crowd at once dispersed, and the peace was not broken. The next day Mr. Hugh Taylor, one of the owners, came out and met the men, and had a friendly discussion with them. He proposed that the men should go to work at once, work for a week, and that a proper average should be taken of the week's work, promising that if after this was done it was found that the men's demands were right he would willingly grant them. The men resumed their work, and after the end of the week Mr. Taylor met them again. He said he found upon examination that their demands were fair and reasonable, and at once granted them. In addressing the men Mr. Taylor expressed a hope that "bygones would be bygones," and that both the men and the agents would go on harmoniously together, and forget the temporary unpleasantness that had taken place. Thus by the timely and judicious interference of Mr.Taylor a very unpleasant dispute was settled in a manner satisfactory to both parties. The peace that was then restored between the owners and the men has never since been broken, for though up to this time there had been an average of one strike a year at this pit as we have previously stated, since that year up to the present time there has never been any fresh disturbance. CHAPTER XXXVI. MEETINGS CONCERNING THE HARTLEY ACCIDENT. MEET THE The fatal accident at Hartley colliery in the early part of January, 1862, which has already been referred to in another chapter, having carried off upwards of 204 men and boys, a meeting to raise a fund for the relief of the widows and orphans left destitute was held in the Guildhall, Newcastle, on January 24th, 1862. The mayor of Newcastle, Mr. I. L. Bell, presided, and the Bishop of Durham, Lord Durham, Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart., Alderman Laycock, and a large number of other influential gentlemen were present, and took part in the proceedings. Mr. Joseph Cowen Jun., introduced a deputation of working men to this meeting for the purpose of expressing the desire of the working men to have three of their number appointed on the committee for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the fund for the relief of the widows and orphans. This was readily agreed to by the meeting. On the day following a large public meeting was held in the Lecture Room, Nelson Street, Newcastle, when Mr. W. Grieves presided. The first resolution submitted to the meeting was, "That in the opinion of this meeting, the resolutions agreed to at the public meeting held in the Guildhall yesterday were satisfactory to the workmen." This was carried with great unanimity. Mr. Thomas Weatherly moved the second resolution which was as follows:-" That the workmen in each colliery and factory in the two counties of Durham and Northumberland be requested to organise a collection amongst themselves at the earliest possible date, and that they transmit the same to the general committee in Newcastle with as little delay as possible.' This resolution on being put to the meeting was also agreed to. Mr. James Mather spoke at this meeting. He said he felt that the miners were certainly not the intelligent men he had conceived them to be, if they did not learn a lesson from their sad experience, and make provision for such catastrophes as this which had taken place at Hartley. It was also proper that the public themselves, who derived so much from the mines, should be aroused when the terrible calamity had taken place, and it was a proud thing to him on the preceding day to be present, and behold the fine generous warm feeling which was exhibited at the meeting. It was a happy thing to see that a great coal owner, in the person of the Earl of Durham, in the few remarks which he made, and the deep emotion which he exhibited in making them, showed that he felt it a deep responsibility to be an owner of coal mines; and that no means or schemes should be spared to secure the safety of the miners. He wished his lordship would often show himself to the public with such noble sentiments. This terrible misfortune unparalelled in the history of mines, was not the only thing that drew their attention, and which would carry conviction of the necessity of approving of the resolution which he would submit to them. Let them go back to Burradon. What did they see there? Scarcely had the shadow of death gone from that pit till another more terrible visitation had occurred to them, and why might the men in that case not have been recovered alive? Why were they destroyed? It was no use mincing the matter. He blamed no man, but he blamed the system, and the system was terrible and destructive. It was wealth against life. He concluded by moving the following resolution, "That a petition be sent from this meeting to the two Houses of the Legislature, praying that a special Parliamentary committee be appointed, to inquire into the general question of accidents at collieries, with a view of devising some plan by which a repetition of the frightful calamities that have lately taken place can be avoided; and that in the opinion of this meeting, no colliery should be worked without two shafts having been first sunk for the security of the men and the mines." Mr. Joseph Cowen, Jun., seconded the resolution. He said the whole question of accidents in coal mines would have to be inquired into, and at once. But while he said this, he did not mean to cast any reflections on the owners of the particular mine which had been the scene of the late horrible catastrophe. Hartley Pit was no worse than many other pits in the district. Messrs. Carr, instead of being worse, were very much better masters than many the miners had to deal with. The only feeling that existed in the district amongst all classes towards the very unfortunate owners of Hartley Colliery, was one of sympathy. They had simply acted in accordance with a very general custom in working their mines; and in asking for a searching investigation into the entire subject, it was not individuals, but the entire system they condemned. They must insist upon all collieries in future having two shafts, or two good modes of entrance and exit of some kind; and he believed that the general adoption of such a system would conduce as much to the advantage of the colliery owners, as it would certainly do to the safety and comfort of the working men. A miner rose to ask Mr. Dunn, the Government Inspec tor, who was present at this meeting, if he had any power to order two shafts to be sunk where he thought they were required? The following colloquy then took place : Mr. Dunn said he was very glad that that gentleman had given him a subject on which to speak. In the first place, he had a circular from Sir George Grey, showing that up to this time Government themselves had not the power of making a double shaft; and every inspector was called on to give him some information as to what shafts were single, and what were double. Many people in this country did not understand the object of this government inspection. The inspectors could only deal with general principles. An inspector could not go into this, that, or any other mode of working the pits, and it was the fault of the men themselves if they did not call the inspectors more frequently. They were bound to attend their calls, and he challenged any one to say he did not attend a call when it was made. The men were the proper persons to move the inspector. It was not his place to know all the particulars of every colliery. Changes were going on constantly in the management of collieries, and these changes were made independently of the inspector altogether. He was not bound to know, and he had no means of communication. He stood alone, and he could not do anything by virtue of his own exertions. Therefore he hoped that they would take warning from this event, and take the thing into their own hands, and make the inspector work. Miner :-I believe you have something like 150 collieries to inspect? Mr. Dunn :-Yes. Miner: Twenty-eight in Cumberland? Mr. Dunn :-Yes. Miner ::-Do you think you are able to inspect all these? Mr. Dunn :-Well, the Government thinks I am able, you know. Another Miner:-Were you satisfied with the one shaft at this colliery, if so there is an end to the matter; if not, what steps did you take to remedy the defect? Did you apply to the Secretary of State, showing him that it was defective? |