The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-02

1t may be surprising to learn that the
attention of England has been turned
during the week from these gathering
armies in the East and directed to little
hamlet in South Wales. 1t is not hard
to find in human nature the reason for
this. The looming war with all its prob
abilities Of slaughter, of desolated homes,
of widows and orphans by the hundred
thousand, had only been regarded in the
popular mind through diplomatic lenses.
The war was still a game of chess, but
suffering, brought to the peoples door,
as it were, by the aid of the newspapers,
caught the sympathies Of the million.
1t was story of a disaster at the collieries.
Scores of such calamities to the men who
work way down in the dark, taking their
lives by hundreds at time, have oc-
cured within the last few years in En-
gland, and the horror of. them have ar
rested attention for day or two. They
were stories of sudden catastrophes; a
low subterranean rumbling heard. a
column of smoke rising into the air; the
gathering of white-faced women and
children at the pits mouth; after some
hours the bringing forth of grimy corpses
in the cage; next day great funeral that
shook the whole country side with its
passionate grief, and then al! over All
over in two or three days. But there at
Pontepridd there was a prolonged agony.
The correspondents of the morning and
evening papers poured into London's
ear hour by hour the intensity of the eff
fort and suspense that hung around the
TrpaIvIblvv I u
think or speak Of nothing else.
An explosion, followed by an inunda-
ton, occurred ten days ago. Nine men
were imprisoned behind column of
coal 1870 feet thick, which had fallen
with the first shock. There was mvs-
terry about their fate, but the warm
hearts of the South Wales GOLFERS de-
cided swiftly that, if sturdy arms could
unravel that mystery ere too late, it
should be done. Work was begun and
willing hands were superabundant Night
and day the toll was unremitting, and SO
it went for week before the first raw of
hope was given to the toilers. AS the
time rolled on the interest grew, and
London held its breath in anxiety tolearn
the fate of the imprisoned or entombed.
At length on Thursday last sufficient
progress had been made to open COM
munication with group of the men
five in number; the other four having
wandered away to other parts of the
mine. Now came the awful moment.
Brave, tirelcss, ceaseless and sleepless,
the rescuers worked inch by inch to their
brethren in the living tomb, guided only
by their knOckings from the gloom AS
the rescuers worked onward the voices of
the men in the dark could be heard sing
ing their Cymric hymns. Tears of Joy
welled down faces black with coal dust
at the solemn sounds that told them that
God was Strengthening the hearts of
their comradest TO endure until they could
be saved.
At last a passage was made, and one
by one, weak, but still alive, the five
men were borne on brawny arms to the
light of day. This was yesterday after
noon. Hundreds of thousands all over
the land wept with joy. In London the
excitement knew no bounds. The Home
Secretary was questioned in the House
of Commons to know if the news was au-
thentic; the Queen telegraphed down to
Wales for confirmation; crowds gath
cred about the newspaper bulletins the
papers are full of praise of the bravery
of the rescuers, the details of the rescue
and the strong endurance of the men who
were saved. The Welsh bravery of the
last week will be sung in the Eistedfodds
of the Cymri for ages.-LOndOn Tee
gram to ". y. Herald. ... ...