Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-16
GOULD TO POwDERLY.
Reply of the Railway MagnRte 90 the Let.
ter of the Grand mister,

letter;
NEW YORK, April AT. V. Powderly,
General Master Workman Knights OF La.
bori DEAR SIR-At 10 O'Clock to-day ]
received from Mr.. William II. Mcdowell,
whom you brought with you to our re.
cent conference, letter, in which he
SAYS: "By yesterdays mail received a
letter written by Mr.. Powderly, and a
copy of Mr.. Powderly's letter TO me in
closing the same" The following is a
copy OF the letter Mr.. Mcdowell sent me
as coming from you:
General Assembly Order of Knights of
Labor of America, Office OF General Mas
ter Workman, Scranton, Pa, April 10,
iss6,-MY DEAR SIR; | inclose you a
letter which you are to read and deliver
to the man for whom 1t is intended. do
not care whether You deliver 1t in person
or through the medium of another, only
| ask that 1t be placed in his hands. If
you have succeeded in effectiDg a settle
ment with him, do not give it TO him. If
you think there is prospect Of an lmme-
date settlement, do not give it to him.
But If such is not the case, want it
placed in his hands. Allow MIN TO CON
sent or make reply. If he consents to
an honorable settlement, then the letter
Will never see the light Of day. But if he
does not so act it Will be published to the
world, and from the time he opens up the
ball in legal way we will continue
to wage war with him. His wealth
cannot save him il this fight ls begun. Let
no one know Of the existence of this letter
until after O'Clock on the day you de-
liver it; then if he makes no reply, let it
90 to the world. Let him know the
limit OF the time allowed. | sincerely
hope that there will be no more necessity
for its publicity. Hoping for the best,
remain very truly, T. V. PowDERLY.
To w. II. Mcdowell, Esq, New York.
thus received your letter to me,
dated Scranton, Pa, April II, 1886, at
the came time and by same agency that
received your foregoing letter OF instruc-
tionS to Mr.. Mcdowell. The animus and
purpose OF your letter cannot be fully
understood without knowing the con
tents OF that one. / was peremptorily
notified ut the same time that must an
swer your letter by O'Clock to day, and
was graciously given till that hour TO
respond Your letter to me embraces
TWO subjects, one relating to me person
sally and the other to the relation of the
Knights Of Labor to railroad company
OF which | am the president, and
In some degree the representative
of its public and private duties. |
shall refer to the first subject very briefly.
The circumstances above given, under
which your letter was delivered, as well
as its tenor and spirit, place the purpose
In writing 1t beyond any fair doubt. It
would seem TO be an official declaration
that the Knights of Labor had determined
to pursue me personally unless the Mis-
souri, Pacific company should yield TO its
demands In what you call the strike on
that road. In answer TO these personal
threats, beg to say that am yet free
American citizen. | am past forty-nine
years of age, and was born at RoXbury,
Delaware county, in this state. l began
lie in lowly way, aud by industry,
temperance and attention to myown bust
ness have been successful, perhaps
beyond the measure of my deserts. II, as
you say, am now TO be DESTROYED by the
knights OF Labor unless ! will sink my
manhood, so be 1t Fortunately, | have
retained my early habits Of industry. NV
friends, neigh6ors and business associates
know me well and lam quite content to
leave my personal record in their hands.
II any OF them have ought to complain of,
VIII only be too glad TO submit TO any
aroltrauon. II such parties, or any Of
them, Wish to appoint the knights of
Laoer, or You, as their attorney, such APP
pointment is quite agreeable 70 me. But
uhtll such select IN is made, it will nat
urally occur to you that any interference
on your part 10 my personal affairs Is, 10
say the least, quite gratuitous. Since |
WAS n1nRfpan of { 4
the haOit OF employing in my various en-
terprlseS large numbers of persons. proh.
ably at times as high as fifty thousand.
distributing $1,000, 000, 81, COO, 900 or 81.
100000 per month to different pay rolls.
IL would seem a little strange that ali
these years the difficulty with the Kninbts
OF Labor should be my first. ANY at.
tempt TO connect me personally with the
late strike on the Southwestern roads. or
any responsibility therefor, IS equally era
tuitouS as You well know IL Is trpe I I
am the president of the Missouri Pacific.
out when this strike occurred was far
away on the ocean and beyond the reach
OF kilograms. | went away relying ON
your promise made TO me last August
that there should be no strike on that
road and II any difficulties should arise
you wocld come frankly to me with
Inem. AIR. Hopkins, the ylce-president |
Oh this company, who was pres |
ent ana coenzant Of this arrangement
with you, in my absence sent you PROMPT. |
y when the present strike broke out, Inc /
following kilograms,
"NEw York, March Ct. V. Powder. (
y, Scranton, Pa, Mr. Hoxie kilograms
mat knights of Labor ON our road have
struck and refuse to allow any freight
rains to rnn, saying they have no griey.
iinces but are striking because ordered 10
10 SO. IL there are any grievances we
Would like TO talk it over with Won. we
understood you topromise that no strikes
Would be ordered without consultation.
A l.. HOPKINS.
"PHiiADELPIIh, March s--To A. L.
hopkins Secretary Missouri Pacific Rail-
way, New York Have telegraphed
Vest for particulars. Papers saw strike
,aused by discharge OF man named Hall
IAN he be reinstated pending inyestiga.
ion? WT " pown,nts
"NEw YoRK, March IT. V. Powder
y Thanks for your message and sug.
'esuon' Han was employed by the