Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-30

Stewart Whlcn nave read, ana Clarh VINO IS III
Pennsylvania has promised to a sworn acknowl-
adgement of The letter as his own.
CHRISTMAS has passed off almost solemnly,
judging from the faces one meets on the street.
The weather is unusually cold, snow covers the
ground, but no sound of bells as yet greets the
cars in ringing cheer. So seldom are we favored
with sleighing, that it takes day or TWO to got
the sleghs and bells in motion, and by that
time the snow has disappeared, The weather
prophets have put US down for a cold winter,
and there seems good prospect for the fulfiment
Of the prophecy. OBSERVER.
The London Gas strike.
The London correspondent OF the New York
Post says:
The strike OF the gas stokers has been an g
nOminous failure, and may now be considered
a thing oil the past. IL has formed no exception
10 the rule established in England this year,
thar unskilled labor, even when unanimously
supported, goes to the wall when ptted against
capital. The strike was as senseess as it was
unsuccessful. The men "went off at half cocb,"
so 10 speak, they had no grievance whatever,
and Il two minute conference before the fatal
leap was taken would have snfficed 10 convince
the most ultra "union" man that that was the
case. But the affair was managed as such
things usually are. A certain report came to
the ''commntee OF amalgamated stokers." The
report was false, ur, at least, exaggerated out of
all shape. Without any investigation whatever,
this committee, miles away from the scene of the
alleged outrage, ordered every adherent OF the
union, wherever in the metropolis he might be
employed, 10 turn OUT until the supposed
wrong, committed by one particular gas com
pany, should be redressed. The poor dupes
| Obeyed, firmly believing and Boosting that the
city would he left in total darkness IN six hours.
| These Two thousand coal beavers really thought
their places could not be filled.
The gas companies at once made statement
OF the case 10 the people OF London through the
press, requesting an ccOaomcal use OF the gas
for few DAYS, and begging general co opera
ton against the eXt0rIions OF the union. The
public acted their part so well that after eXper-
fencing three or four nights Of subdued illumi-
nation merely, they are quite as well off ever,
and TWO thousand foolish strikers are out OF
situations, and what is more, are likely TO re-
main so. They are trying 10 Get back on any
terms, now that they see they have lpgoriously
failed; bat the gas companies, flushed with sue
cess, are determined 10 make terrible example,
and one that, it is hoped, may have sautury
effect in this country and year of strikes. No
man who participated in This strike need hope 10
become 4 sloker in London again. Besides that,
| five hundred Of the strikers have already been
summoned under the provisions Of the masters
and servants act, and the conspiracy act, and il
| is sand that many hundreds more will be sum.
| m1ned. Public opinion is very strong against
| the stokers for making the people party 10
their insane and tritiing quarrel and thereby in
| Wiling a carnival OF violence and murder; aud
| the trials will most likely result in way to con.
| vince certain dissatisfied operatives that strikes
have ceased 10 be mere harmless vagaries.
| The scenes in the metropolis during the gas
| famine were amusing, and often Instructive
taip Mt m of hnoa IL ,rl.
ioggy days, so common in London at this time
OF year, came To AID the strikers, else the result
| might have been different. fne first measures
| taken, as NAV De supposed, were to reduce the
| pressure at the Gas works, to leave unlght ted
every alternate street lamp, all lamps in parks
| and all merely ornamental lights, like thoS'
| along the bridges, the Thames bembankment
| and before club houses and public Buildings
| The citizens were not behindhand in their prac
| tice of economy. Unnecessary lights were ex.
| tinguished altogether, and Others turne down
| to the lowest point compatible with use Trades
| men clio ed their shops hours earlier than usual
or supplemented the gas in their show window,
with candles and paraffine oil lamps. Every
| publican sacrificed his great colored light oyel
| the entrance, and every theatrical manager dis
| 0cnsed with bis immense outdoor Illumination
| The tallow chambers must have made ihei
Everlasting fortunes" TO Judge from The run
| on their establishments, Or course they "cor
nerd" candles. Every day the report was
| spread that the gas would gro out tonight
| sure" and pdter families, with much self sat
sGaciion at his TO eslght, would take home can
| dies enough to last him a month, at twopence
| pound over the ordinary price.
| he railway stations were ineXpressibly dis
| NAL, especially those underground. Indeed
| the Metropolitan and District Underground
| railways were perhaps the greatest sufferers by
the stilke, for they were utterly without gas fol
| several days, and their cars were the only one.
IN all tine city that are lighted with gas. Thei
| cars went through generally without any ii III
| whatever, aud their station platforms wer,
| adorned with costermongers' naphtha lamps
| such as are seen around Washington market
| Saturday nights The traffic of these line.
| must have fallen off very materially, as passen
| gers who could take other lines were naturally
| anxious enough TO do SO. The 9ided palace.
| oil Blchus, in the Haymarket and Regent streets
| had decidedly funeral look, and the outside o
the Pail Mall club houses suggested the prob
ability thar the members were dining some
| where else just then. Compositots and proof
| readers had their iull snare Of Inconvenience
| and, most likely, "aposuophized" the stokers-
history recording the fact oil those useful gentle
mems having done something in that line here
| tolore. The theatres were only little less brll
| liant than usual. A prOfuslOn Of calslum ana
lime lights made the audiences forget the differ
ence il there really was any. st. James theatre
was compelled TO close the first night of the
few electric lights, The performances went on as
usual ancrward AT all the places OF amuse
ment there were various interpretations bearing
on the strike and the gas supply. One actor
playing the part of u servant in a serious piece
who was required to simply say "no," conyulsed
the house Tor moment, but was deseryeiv
hssed OFF The stage by saying, "No, gas not
Poor Capulet's more light, We knaves," has
no doubt done duty hundred times in a
week.
Strange as it may seem, the Strand, Oxford
street, and some Of the other great arteries, were
lighted up more brilliantly than ever before
during the euiire time the strike lasted, The
theatre proprietors affixed calcium lights 10
their buildings, as did many public spirited
sbopmen. Six OF these lights could be seen
from one point in the Strand, which street was
consequently immersed in hoOd OF briiliapcy
up to midnight. The expected outpourinp Of
tue bUrdes OF the Seven Dials aud Wpite.chapel
did not occur Fears were entertained ut first
that the roughs might attempt to inaugurate a
reign Of terror, but the prompt action OF the
gas companies and the hearty cooperation of
the criEeus nnquestionably avertcd the Gallant.
". Daring tue existence Of The greatest excite
mcn Ibe striking stokers-ihe dirtiesf, toughest
loo-ing Two lhOpsand men ever saw in line,
The OPPRESSION Of whose laces might be described
in the single word Deer-marched and counter
mafel1el through the streets. They jeered and
hooied w6srStpey saw las they must have seen