The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-14
KIMBERLY'S CASE,
THE CONTRACTORS OWN VERSION
OF the Strike on the Gas Pipe Line lAStTuos'
.day--HO Claims no was led to oOnOsdO
the MEMS Demands by False Repre-.
sentations-No new Men Taken on.

the Mems Demands by False Repre-.
s~entations-NO new Men Taken ON.
Mr., P. L. Kimberly was in the city yes
terday, and an INTRLLIaESCER reporter
who ran across him managed to secure
the following interview, which goes to
show that the contractors lot Is anything
but a happy one. To cay that Mr.. Kim
berly Is disguised Is putting 1t mildly,
The manner in which he tells his story
shows that. The reporter led of by re-
marking that he had heard that there'had
been some trouble with the men en-
ploysd to take the places Of the Italians.
"Yes," said Mr., Kimberly, ION Mon
day and Tuesday Of this week strike was
declared, and l want to explain just the
true status OF the case, Aiterthe adoption
oil the Tracy resolution in Council the In
vestigating Committee met; MessrB.
Bachelor, Buchanan and others Of the
Gas Company were present. | was called
and examined, after which the meeting
apparently resolved itself into a love feast
and agreed that my contract was to be
ignored, the Italians discharged and
Wheeling laborers employed 10 take their
places. The first part Of this proposition
was carried out to the letter at great cost,
$500 being the price. At q meeting oil the
Directors Of the Gas Company heldthenext
day, at which 1 was present, It was ar
ranged that two gentlemen who were
selected at the meeting were to advertise
for and employ the Wheeling laborers;
they were sent for by telephone, appeared,
and after a full and free explanation OF
the situation accepted the positions assign.
ed them. Advertisements In all the
papers we're published and the announce
ment made that work would begin on
Monday, May 10. The gentlemen report
Ing success in the way OF securing the
laborers needed, the programme was
changed and one gang sent forward In
time 10 make q start on Saturday, May
s; the second gang arrived and made q
start on Monday as agreed upon.
DECLARED FOR A STRIKE.
HAD l been on the ground on that day
this start would not have been made nor
would gang No. l have worked, as they
had declared in favor ola strike. Owing
to my absence the advice Of others pre-
vailed and the men were induced To work
until Iarrived. l got to the workon Tues
day morning before the hour Of commenc.
ing work, aud passed down tho line as the
men were getting into the ditch. l had
learned from q stranger whom l met on
the road that the men were on q strike
and not at work. MI. Knight, my Super
intendent, had gone to q nearby farm
house to get a messenger to ride to Wash
inRton with q telegram to be sent 10 me,
he supposipg | was still In Wheeling. As
l was hurrying along the line TO catch Mr..
Knight to save this trouble and ex.
pense, l was approached by some Of the
men, who informed me they were q com.
mittee and wanted TO SEQ me. / replied
that l was In q hurry and would be back
In q few moments. however, waited
long enough to hear what the committee
had to say; as Isupposed, the men were
appointed to make q demand on me for
transportation for their supplies, stoves,
&C., from the railroad station. | replied
that l had nothing to do with that matter,
referred them 10 the bosses who had hired
them and passed on. The committee
called on the men to come out and cease
work, which they did to q man and with Q
shout OF e~xultation, as l thought.
"After finding Mr.. Knight returned to
the line and learned from Mr.. Gushing |
think who is The Superintendent Of the
pipe line, that l had not been patient
with the men that l had not even heard
their grievances. | was surprised and
said that 1t was not too late 10 remedy o
blunder II one had been made, and that l
would 90 up 10 their camp where the
men had gone and talk with them, as1
had time then, and asked him to 30 along.
THE DEMANDS.
"When We got to the camp l met the
committee and informed them that l
wanted no misunderstanding, and that l
would be glad 10 talk with them now
that l had more time. We retired from
the camp a short distance, when their
spokesmen informed me that they had
been appointed 10 make the following de.
mandst EfBt-$16 so per day instead Of
81 %, the price agreed Upon and the price
which was assured men would be found
10 do this work for, II | would let the
Italians 20. SeCond-That l must fur.
nish transportation 10 and from the rail.
road for theft supplies. Third-That the
camps must be moved on my time and q
team furnished To do the moving,
~ asked II that was all, and was In.
formed that II was. 1 recognized that l
was In o hole, and asked for time TO 20
over to Washington-elght and a half
miles away-to consult With MI. 9myth
and the company's officers In Wheeling,
which, did BY telephone. The result was
that Mi. Smyth aud Mt. Lambing both
came out on The train. They got to Wash.
ington about 8 p. NJ, and we all rode out
10 The camps and spent from B r. N, Until
about l0'P. n. discussing the situation and
trying 10 arrive at a conclusion oithe dill.
Guilty, 1 allowed both Mr.. Lanbing and
Mt. smyth 10 do most Of the talking
hoping by 90 doing that cooler blood and
less feeling would enter into the discus
sion, and that bsttef terms could be made
than I could probably get II | managed
the matter. We were forced, however, 10
yield everything OF stop the work. Know.
Ing the anxiety Of the company aud the
people 10 get the work done quick. /
yielded and the men went 10 work again.
rus RuLtSu PRicH.
Htn the discussion Of the situation and
demands made II was asserted, and backed
up with such good authority, that other
lines we're paying the price demanded Of
me, that l thought ! would DO Justified In