The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-19
The Bergen Tunnel Rsots-Thc EVIL md
it's Re znody.

The Bergen Tunnel RsOts-The EVIL and
its remedy.
The recent proceedings at the Bergen tun-
mel, on the line Of the Erie Railroad, are emf
nently worthy of deep consideration by every
coed citizen, and the remedy for the existing
evil should be at once sought
We do not allude alone to the high-handed
proceedings Of the workmen when we speak Of
the existing evil They are wrong, and cannot
produce good to the sufferers. But they do not
constitute the whole of the evil. There is much
antecedent TO these proceedings, which are in
fact results only, that is as much part of the
evil as the proceedings of the barricaders at
Bergen. We allude to the infamous system
pursued by the corporate companies, Of which
the Erie is type, and the contractors who do
Its work. The Erie Railroad claims to be
work of great public utility, and its managers
have proceeded in its construction, coolly sacri-
fcing everybody that had anything to do with
t. First, the private stockholders, capitalists,
widows, orphans, every one that invested
a cent in it were despoiled; then the State was
sucked in for three millions of dollars; and
then new plan of attack was laid against
those who wished to lay by their earnings in
some safe investment in the shape of mortgage
bonds. By this combined system of fraud,
called in Wall street financiering, work whose
market value to-day does not exceed fourteen
million Of dollars, has cost somebody very
nearly forty millions.
Ii the widows and orphans who have been
despoiled, the capitalists who have been cheat
ed and the honest voters who have been taxed
and swindled by the Erie Railroad system. could
be all at one place, contemplating their own
and each others wrongs at the same time, as
the Bergen tunnel laborers have been, they too
would have barricaded the road, and mobbed
the managers if they could find them. The
case of the laborer is still more hard than
that of the capitalist. By their labor they
live, and yet, through the store order system,
they lose half its value in the purchases they
are thus compelled to make. Hundreds are
gathered together to work rominally at
dollar or dollar and half day.
store is established in the neighborhood, and
instead of receiving their wages in money, they
must take orders for goods. There they must
take, as it is alleged, bacon, bread and boots
at prices far above what they can be purchased
for anywhere else. Oppressed by poverty the
laborers have accepted this unwillingly but
yet without resistance. But when, at the end
of the fortnight or the month, y-day comes
and even the contractors store is closed
against them, it is not at all strange that
rather than lie down in the ditch and there
starve, they should resort to such means as are
within their power to obtain the life they have
earned by their labor. This statement Of the
condition of the laborer is, however, emphati-
cally denied by the contractor in another
column; but we give the two statements in
order that there may be no injustice to either
party.
We do not mean in these remarks to Justify
the resort to violence by defrauded or starv-
ing laborers but our object is to draw the at
tention of the community to the true causes
the evil, and to point out the remedy. 1t is of
little use to preach moral respect for the
law to hundreds of starving or excited
men, and still less useful to shoot them
down because they are hungry and demand
their wages. The remedy to be applied
should be applied beforehand by proper
legislation to govern corporations and con-
tractors In England they have been obliged
to abolish by act of Parliament, the system
paying wages in store orders; and our laws inf
regard to sham corporations are far too loose.
Instead, therefore, of calling out the militia to
force the laborer to stand and be cheated. it
would be well for those who claim to be pub
lie servants, and ask for popular support, to
look for the legislative remedy for the true
causes of these workmens riots.
SAILING OF THE GREAT EAsTEgS.-We learn.
by the company's advertisements in the London
Shipping Gazette Of the Sd inst, that the dates
Of sailing Of the Great Eastern both on her trial
trip and her first voyage to this country, have
been postponed from the time previously an
nounced. She was to start on her trial trip
from Portland, near Weymouth on Saturday,
the 18th, leaving her mornings in the Thames on
the 9Th, and stopping at the More to adjust her
compasses. She was announced to remain at
Portland from the 9th to the 18th, and after this
trip-whish was intended to last about three
days-she returns to Holyhead, where she will
remain open to visiters for week, and will
take her departure from that port for America
on the 10th of the present month.
She is advertised to take first class passen-
gers only, on the trial trip, at fares of five,
eight and ten pounds sterling, according to the
cabins selected, including provisions. The fares
to this country will be from eighteen to twenty
FIVE pounds, with an extra charge for state
cabins; and the passengers, in this instance
also, will be confined to those of the first class
Return tickets from Portland, United States, will
be Furnished at half fare She is advertised TO sail
from Portland on her return voyage on the LIST
Of November, which will give her about three
weeks to exhibit herself to the curious in this
country. who will dnuhtlncc avail ilao,sol,,o,