He was tried but was acquitted, and escorted home by a brass band. B irksdale at this time was deputy-sheriff, and during the imprisonment an enmity arose between them which culminated in Dixon's death. Batksdale is said to have shot him not because he was trying as a negro candidate to divide his party, but because he had made the grossest and filthiest attacks on the character of his moLher and sister. It appears, how- ever, that Dixon was getting to be regarded as too dangerous a man to be tolerated any longer, and that there was some concert in his taking off. In spite of his many atrocities, the negroes eagerly followed him as a political leader, and it is plain that the power of such a man in the community, with such a constitu- ency, was as much to be dreaded as if he had been a Northern corpet-bagger.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS BY FIRE lis RUSSIA. A shocking disaster is reported from Voladarock, in the Government of Kieif. A Jewish boy had been ordered at eight o'clock in the evening of the 8th ult. to fetch some kerosene from a barrel that stood in an outhouse. After filling his :oil c ka, the boy attempted to turn the tap of the barrel by the help of a candlestick in which there was a lighted candle. In doing so, however, the light fell from the candle- stick into the oil can, instantly 4kindling; the kero ene. The boy fled in terror, overturning the can in his flight. The flames rapidly spread, and the people iu the house, followed by neighbours, ran up to the scene of the conflagration. Some of the crowd were attempting to get the barrel of kerosene into the open air, when an explosion occurred, covei ing everybody who was near with the burning oil. These unfortunate people rushed from the outhouses among the crowd which had collected outside, and thus set many of their clothes on fire. Altogether there were 37 persons attacked by the flames, of whom at the date of this report 18 had already died, while there was little hopo for many of the others. Another terrible calamity from fire took place on the 17th ult., at Laisheff, in the Kasan Government. The son of a peasant was celebrating his wedding, and, according to the custom, at night, after the con- clusion of the festivities, the newly-wedded pair were conducted to their chamber and locked in by the best man. The latter soon afterwards retired j to rest with the rest of the company, who were all: j "strongly alcoholised." At three o'olock in the J morning fire bioke out in the house, and the I intoxicated inmates were all burnt to death,'with the exception of the father of the bridegroom. It was found that the newly-married couple had managed to open the door of their chamber, but wore unable to penetrate through the set. of fire which then sur rounded them. On the extinction of the fi their corpses were found near each other, partia' burnt to ashes.

FARMING AND THE CORN TRADF The Mark Lane Express says:-Alower ture has prevailed during the past wee1 atmosphere has been damp and foggy, ur tor thrashing, but not unsuitable for othf laboui. Supplies of home-grown whea been very small at the country mar' average price has advanced Is. 7d. Imports of foreign wheat into Lon( on a fairly liberal scale, last Monday' ing something over 75,000 quarters." quent arrivals up to Friday am quarters. Notwithstanding tho 1\dj vity and 03toitom<n\i have pre: which has been largely extende' speculators, whose confidence in unshaken. The week's sales millers have bought freely, ar to 4 s. on the week, under tt consumption and speculatio- might have been even more c: for the uncertainty which 1, bility of a further advance so of it.