The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-04-23
JAY GouLD's REPLY.
The following is Jay Gou!d's reply to
Mr. poWderiy:


The following is Jay Gould's reply to
Mr.. Powderly:
NEW YoRy. April u. 1856.
r. r. Pordsrfy. Esq. g. NJ ". 4. OIL:
DEiE SIR--St twelve o'clnct to day re-
ceived from Mr.. VIM. II. Mcdowell, whom
you brought with you to our recent confer
ences, letter in which he says "Ry yes.
terday's mail received letter written by
Mr. Powderiy addressed to Won inclOsed in q
letter addressed to me- With this hand
Powderly. and a copy of Mr.. PowderIy's let.
ter to me inciosing the same" The follow
ing is a copy of the letter Mr.. Mcdowell sent
me as coming from Won:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ORDER OF KvIeHrs OFT
LABOR OF AMERICA,
OFFICE OF GENERAL MASTER WORKMAN,
SCRANTON, Pa. April l3, 1855 J
NY DEAR Mr.. Mcdowell: incIose you
letter which you are to read and deliver to
the man for whom Il is intended. 1 do not
through the medium o. smother. only ask
that it he placed in his hands. IL Won have
succeeded in effecting settlement with him
DO mot give !, to him. l, yoa think there is
not give IL to him. But IL such il not
the case I want IL placed in hts hands
Allow h lii either to eonsen. or make re-
ply. IL he consents to an honorable set
Element, then the letter will never see the
light of day. but il he does not act. then
1t will be published to the world and from
we will continue to wage the battle with
him. His wealth can not save him II this
fight IL begun. Let no one know or the
existence of this letter till after five O'Clock
OF the day you deliver it Then. II he
makes no reply let it go to the world. Let
him know the limit Of the time allowed.
necessity for its publicity. Hoping for the
T. y. powpxxLr.
To W. o. Mcdowell, Esq, New York.
"I thus received your letter to me deted
Scranton. Pa. April II, 1851" at the sa ne
time and by the same agency that received
your foregoing letter OF Instructions to Mr..
Mcdowell The animus and purpose of your
without knowing the contents OF that one.
was peremptOrily notified at the same time
that must answer your letter by five O'Clock
to day. and wa. grsciously given until that
hour to respond.
Your letter to me embraces two subjects.
one relating to me personally and the other
railroad company of which am tine presi-
dent. and, in some degree. the representa-
tive OF its public and private duties. I shall
refer to the first subject very briefly The
circumstances above given, under which
yoar letter was delivered, a. well as its
tenor and spirit. place the purpose in writ
ing il beyond any fair doubt. 1t would seem
to he an official declaration that the Enie hts
of Labor had determined to pursue me per-
sonaly unless the Missouri Pacific Company
should yield to its demands in what
IL.
In answer to these persons threats beg to
say that am yet free American citizen. I
am past forty nine years of age. and WAS
born at Roxbury. Delaware County, in this
State. began life in lowly way. and by
industry. temperance and attention to my
own business. have been successful, per-
IA yoa say. am now to be destroyed by the
Knights of Labor, unless ! will sink my
manhood. so be it. Fortunately, I
have retained my early habits OF in.
associates. know me WELL and l am quite
content to leave my personal re cord in their
hands. II any of them have angat to com
plain OF, will be only too clad to submit to
any arbitration. II such par.ies, any of
them. wish to appoint the Knights OF Lsbor
or you as their attorney, such appointment
election Is made I. viii naturally occur to
you that any interference on your part
in my personal affairs is, to say
the least. quite gratui;ous. since
WAS nineteen years Ok age / have
been in the habit OF employing in my
various enterprises large numbers ~ per-
sons. PROBABLY at times as hign is fifty thou
sand. distributing ofte three or four million
dollars per month to different pay rolls. Ii
would seem little stcapge that during all
these years the difficulty with the kniyhts OF
connect me personally with the Iate strike
on the Southwestern roads, or any response
oiiity therefor. Is equally Srs.uirous, az You
well know. 1t in true l am the presi len.
of the Missouri Pacific. but 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 that il any difficulties should
arise you would come frankly e. me with
them MT Hopkins, the Vice President OF
this company. who was present and cog
INFANT of this arrangement with you, in my
absence sent You promptly when the pres.
ent strike broke out the following tele
grams:
NEW YORK, March g. 1888
To T. V. POwDERLY, SCRANTON, Pa: Mr..
Hoxie teiegraphs that the knights of Labor
ON our road have struck and refuse to allow
any freight trains 70 run, saying that they
have no grievances, but are only strik ing
because ordered to do SO II there are any
grievances ~ would like to talk It over with
you. We understood you TO promise that
NO strikes would be ordered without con
sultation.
lSignedl A L HoPKun