The desire of the working classes to increase the relief fund has been manifested in many ways.
On Wednesday, the employees of Messrs Newsome, Sons and Spedding, Dewsbury, resolved not to take a preferred half-holiday on the Royal wedding day, but instead to work and give their earnings for the benefit of the bereaved. Like resolves were made by the workpeople of Messrs Mark Oldroyd and Sons Ltd, and Messrs Jas. Walmsley and Sons.
On Thursday night a  meeting of the representative of the workpeople of Messrs. Pickles, Smithson, and Pickles, held a meeting and after a vote of condolences with the sufferers had been passed, it was decided that all wages earned next Tuesday should be given to the relief fund. What ever the amount is Mr Smithson promised to double it out of his own pocket.

Mystery over Cause Of The Explosion

Some suggestions have been made that the explosion may have been caused by the use of a naked light, and the consequent ignition of gases which had accumulated in disused portions of the mine, the lower bed, for instance. In this connection it is noted that the disaster occurred soon after the arrival of the blacksmith to shoe some ponies, but this will have to be inquired into, in evidence given before the Coroner. The most searching investigation will be made - of that there is no doubt - but a few weeks may elapse before the enquiry is concluded and a verdict given. None will more desire the fullest enquiry than the colliery owner himself, Mr Ingham himself, and one is certainly the right of the bereaved and working miners, not only of Thornhill district but of the country at large.

Children Have Collections

On Wednesday Dewsbury Corporation distributed circulars and bills throughout the locality calling for a public meeting for the purpose of forming a committee to collect subscriptions in the borough for the Thornhill Colliery Relief Fund.

The meeting was held on Thursday in Dewsbury Town Hall and there was a fully representative gathering. The Mayor opening the meeting, said the object of the meeting was to show practical sympathy with those who had been so suddenly deprived of their loved ones and who had been their support.

He said much money would be needed, but he was sure the money would be forthcoming, not only from Dewsbury, but everywhere. He was glad to say that subscriptions were coming in well.

The Town Clerk read a letter from Sir Owen Roberts, secretary of the Clothworkers' Company, saying he had pleasure in enclosing a cheque for £50.

The Rev. William Appleyard said he sympathised with the bereaved and would subsribe five guineas. A telegram from the Earl of Rosebery, Foreign Secretary, stated that he wished to donate £50. (Applause). The Mayor announced that the Dewsbury Old Band would give a concert of sacred music in aid of the fund from six to nine p.m., in the field at Savile Town Councillor Barstow, who is also secretary of the Dewsbury Co-operative Society, said he had convened a special meeting of shareholders for Monday next to take into consideration the granting of a donation to the relief fund. He had decided to recommend that the donation should be a minimum sum of £500. (Much applause).

The Town Clerk then read other letters and telegrams expressing sympathy and making donations. The Rev. E. Carr donated £1 and Mr George Fox, £10. The Mayor recommended that instead of a relief fund being established in Dewsbury, it would be best to pay over all the subscriptions obtained to the Thornhill Relief Committee, who would be better able than any committee in Dewsbury to secure the proper distribution of the money.

It was agreed that all ministers had special collection for the fund in their several places of worship on Sunday next. Also foremen at the several mills and workshops would be asked to make collections.

Street Fortune Telling - And On A Sunday

A woman of middle-age, who is well known to the police, and whose name is Elizabeth Hawksworth, put an enforced appearance last Monday at the Dewsbury West Riding Courthouse, under the Vagrant Act. A constable stated that on Sunday afternoon, he saw the prisoner seated on the side of the road, and noticed her doing something with her hands. He saw a young woman go up to her and speak and then give the woman something. He was in plain clothes and going nearer he saw she was shuffling a pack of cards. She left the spot and went 400 yards further up the road, where she sat down on the edge of the causeway and began to shuffle cards again and show them to passing young women. The officer saw her receive money from one and say: "If you give me another copper I'll tell you what your young man will be like". (Laughter). Witness then went up, and said he should take her into custody for begging, and she exclaimed, "I'm not begging, I've done this thing for thirty years, and never was interfered with before." Hawksworth said in court that she had never stopped anyone to tell their fortunes. "They stopped themselves," she said. Superintendent Midgley said the woman was well known and had been four times convicted at the sessions and three times at the court. The Chairman warned the woman as to her future conduct and inflicted a sentence of seven days imprisonment.

Trade Unionists Demonstrate

The annual demonstration promoted by the Dewsbury and District Trades and Labour Council was held on Sunday afternoon, in rather unfavourable weather.

The members of the various trades assembled about 1.30 in front of the Town Hall, Dewsbury, and were formed in processional order as follows: The Dewsbury Old Band, the Trades and Labour Council, headed by their banner; the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, with a large banner; the Batley Old Band, the Heavy Woollen District Weavers and Textile Workers' Association with banner; the Gawthorpe Brass Band; the Chickenley Heath, Soothill Wood, and No 2 Batley branches of the Miners' Association with banners; The Dewsbury and Ravensthorpe branches of the Gas Workers and General Labourers' Union.

The other trades represented were the engineers, moulders, ironfounders, plumbers, basket makers etc. The procession went along Bradford Road to Batley and then proceeded along Commercial Street, down Hick Lane and back again along Bradford Road to the vacant piece of ground near the Skating Rink, where a meeting was held. Here a large number of persons had already assembled and the processionists brought up the number present to about 4,000. A number of wagons were used as a platform. Mr G W Ibbotson, president of the local Trades and Labour Council, occupied the chair and he was supported by Mr Tom Mann (London), Mr Edward Harford (London, general secretary of the ASRS), Councillor A Gee (Huddersfield), Mr Fletcher (Huddersfield), Mr T S Parr, JP, Mr H Richards, Mr J E Swann, Mr B Turner, secretary and others.

Before the meeting commenced, the three united bands played the 'Dead March' from Saul, under the conductorship of Mr B D Jackson.

The Chairman then said on behalf of that meeting, it was his painful duty to move the following resolution:-
"That this meeting of workers express its fullest sympathy with the families and relatives of the men and lads who lost their lives on Tuesday last, at Combs Pit, Thornhill."

He thought they would agree with that resolution, as every one of them, bringing it home to themselves, would feel that it was one of the most disastrous circumstances that had ever happened in this district.

Mr Turner would second the resolution and he hoped they would carry it in silence.

Mr Ben Turner, in seconding, said it was only their duty to pass the resolution, seeing that their friends, the miners, as a body would have been with them that day but for the sad calamity. It was rather creditable to the working classes that men were found among them willing enough and brave enough to risk their own lives in rescuing those who were entombed in that fatal mine.

The resolution was passed in silence and with uncovered heads.

The Payment Of Insurance Claims

Councillor Munroe, one of the superintendents for the Prudential Insurance Company has received the following telegram from Mr Dewey the manager:-
''Regret to hear sad loss of life through explosion. Arrange to pay all claims immediately. Telegraph -amount likely to be required. Cheque shall be sent”.

Mr Munroe, since the receipt of the telegram, has drawn £500 from the bank, and taken it on to Thornhill to pay claims of those who have been insured in the Prudential Company. On Wednesday, Mr Hewitt, Bankfield Road, Huddersfield, who is agent for the Royal Liver Friendly Society, received a telegram of which the following is a copy:- "Committee regrets to hear of colliery disaster and sympathise with sufferers. See any claims paid immediately." Mr Wilkinson, their agent at Dewsbury.

The Miners' Association

The sad intelligence that a serious explosion had occurred at Combs Pit was first known in Barnsley by means of a telegram addressed by Henry Oldroyd, checkweighman at the pit. It was sent to Mr B.N. Pickard, M.P., who is secretary of the Yorkshire Miners' Association, of which the unfortunate miners are members.

Mr Pickard was in London attending to his Parliamentary and other duties connected with the Miners' Federation. The telegram was handed to Mr E Cowey, president of the association, who happened to be at headquarters, and that gentleman at once left Barnsley for the scene of the disaster. The miners entombed are not connected with the West Riding of Yorkshire Miners' Permanent Relief Fund, although that society has tried to establish agencies at collieries in the district.

No Sight More Touching

Graphic descriptions of the scenes awaiting visitors to Thornhill on the afternoon and day after the disaster, were recounted by guests who attended the opening of the new park in Wakefield, which was two days after the terrible calamity.

The Bishop of Wakefield said what he saw on the Combs hillside on Wednesday was the most piteous sight that man could possibly look upon.

Thousands and thousands of poor men and women and children were sitting all day long in silence waiting for news which they knew must be most sad and terrible. He knew that in the midst of their rejoicings that day, they would not forget those poor sufferers and those sad ones elsewhere.

The Mayor of Dewsbury, who was to have been with them, had felt it right to stay all rejoicings in his town, where so many were closely related to the poor fellows in the pit.

Mr Milnes—Gaskell, chairman of the West Riding County Council, said he should like to re-echo what had been said by the Bishop. He and his wife paid a visit to Thornhill, which was in his old constituency, on Wednesday, and never in his life had he seen a sight more touching than those long serried masses waiting in the bright sunshine for hopeful tidings.