The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-04-15 00:00:00

TH i 4 STOTIBRaIDGE OBSERVE-B.

£5 10s, antl hot-blast to .R 4 5s per ton. What
course it is the intention of the Earl of Dudley,
Messrs. Ward and Sons, Messrs. Williams,
Messrs. Barrows, and other leading makers of
pig and finished iron, to take was not made
known. Maoist it was explained, will depend
mot the action of Earl Dudley in his capacity
of the leading colliery proprietorin this district.
Though no meeting of the coal trade has y t
b3en called, it was assumed that a meeting will
soon be convened to consider the prices of coal.
And as the Cannock Chase Company have re-
duced their prices from 6d up to 3s per ton, the
market took it for granted that there will be a
reduction likewise in Dudley and Staffordshire
coal, with a drop in marked finished iron of 200
per ton. Such a drop was not, however, de-
clared to-day. Nevertheless, merchants and
others expressed their conviction that at that
reduction they shall be able to place the orders
for SUCII iron which they have to give out.
Second and third qualities are unlikely to ex."
penance nearly such a decline, the makers hav-
ing in many recent transactions anticipated the
drop in pigs and coal which is believed to be
impending. This afternoon iron of that kind
might have been bought at 20s. under the quo-
tations of the quatterly meeting three months
ago. Owing to the prevailing uncertainly, very
little business was done this afternoon; and it
cannot be said that the prospects are very bright
as to to-morrow.
_ _ _

The people employed about the blast-furnace
and the mills and forges are suffering much
distress. In both these departments more
hinds are without employment almost weekly.
Two more Mast-furnaces have been put out since
our last report. One of the furnaces at the Old
Level, near to Brierley lull, belonging- to Mr.
James Holcroft, and a furnace at Moxley, be-
longing to Mr. Rose, are the two to which we
refer. Nearer to Wolverhampton a third furnace
is on the point of blowing out. The make of pig-
iron has now been reduced from 12,000 to 6,000
tons per week and the output of finished-iron
hi 3 been reduced to below one, half the usual
awount. The two furnaces which have just
been blown out are waiting till the mines -are
prepared to work longer hours, and the current
very heavy expenses of working the pits thereby
largely reduced. When this period will have
arrived is quite another matter, for the action
which the colliers are now taking would seem to
indicate that that period wilt follow only upon a
largely-increased amount of suffering among
the mining population. At a recent meeting
they have declared that, sooner than work more
than the present eight hours a day, they will
suffer a lock-out of even thirty weeks.
It. is being pointed out that in 1843 nearly all
the works of this districts were closed, and the
ironworkers had scarcely anything to do, and
hot-blast mine pig-iron was being sold at £2.
12s. W. per ton. It was, however, somewhat
remarkable that in 1845 an active demand set
in, and bars were put up to £l2 per ton, and
pigs to £6 and £6 10s per ton ; but in one or
two months a hasty reaction took place, and bars
went down to £8 per ton, and pigs to £3 10s.
per ton. Again, in December, 1852, the advance
to £ll. per ton for bars, and .£5 lOs for pigs,
was almost immediately followed by a reaction
to £9 for bars, and £3 15s for pigs. In 1853
bars went up to £ll., but in the same year the
relative proportion of prices turned in favour of
the pig-maker, and pigs advanced from 40 to 50
per cent. or of from £3 103 and £3 15s per ton
to £5 5s and £5 lOs per ton, taking the better
&ass of pigs as the standard. In 1854 bars,
receded to .210., and in 1855 they were advanced
to ,tl.l per ton. lu 1856 they were reduced to
£9 per ton ; and from that time till 1871 they
ranged from .t 7 to 104. per ton. At the
cl is, however, of 1871 they went up rapidly,
s,) that hi Jaly, 1872, common marked bars at
the work reaeued £l6 per tun, el nearly doubled
in price.

The Lecturer -replied and said he was indebted
to the last speaker for his kind and courteous
manner towards him.
The Rev. A. G. Girdlestone then came forward,
and said he was only allowed ten minutes to
speak and he should have to be very brief. He said
first of all he ought to tell them he was a clergy-
man of the Church of England and he believed in
the bible and was very proud to say he did. With
respect to Mr. BrAdlaugh saying science and
scientific men differed from the bible, he did not
believe it did for he studied. science when he was
at college at Oxford, and he was very well
acquainted with a great many scientific men and
they did not differ from the bible, and it had not
altered his views. The other point he wished to
speak upon was a child being damned if it was not
baptized by a clergyman of the Church of
England. A layman can baptize a child as well as
a clergyman of the Church. He looked at his
watch and seeing he only had two minutes more
before his time was up he said he would retire.
The Lecturer said he would reply to the last
speaker and then he could speak for another five
minutes. The baptizing question he said he did
not say a child must be baptized only by a clergy-
man, but he said a child could be baptized by a lay-
man as well as a clergyman. He differed from
Mr. Girdlestone about science, but Some sciences
agreed with the bible. Geology differed and in
ten minutes on that topic Mr. Girdlestone would
not know where he was. _

The Rev. A. G. Girdlestone said he thought he
could prove that Mr. Bradlaugh was wrong on the
baptizing question.
The Lecturer said he would give Mr. Girdlestone
ten minutes to prove it.
The Rev. A. G. Girdlestone said he could not
prove it then, but he offered Mr. Bradlaugh a
challenge to prove it on some other, occasion.
The Lecturer said he would accept it with the
greatest of pleasure. He certainly was delightect
with the way Mr. Shepherd and the Rev. A. G.
Girdlestone came forward, and he heartily tendered
•
to those two gentlemen his very best thanks. He
should be very pleased to come amongst them
again.
The proceedings
.then terminated.

BRIERLEY HILL.

SURVEYORS ACCOUNTS.—At the Police Court, on Mon
d ty, before Messrs. F. Evers and H. Hall, the surveyors
accounts for the several parishes were passed.
HIGHWAY OFFENCE.—Joseph Merchant was charged
with allowing a donkey to stray at Cot Lane, Kingswin-
ford, on the 4th inst.—Police-constable Wnite proved
the case and defendant was fined Gd and costs.

Com.. STEALURS —Mary Ann Plant, (9) and Jane Penn,
(9), were charged with stealing a quantity of coal, the
property of Joseph Mills, on the 25th nit—John Round,
watchman, proved seeing the two defendants take some
CO Lt from the pit bank, but they did not take it home.
Fined 5s each, in default 7 days.
£HREA7ENING. - Thomas Plant was charged with
threatening Ann Whitney and Eliza Batef, on the Ist
inst. The evidence went to show that defendant
threatened to knock the womens' heads off. He was
bound over in £lO, to keep the peace for one moath.
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST T WC, POLICE

OFFICERS.

Isaiah Elwell, foreman moulder in the employ of
'Messrs. Bailey, Pegg, and Co., Brettell Lane, and resi-
ding at Whitymore, was charged with being drunk and
riotous, on the 2nd met, and further charged with
assaulting Police-constable Wheldon. There was a
cross-summons against Police•constables Dennis and
NNheldon for unlawfully wounding lieliah Elwell. Mr.
Addison appeared for the officers, and Mr. J. Underhill,
of Wolverhampton (instructed by Mr. J. W. Carlow),
appeared for Elwell.
Police:constable Wheldon Ad he was stationed at
Brierlev iiill. On Saturday evening, the Ist of April he
was on duty in company with Police-constables Dennis
and Freeman. Whilst they were standing together they
saw a man down the road. Ho was shouting and swear-
ing. Witness want towards him and found it was Elwell.
His face was covered with blood and looked bruised.
He told the man to go home and Elwell struck at him.
Witness attempted to take him along when he bit
witness's band. Dennis earns to his 'assistance and with
great difficulty they got him to the station. When they
were by the churah Elwell got down and they had gra at
difficulty in getting hint up. When they arrived at the
station Police-constable Payne was there. Elwell refused
to be searched, hut gave up his property. Police-con-
stables Hollins and Giles came in and they were follewed
by Police-sergeant ba.vin. They all saw the state Elwell
was in. Witness told Police-sergeant Lavin that Elwell
had bitten his hand and Elwell did not complain to any
one that he had been knocked about. The sergeaut
asked the man how he got the blood on his face and he
made no reply. Witness did not strike him at all—nor
did he see Dennis—Cross-examined: I did not strike
him. I did riot see Dennis strike him. I did not kick
h'm neither did Dennis. We did not drink out of a.
bottle at the corner of Bull Lane. I did not see a man
there at all. I did not see two men pass whilst we were
there. I saw Elwell by a gate in the new road. When
I got to him he was standing against some railings. He
wis leaning over the railings cursing us officers. I did
not fell him to the ground. He did not tumble down in
the new road. I did not knock him down, beat r kick
him, neither did Dennis. Elwell did not scream out
" Murder," when some people came to us. He did not
g,t up and run over the canal bridge. I did not say to
Dennis " Shall we let him go or lock the b----- up."
Dennis did not say that to me. We took him up Meet-
ing Lane and saw Police-constable Freeman and a man
with him. Neither of us knocked him down while going
to the station. He did not sit down on the pavement.
We passed a man and two women by Mill Street. The
man did not come to us and sa) it was a shame to serve
the man like that. No man came up to us and said that.
I did not threaten to lock anyone up, nor did Dennis.
We passed another man and Elwell did not cry out
" Murder." • We were not striking the man with our
fists when a man came up. When we got to the station
Elwell had two black eyes, his face was covered with
bruises and he was put into a cell.
Police-constable Dennis said he was stationed at
Brierley Hill. He was on duty with Police...constable
Wheldon on Saturday night, the Ist of April. He had
a conference at Brettell Lane. Police-constable Free
man was there. Whilst standing there he heard some
one cursing. Wheldon left witness and he then heard
a scuffle down the new road. When he got there he
found that Elwell had got Wheldon's hand in his mouth.
Be got Elwell away and they bath took him up the road.
there was blood on the man's face. When they got
opposite the church Elwell was on his knees and refused
to go. Payne was in•the station -when they got there.
Sergeant Lavin came in diretty afterwards. Whuldon
nor himself struck Elwell. The next morning Elwell
was bailed out and he said that both the officers were
dunk.
Mr: Superiritendent Mills sai I filet Was untrue as
he turned them out at eleven o'clock and they were
s.,i,er thee. Neither 'Wheldon nor himself touched
P; well and he never made any complaint from first to
last. • • . . . .
Pelice-c,nstable Payne .aaid .he was,. oa ,cluty.at the,'
police-station when Elwell was brought in, He wee. very
&rink. Witness heard Eztee:dori.A.iw whAdoh— tell
Set geant Lavin-that Elvvell had bitani his hand. The
Berg. ant Asked Elwell how'he got the blow on his face
hut the man. did not reply. Batti,\ W:neld )11 and Dennis
were sober. . .

HALESOWEN.

ASSAULT CASE.-At the Police Court, held on Tuesday
before Messrs. Bassano and Phillips, Richard Patrick
was charged with assaulting William Clay, on the 3rd
inst. From the evidence adduced it appeares that
Patrick's horse got into Clay's field, and he asked for
5s as compensation, when defendant struck him. Fined
10J and costs. Mr. W. Hayes.appeared for complainant.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.--JORR Willetts was charged
with being drunk and disorderly on the 28th ult.
Police•constablo Smith proved the case. Fined 2s 6d
and costs.—Charles Prict, was charged with being drunk
on the Ist inst. Superintendent Kenap proved the case.
Fined is and CliitP.
NEGLECT or Wonx.—Henry Stokes was summoned by
Messrs T. Parrish and Sons, for neglecting to work up
a quantity of iron into nails. The case was proved and
defendant ordered to pay the money in a week.