The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-01 00:00:00

TJ3i STOUREBIDGE OBSEPVER.

pensel with. The proclamation against vice 4 cases of over-crowding had been reported, and
and immorality and for the encouragement of the usual sanitary notices had been served. The '
virtue is as familiar as in days of yore. The slaughter-houses and lodging-houses had been I
slleriffs of counties are aid appointed by the reported to be in a good satisfactory condition. :
CrOan, and to tl:Oln is entrusted the task of 'B9 privies and 80 ash•pits have been cleansed '
seeing that the orders of the judges are properly during the month.
carried out. Yet the philanthropist and the DRINKING FOUNTAINS.—Iu compliance with the
wish of the Stourbrids,,e Association for the Pre-
social reformer have never flagged in their
exertions for the reclamation of a certain strata vention of Cruelty to Animals, the committee
recommended that a movable trough be provided
of society. Many of them have laboured in
f i
that direction from their youth up. The or the use of the cattle n Smithfield on market
days, and for the dogs at the base of the public
panacea for existing ills is a very varied one. clock.
The temperance reformer points to the fact , It was moved by Mr. Perkins, seconded by Mr.
that whereas in the year 1869 the British pub- Woolley and carried that the report be accepted.
lie spent a hundred mill'ols sterling in in- The Chairman said it would be necessary to have
toxicating drinks, last year it rose to the a separate resolution as to the appointment of
enormous sum of one hundred and fifty millions, medical officer.
or twice the total annual income of the Mr. Perkins said he considered it would be
State, from the taxes drawn from the pockets of much better to have a gentleman residing on the
the people. He tells you that this enormous spot as medical officer. It would be very ineon-
amount, if circulated in various channels of venient to appoint one residing out of the town,
productive industry, would materially benefit and he had great pleasure in proposing Mr. Robert
trade and raise it from its present depressed
Eagar as the medical officer of health at a salary
condition. Then we have the Educational Re-
of £5O per annum.
This was seconded byMr. Turney, and supported
former. He says in effect—teach the people by Mr. Penny and carried.
better in childhood's days; instil into the The Clerk called the attention of the Board to
young and tender wind the great truths of
the lighting of Brook Street and West Street,
religion and morality; and knowing better, they and the drainage of the Longlands.
cannot fail to act upon their knowledge. The After some discussion, the Chairman moved hat
man of science lays it down that a thorough a lamp be erected in West Street, which was
acquaintance with his particular branch of study carried.
cannot fill to expand the intellect, to ennoble The lighting of Brook Street was adjourned.
the mind, and to elevate the soul. Teach the Moved by Mr. Penny and seconded by Mr.
' people the foundations of the laws which Woolley, that Victoria Street be lighted, which was
govern created things, and they will very soon carried.
: learn to look from Nature up to Nature's God. REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.
' The astronomer contends that his is so noble '
1 Your committee with regard to the -Worcester
and sublime a science that every opportunity Street sewer, report that sections were laid before
should be seized of impressing it on the mind them of the proposed sewer, and also of one down
of the child just entering upon the serious part Hill Street in connection therewith. As the corn-
of scholastic duties. Slow him with what inittee are desirous of ascertaining the most '
unerring certainty the heavenly bodies move in desirable outfall for the sewer they beg to report
their orbits, and ask him to use intelligence as progress.
to whether any of the stars scattered along the Plans of an alteration of a building at the
pathways of the skies could have been created Longla,nds belonging to Mr. Webb were laid before
ia vain, and it will be impossible for him in after the committee and approved. .
life to forget the profound impressions produced Mr. Allsop moved, and Mr. Kelley seconded, that
upon him, and to descend to the commission of the report be adopted, which was carried.
It was moved by Mr. Penny and seconded by
offences requiring punishment from the laws of
Mr. Turney, that two trucks of flagging be ordered
his country.
But although, as we have said above, to repair the flags, and was carried.
the
s Moved by the Chairman that the Clerk do pro-
social reformer may at times be discouraged duce estimates for Improvement and Highway
there is no occasion for him to be dismayed,
rates, ending 31st March, 1877, and was carried.
The temperance advocate, the educationist, the Mr. Kelley asked the Clerk if he had heard
man of science, and the believer in the elevating anything about the railway?
influence of astronomical research are all work. The Clerk said from the most reliable informa-
ing by different ways to the same result. Now tion he could obtain upon the matter he believed
that the great work of popular instruction has the work was going on. In fact he might say
been so earnestly taken in hand by the legisla- that the Railway Company are daily completing
ture and in a manner never before attempted, it purchases and that the contractor would soon be
may reasonably be hoped that at no distant day in possession of the land. Whatever delay had
there will be land at last. It may be a long arisen in commencing the work had not risen
time before an effect is produced commensurate from the Railway Company.
with the magnitude of the work which it is the There was no other businese.
interest of society to push forward ; but more
may reasonably be expected from an instructed
mind than from one which is a complete blank,
not only upon religion and morality, but upon
the commonest rudiments of ordinary inform ii.
tion. It takes the salt sea waves many a year
to wear away a rock ; but it is done at last So
it will be with the social reformer. Religion,
education, morality, such are the agencies which
must be constantly employed, and many of us
will live to see the time when a great change
will come over the general aspect of society.
There are not many who expect to witness the
Millenium ; and those who, at the time of the
great Exhibition of 1851, were anticipating the
time when the nations should beat their swords
into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks, and should learn war no more, were
certainly disappointed. They saw within three
years a great European war; next followed the
civil war in America ; to be succeeded in 1870
by the mightiest struggle upon the Continent
which the century has seen. But this is a mat-
which does not affect the ambition of peoples,
nor is it a sentimental idea:about the destiny of
nationalities. It is clear that if a man's
intellectual faculties are never developed, they
cannot be exercised; it is equally clear that if
they are developed, he has at least an oppor-
tunity of using them; and having the oppor-
tunity he is more likely upon reflection to take
the light coarse rather than the wrong one. At
all events the social reformer has done his duty
in affording him the chance of continuing in the
right path, and although at times he may appear
disheartened and downcast at the small result
of his labours, these are like bread cast upon
the waters, to be found after many days.

THE IRON TRADE.
THE FORTHCOMING QUARTERLY
MEETINGS.

WOLVERIIAMTON, WEDNESDAY.

The reports brought to 'Change this afternoon
were not generally more favourable than they
were a week ago, still there are enquiries which
relate to great quanties of best bars. One lead-
ing maker has been sounded as to no less than
2,000 tons of that class of the product of the
Staffordshire mills and forges. It may ba
hoped that such investigations mean business ;
the firm of whom they have been made believe
that in the main they do. Such people are not
disinclined to expect that autumn will see the be.
ginning of a revival in the iron trade. Others,
experience do not, unhappily, encourage such an
expectation. Than at this date last year, marked
iron is cheaper by £2. ; that reduction has been
brought about by two drops of £l. Earl Dudley's
furnace coal is the same price now as a twelve
month ago, viz., 11s, a ton, but this price has
not ruled throughout the whole of the twelve-
month. Colliers wages are nos at the mini-
mum. There is no probability of a reduction
in the cost of getting coal Such a reduction
must, however, precede any further drop miron.
Longer hours will only be possible, it is believed,
after an amount of distress has prevailed among
the colliers, which represents the premature
death of young children and the prolonged. suf-
fering of helpless women. The general belief of
the market this afternoon, therefore, was that
prices at the ensuing quarterly meetings, v hie')
commence in this town on July 12, will remain
upon the subsisting scale.
The reduction in the amount of employment
possible at the collieries is beginning to tell
seriously upon the families of many of the miners.
Colliers wholly unemployed increase weekly.
Some who have be dischargei at those pits in
the Bilston district which have just been closed
will never again be employed at those places ;
for not only have the tools been brought up,
but the timbers too have been pulled out- and
:shat has happened in those cases will happen,
it was this afternoon declared, in several others
before the process of reduction in output has
ceased. This afternoon there was a meeting of
Mines Drainage Commissioners in view of the
expiration of the notice on Saturday of the work-
ing by Messrs. Sparrow of the Stow Heath
pumping engine, but no definite action has yet
been deterrnined.

STOCK SAL.-Mr. H. King's fortnightly sale
took place last Tuesday, and included about 500
sheep and lambs, and 30 fat beasts. Highest
prices realixed were for fat bullocks .230 15s. Od ;
fat sheep 74s 6d; lambs 46s Gd; calves 97.
Messrs. P. Pearman and T. Whitehouse, of Bob-
bington, sent some fine oxen which met a good
sale. Mr. Lane's purchases amounted to 0t620..
DEUNKENNESS.-At the Police Court, yesterday,
before Colonel Fletcher and Mr. C. Cochrane, Jos.
Rowley and George Rowley were charged with
being drunk on the 25th nit, atiClent.—Police-con-
stable Wallace said the two defendants were in
charge of a donkey and cart. They were both
drunk and making a noise, and the donkey had
some of the skin rubbed off his back. Fined 5s
each. _

stone at Holdnall. He was called" Codlings " at Kinver
and defendants called him that. He did not commence
the row nor call them names.—A woman named
Chambers was called and she said she saw defend-
ant Hoidnall make a motion with his hand, but did not
see him throw anything, nor did she see complainant.
—Mr. Waldron, who defended, contended that complain.
ant commenced the disturbance by calling defendants
names and when they returned the compliment by call-
ing him " Codlings " he threw stones which caught
Holdnall on the legs. Holdnall lhen threw at com-
plainant but the other defendants did not throw.—De-
fendant Burford was called and said complainant called
them names and threw at Holdnall before Holdnall
spoke to him and then Holdnall threw back at him.
The stone throwing lasted for nearly half an hour.—
Perrens, Potters Cross, corroborated Burford.
The Bench were of opinion that there was no assault
c)mmitted by defendants and dismissed them.
DRUNKENNESB.—George Waterson was charged with
being drunk and disorderly at Church Street, Brierley
flia, on the 23rd ult —Police-sergeant Kavanagh proved
the ease and defendant who pleaded guilty and expressed
his regret, was fined 2s 6J and costs.—Harriet Hughes,
a middle-aged woman, was charged with being drunk at
Kinver, on ti e 22nd ult.—Police.constable Farrell proved
fiading defendant so drunk in the road that he had to
tike her home in a wheelbarrow. Defendant said he
had a glass of ale in a public-house and a friend paid for
a glass of whiskey for her. After she had that she
came to the door and the air was too much for her and
she did not renllect anything afterwards. Fined 2s Gd
and costs.

EXCISE PROSECUTIONS.—WiIIiarn Bryan, grocer,
Belbroughton, was summoned. by James Holt,
supervisor, Bromsgrove, for keeping a dog without
a license on the 25th May. Defendant admitted
the offence and said it was an oversight on his
part in not taking out the license. He had kept
the dog 14 years and had always paid for it, but
on leaving Stourbridge to go to Belbroughton he
had forgotten it, but he had since taken out a
license.—Fined 25s.—John Lacy was charged with
a similar offence on the 13th May. Defendant
pleaded guilty and was fined 25s.—Edward Hol-
lington and Benjamin Cutler were also fined 25s
each for like offences. .

HIGHWAY OFTENCES.—Abraham Davenport, of I
Belbroughton, was charged with allowing a cow to
stray on the highway, on the 24th ult. Police-
constable Payne proved the case and defendant
was fined 2s 6d and costs. Thomas Fox was
charged with committing a similar offence.—Police-
constable Payne proved the case. Fined is and
Costs.
ASSAULT CASES.—Charles Bosworth was charged
with assaulting Thomas Richards, on the 24th ult.
—Complainant said he was walking along the road
and heard defendant cursing and swearing. He
remonstrated with defendant for so doing when he
struck witness a violent blow on the head. De-
fendant pleaded guilty. He was further charged
with assaulting Thomas Edgley at the same time.
Defendant pleaded guilty. Complainant said he
asked defendant why he struck Richards when h e
struck him on the nose, knocked him down, and
whilst he was on the grouud defendant kicked
him. Fined 5s and costs for each offence.
AN IRISH Row. Sarah McTigue was charged
with assaulting Mary Piper on the 26th ult.—Mr.
Perry defended. Complainant said she heard a
noise and went outside to see what was the matter
and saw Mrs. McDonald down. She assisted to get
her up when defendant struck her with a pair of
tongs, inflicting a wound on the head and she was
knocked down.—Mrs. Leeson gave corroborative
evidence and said the row began between Mrs.
Bouncer and Mrs. McDonald.—Julia Gibbons and
Mary Gibbons also gave evidence.—Ann McDonald
and Mary Piper were charged with assaulting
Sarah McTigue on the 26th ult. Mr. Perry ap-
peared:for complainant.—Complainant said she was
washing in the brewhouse when defendants came
in. Piper picked up a stocking and struck her in
the face with it, and the other defendant struck
her in the stomach.—Mary Bouncer corroborated.
—Ann McDonald, Mary Piper, and Ann Lawley
were then charged with assaulting Mary Bouncer.
Complainant said that all three of the defendants
struck her and that McDonald spat in her face.—
This was corroborated by Edmund Hill and John
Little.—The cases against Sarah McTigue, Jane
McTigue, Mary Bouncer, Sarah Lawley, and Mar-
garet Lawley were dismissed. Ann McDonald
was fined lOs and costs for assaulting Mary
Bouncer, and 10s and costs for assaulting Sarah
McTigue. Ann Lawley was fined 2s 6d and costs
for assaulting Mary Bouncer; Mary Piper for as-
saulting Mary McTigue 103 and costs; Mary Law-
ley for assaulting Sarah McTigue 2s 6d and costs;
Miles McDonald for assaulting Jane McTigue
is and costs.
CRUELTY TO A HORSE.—Joseph Furbage, mail-
cart driver to Belbroughton, was charged with
cruelty to a horse by working it whilst in an unfit
state.—lnspector Doorbar proved the case, land
Mr. Smart, veterinary surgeon, proved that the
horse was suffering from a bad spavin, and each
time the animal moved it must have been in great
pain.—Fined 53 and costs.

THE LATE ASSAULT BY POLICEMEN.—U the Stafford-
shire Sessions, on Tuesday, before Mr, R. Kettle,
Joseph Dennis and John Wheeldon, were charged with
an assault on Isaiah Elwell, at Brierley Hill, on the Ist
of April. There were three counts in the indictment,
and the first charged them with maliciously inflicting
bodily harm. Mr. Young and Mr. Underhill were for
the prosecution and Mr. C. Smith defended Dennis.—
Prosecutor said that on the day named, having been at
Brierley Hill, he started homewards, about eleven
o'c ock at night. He had to go along the New Road,
and he there saw the two prisoners, who, with another
m en, were chaffing and sparring. Prosecutor watched
them for some time, and then, seeing that he was
n )ticed, made towards home. He was, however, fol-
lowed by. Wheeldon, who commenced a violent assault
upon h.m, striking and kicking him, and making the
blood fly from his face. While this was going on Dennis
came up and assiated his brother officer, and ultimately,
after several unsuccessful attempts on the part of the
prosecu or to gat away, he was taken to the police-
staton at Brierley Bill and all along the road was beaten
and in used, until, ext austed and fainting, he had to be
dpg,.ged by his assailants. His cries of murder aroused
the dwellers by, and the officers were remonstrated with
Twenty witnesses were called, who bore out the testi-
uaony of the prosecutor, and the evidence of the
medical gentlemen who spoke to his injuries, left no
room for doubt as to the severity of the treatment he
had been subjected to. Mr. Smith, for the defence of
Dennis, urged that he had only acted under the belief
that Elwell was resisting lawful arrest, as he did not
come on the scene until the other °Meer and the prose-
cutor were struggling He called Mr. Mills (police
superintendent) and several other officers, all of whom
gave Dennis an excellent character—Both prisoners
were found guilty, and sentenced to nine months' im-
prisonment.
FACTORY ACI'S PRO3ECUIIONS--It the Police Court,
on Thursday, before Mr. 1. Spooner, Stipendiary,
William Edward Partridge, brick manufacturer, was
summoned by Mr. Jones, inspector of Factories, for
employing Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Farringdon, and
Mary We.awood, girls under the age of 16 years--Mr.
Jones proved visiting defendant's brickyard and finding
the girls there at work. Defendant was fined £1 feud
costs in each case.—Mr. Clulow defended.—Thoulas
Farringden father of Elizabeth Farringdon was sum-
mom d for allowing his daughter to work in a brickyard,
and was fined £1 and costs.—John Brown was sum-
moned for employing Dorctiy Smith, a girl under the
age el 16, and was fined 1.:1 and costs. Charles Smlth,
the fattier of the girl was fined lOs 6d and costs, for
allowing his daughter to work.—Abiathaa Malpass,
roller, was summoned for employing Thomas Price,
before and after the hour of one o'clock, on the 16'h
June.—Mr. Jones said he visited the ironworks of
Messrs. John Bradley and Co., at Brockmoor, at four
o'clock on the 16th nit, and found the boy at work. In
the presence oi defendant, the lad had said he had been
at work from six o'clock that morning until four in the
afternoon. The boy was only eleven years old in Mereli
last —Defendant said he had to employ the lads or else
the mill would have been stopped.—Mr. Spanner said
he was determined to put a stop to such practices. It
was making dwarfs of the lads to work them so hard
at such a tender age, and he should fine defendant £3
and ens e.—Defendant was further &a-ged with employ-
ing Phan no Lambert, Isaiah Hunt, anliElisha Dudle.
three lads, on the same date and was fined .£1 and c sts
in each case,—Thomas Price was charged with allowing
his son to be at work and was fined 53 and costs.—
Joseph Lambert was fined 5s and costs, and Thomas
Dudley 2s 6d and costs for similar offences.
CHARGE OF WILFUL DAMAGE.—John Poole and James
Pugh were charged with damaging growing crops, the
property of Robert Steadman, on the 19th ult.—Com-
plainant said about a quarter to eleven at night he saw
the two defendants in his garden nicking the goose-
berries from a tree. They damaged five beds of onions.
doing damage to the amount of 2s 61.—Mr. Spooner
said he should put the damage at 8d and should order
defendants to pay 41 each, and complainant to pay his
own Costs.
BRUTAL A ssauvrs.—William Hemminsley was charged
with assaulting Robert Bullock, on the 24th ult —Com-
plaiaant, an old man, said on the above date he was
sitting by the fire in his own house when defendant
came in with several others and asked for his clothes.
Complainant said he should not have them when defend-
ant struck him a violent blow on the face and blackened
beth his eyes. Defendant said comp'aiant commenced
the row by striking him with the "strides." Fined lOs
and costs.—Defendant was further charged with assault-
ing Mary Ann Bullock at the same time and place.—
Complainant said she was standing by the door of her
own Louse when defendant struck her severely on the
body and Inocked her down insensible. NN hen she
recovered consciousness she discovered that her arm
was broken.—Edward Dauks said ha lived next door to
complainant. He saw defendant strike her but he
she nld think mh arm was broken by the fall--Defend-
ant was sentenced to three mouths' ward labour.
A. WIFE BEATER.—Joseph Hinton, of Queen Street,
Quarry Bank, was sentenced to one month's hard labour
for assaulting Priscilla Hinton, his wife, on the 22nd
ult.