The New York herald., 1871-03-30
THE COAL TROUBLES.
Failure Of Legislative Interference-A Break
In tho Dead -L0c.x--Prcs spects.


Failure Of Legislative Iuterference-A Break
In tho Dead adLOc.<-Prcspects.
WILKEsBARRE, March %, 1871.
THE COAL TROUBLES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
IL is but mildly expressing the public sentiments
mere to say that the Of the Senate Judiciary
Committee, to whom was referred the Governors
message and Attorney Generals opinion upon the
coal troubles. has disgusted almost every
body. The milk ana water report pre-.
sented on Friday last has been received
by oil parties with unmitgated evidences of
dissatisfaction. The miners now realize that it
was mistake to suppose that relief would oe
aHorded them from that quarter. The operators see
that they are still left to the tender mercles of the
carrying corporations without hope OF redemption
ana consumers generally understand that there Ia
no disposition on the part of the Legislature to act
TOT the people In this most important juncturc
Hence nobody is satisfied with the dose
Of Legislative soothing syrup called pre-.
nminary report, II we except the carry
ing companies who have been left untouched
IN their exorDitant rise OF coal freghts It Is NOT
out OF place to say that the prevailing opinion here
Is that 'solid arguments" have been made In IIar.
risburg to induce the committee to transcend the
duty II was appointed to perform, and thus play
into the hands OF the corporations against the
miners. IL was not so generally understood
that the Judiciary Committee was instructed TO
inquire If the carrying companies had violated their
charters by ex0rbanty and extortionately increas-
ing the rates OF freight upon COAL and thus conspired
to create a famine and panic in that particular
branch or trade. The circumstances OF the case
were perfectly understood, and there was no mis-.
take IN regard to the wishes OF the people In
the matter. They wanted to know to what
extent theif rights had been bartercd away to the
that justice and protection would be accorded
TO them. Instead Of combining themselves
strictly to the matters con1ded TO them the com.
mttee opened all the questions of the trade, and In
erect arralgned the miners before the public as
instgators OF the present trouble in place OF the
CARRYING companies whose conduct they were es-
irrelevant to the issue was admitted, ana after
a. aehberaii1n Lion OF about a week the
OF the most dimInutive proportions. The recom-
Tendations OF the committee are very well In their
way 1t is true, but they do not meet the difficulty
at al What was wanted was action, sharp and
decisive, which would restrain the gigantic corpo-
ratlons and give the miners chance to live.
tion of the coal trouble is left in the same
unsatisfactory state that It was before the Senate
under this condition OF affairs are the Individual
operators VINO are eft out In the cold by the virtual
must arbitrate with the miners on the one hand
ana the carrying companies on the other. They
are tnus placed between the upper and the neither
mill stone, and nave every reason to grumbie even
more than they do: the carrying companies are
intrenched, and the Individual operators are told to
arbtrate Under this unsat sfactory result or egis
latiye inter erence the combination Of the coal con-
sprators is already beginning to crumbe to pieces,
and there Is to-day an indication OF
BREAK IN TaE DEADLOCK.
Despairing Of coming to direct solution OF the
coal problem through the legislature, some Of the
with their men, paying them the old prices, and
begun to snip coal to the the ruling
present rates 1t Will be cheaper for them
to work their mines tnan keep them longer
operators in the valley. and who representative
man IN the interest OF the Lehigh Valley Railroad,
work, and producing large quantity OF coal, Which
is being shipped East daily. The other operators |
VIII not remain idle long and the Wilkesbarre Coal
tions within the week. This sudden and unexpected
activity is Is due 10 causes not generally public,
operators see that there is to be no aid |
extended to them from Harrisburg in The way Of |
compelling the railroad companies to transport their
coal at fair rates, and finding that deness is eating
up their property faster than che increased price OF
cances relying on pubic opinion TO sustain them.
Another and more important pressure bearing for
or April there viii appear q new actor
IN The coal field troubles On that day the Central
high and susquehanna Raroad, which runs froin
Easton TO Green village, near Scranton This gives
New YORK and Scranton, ana reders It Formidable i
s0%peor Of h,raS ,ns
Valley Railroad In coal transportation from |
the Wyoming and Lehleh region 1t is be-
emily of the coal conspra ors. and wll on SATURDAY.
take all the coal offered reasonable rates. Under
week. paying the eXorDitant tolls for O few days. |
under the assurance that things VIII soon be better
all round Thus the deadlock falls to pieces from |
its own weight, or causes not at first anticipated.
THE PROSPECTS
are natterng lor good spring business a'ter all.
Inere Is much depression among business men, but
mat VIII soon wear OF as coal goes more freely to
market With the great coal ana carrying companies
the status will remain unchance1 for some time to
come. There Is no appearance OF giving way either
side. especially as the company has declared that
they Will not resume operations unless the men 60
to work at reduction OF forty six cents per dia-
mond car. TINS obstnacy on their part is severely
hosts OF friends for the miners "''' ''' '''
learn that anorner effort will be made this week
to have the coal troubles properly considered by the
Legislature. resolution 10 that effect will be pre-
sented IN the Senate to-day or tomorrow.
AT meeting OF the miners employed by the Della.
yania Coal Company and the Delaware, Lacka.
wanna and Western Railroad Company, held on
Friday last resolved not to yield to the pro-
posed reduction Of forty-siy cents per car.
Arguments Before the Legislative Invesii sat-
ing Committee.
ARR1sBuRG, Pa, March go, 1871.
The coal investigation before the Senate Commit.
tee was Iesuincu tls ai'erHoon. INC argument was
opened by MI Brockway, Of Columbia county, for
the miners. He was followed by r. A.
Lamberton, or Harrisburg, for the rail-
road companies. Frank Gowan, president of the
Reading Railroad Company for the same side, fol.
lowed then al great length. He stated that the only
permanent settlement that could he effected was by
representatives for the contending parties to meet
and talk nationally His party were ready at
any time, and If the miners were TO resume
work to- morrow on basis agreed upon by such
meeting the tolls would Immediately be put down
again.
Tie investigation will be closed tomorrow with
an argument by l.. w. Hall for the miners.
THE CONNECTICUT ELECTION.