The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-17
RE.iDTNG RAILROAD MITIERS.
why President Gowen hn. Gone 20 Europe
The Lo.s by the Engineers strike -Ftnnn-
cinI Embn-rns.tnents-R Breaker. Ahend.

The I.oss by the Engineers strikc -Ftnnn-
ci"i cnts-Brcaker. Ahead.
PoTrsvrLLE, Pa, May l5.-Prosident Gowen
of the Philadelphia and Rendng Railroad Com
pany has gone to Europo. His purpose in max
ing this trip is according 10 his own words.
to recuperatc his health. This has always been
his convenient excuse for every trip Of the kind
he has made heretofore. But as his corporeal
appearance does not indicate any lack Of health.
and as he has always heretofore worked like
beaver on the other side to squeeze out a new
loan. there is little confidence placed in his
statement. but there is n settled conviction
among those who know anything at all Of the
| company's affairs that there are serious break
ers ahead. Nothing but the most serious cmer-
gcncv could call abroad the head OF this vast
concern at this tmc when the affairs Of the cor
poration at home are in the most unsettled con-
dition they have ever been since the day IL was
first organized.
The company have conquered the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers by employing
now men in the places 81 the strikers. hut IL
il a question to be decided in the near future
whether the Brotherhood has not also con-
into bankruptcy. IT, Is well known 10
TIVE ,SuN readers that tai. company has
not been in condition to survive any
serious extra loss, unless some extra,
ordinary event should come 10 pass that would
Er.1tly revive mo coal trade. 1hat event mas
not happened yet; and there are no signs " its
happening. Mr. Gowen evidently placed II Rreat
deal OF confidence in the new coal combination;
anu a. he had already crushed out the Miners
Union. 80 ~ a. place il out ~ the power Of the
MIN r. to exact a share OF the extra profits
arising out Of "a rise in the price of coal and as
tine Irpth"rlOOi of Engineers were the Ony
organ .Ition ON the road that could show Itself
iormidahl", ie took II to 'e prppitlous Time 90
price oi coal and paying the lowest wages 81 any
loai in tle country, ne coull manae, 70 doctor
fai ng glory a. a manager.
need not tell the public that he has not sue
WIFI he bas cSnSuered re cn'inecrl he R' as
also thereby succeeded ia saddllng his company
with az extra loss OF nish hail mih,9n dol
lars. u must hr remembered thuf tine II .uling
road ia one Of the most Il iilcult and intricate -
run over in the country, even Tor old hands.
When. therefore, thecompany was compelled 10
employ nigh on to two hundred new md COM
paratlVely green engineers, the damage soon
made itself apparent in the large number II
accidents and smash UPS along the road. Some
of these smash-ups of coal trains caused loss
of cii,lt to ten thousand 4 liars apiece Many
engines were burned and wrecked nOtwIth-
standing the denial Of the General Manager. Tor
act lal ul srrNatuns " the wrecks along the road
is better evidence than his Interested assertions
The public would not RISK their lives under
green hands, and the passenger uanlc fell OIL
TO foresiall tho uniavorable showing this
state Of affairs VIII make necessary in the item
81 rnnnins ,Afnses o, vie NJ ~ NE
with another CLOWN picture OF the grandeur OF
the scheme that nas grown 10 be such an elephant
among some Of the stockholders that Mr.. Gowen
| is managing In favor of the OOnthOlgerS. and
that the wiping out ut The stockholders IL only
| question OF time Thus the people are getting
| to bee more aud more dlstrustiul VI his manage
| m.nt
But it ia not now that ne is making the first
mistakes. These accumulated upon MIN 10y ex-
| trayagnnt management during IA flush times.
| and hy aid of the combination. until they now
| Oycrwhclm him. Tho people ara now asking
| the questions. why was he ever chosen for such
| position - " What amount OF eXpe rience had
| h. ~ u Schuylkill county lawyer 10 qualify him
| for such gigantic task as that the company in
! trusted him with - Ii Is notorious that bad
management caused his failure with one Of the
| host rOllirrirs IN : 'huylku county in better
| times than the present. Hence the general sur
! prise when hc WAS made President Of tue COM
| Iany without any apparent connection with Il
except a. It's attorney. But soon the grand
'hemes he persuaded the company to let him
| iuaugurate dagZ.cd and captured everybody.
| and caused him to be looked upon ~ one OF tue
| greatest managers of the age. II was lie who
| conceived and ,arried out the scheme Of organ
| ling the Coal and Iron Company rs side con-
| Germ for the railroad company The plausible
stories he told of tle untold wealth that lay hid
den in the hills of the Schuylkill coal region
| caused the British capitalists - invest freely.
| which gave Mr.. GOwen command OF vast sums
| OF money. Now 1t is broadly asserted all
| around that in making purchases Of coal lAnds
| and ellli'rics he was la lsh with the company =
| money In providing for friends. ENtravhgant
prices were paid Tor cpllcrles whose owners
| were bankrupt Coal lands were bought that
| were unproducllve. ana eopll nov be mhhle pro-
mnllons OF douars. ms SO lar increased tnee
ieut ol the company lnat IL IeasMrites iOOo,O,uo
yer hnnHh loI tptrtent a'3ie ~, ~ rem vonu
Nl'ii " .iie .ttr'N nus i'Nf% ''Vh N,.NNt'Ntb N'h