Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-23
PROBING THE GREAT STRIKE.
Further Examination Of Mr. Jay
Gould.

HIS VIEW OF THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
THE STRIKERS-PoOLING A BENEFIT AND
COMPETITION NOT THE LIFE OF TRADE.
When the House labor Investigating commit
tee reassemDled at three O'Clock yesterday,
after recess, Mr.. Grain tried to get some inform
alton from Mr.. Gould as to the ways Of con-
struction companies In issuing stock to them
selves out of proportion to the work done, but
Mr.. Gould at first evaded the question, and
then denied any knowledge of the matter.
MR.. GOULD ON THE CAUSE OF THE STRIKE.
Witness said he thought the cause of the
strike was the desire of some of the leaders to
gain notoriety and consequence. He said he
had never heard of, and did not believe In,
iuded to In the first days testimony, such as
the cheating OF employees in the matter of hos
Pltai Taxation, homesteads and stores belong
ing to superintendents and foremen. Such
statements were ridiculous. and he felt positive
that there were no instances of the kind. He
was inquired OF by Mr.. Cultivate as to stock
specuiations growing out of the strike, and he
said he knew nothing of the kind. aud that so
far as he was himself concerned, he had not
short, since the first OF January, and had no
speculative interest in the market. He was
sure that none OF the directors of the Missouri
racine mao any dealings in the stock OF the
road on the days following his interview with
MT. OuCuWalte.-"W herein would the public
interests or the interests of the company have
suffered by the representatives of the company
aIs sSap1s the proposition OF the Knights Of
=. Mr.. Gould.-'To arbitrate whate That was
the question"
Mr.: 0uthwaite.-.You certainly knew what
Mr.: Gould.-"I do not know that we differed
at al. read my proposition over TO Mr.. Pow
aerly' ana ne said he agreed to every word of
Mr.. Outhwaite.-"I have reference to the diff
Guilty which seemed to arise Ut 1t did not arise)
on that Monday. First the men were ordered
to resume work and were about to do SO; and
Inc next information the country had was that
tne men had not resumed work, and that the
Trouble was still existing"
Mr. Gould-''They did not pay any attention
70 the order. On the contrary, Martin Irons
telegraphed to them to
HOLD THE FORT
They did not obey the order, and did not pro-
pose to. did not understand that there was
any agreement made with Powderly. There
was not. When he left my house 1 did not
know what he was going to do. After he went
out had discussion with Mr.. Hopkins, who
l said he would do nothing; that he had not
the courage. W hat he had said he would do
was to issue an order declaring that the strike
was without cause, that the men were in rebel
hon and taking away their charter. 1t was on
that statement that | gave him a copy of my
came out in the papers from him that there
was an entirely different thing done 1t was of
that complained, because did not agree to it
In That shape, and would not have agreed to it
in that shape"
Mr.. Outhwaite.-"But what injury could have
come TO the company ii it had accepted and
Mr.. Gould.-"I do not know what subject
their arbitration would cover. II it covered
the question whether we should discharge men
whom we had employed after the strike, we
would not admit that TO be u subject of arbi-
tration."
DID NOT INTEND TO ARBIrRATE.
MIR. Outhwaite.-"Then you did not intend
or want to have any arbitration or effort to
settle any difficulties with Knights of Labor
who had struck or We're out OF your employ
ment at the time? Was that the understand
ing?'
Mr.. Gould.-"Yes that is it distinctly
Mr. Burnes inquired to the relations of the
Missouri Pacific with the other railroads now
Incorporated in the system as to the amount OF
tiers connected with the company, which in-
formation Mr.. Gould promised TO furnish here
after.
POOLING BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC.
Mr. Burnes also inquired as to the general eff
feet of the pooling system, and Mr.. Gould n.
piled that its general effect was beneficial To
the public, because, without it, most, II not all
OF the railroads OF the country would be in the
hands of receivers.
sult?'
Mr.: Gould.."Because Of low rates from ex-
cessiNe competition"
MI. ouiuSc.-Aueu CompcLlIAOu IS not the lie
of trader"
Mr.. Gould.-'sNo, sir. And the result would be
that wages would have to be cut down SO per
cent. Labor is very large element in railroad
Directly it amounts to about 60 per
cent, to say nothing of the labor in steel rails
and other railroad materials
MIR. Burnes.-"If pooling is beneficial to the
railroad companies, is it also beneficial to the
people:"
Mr.: Gould. az think it is. The public is inter-
ested in having strong, able roads, well
equipped. have always found that real estate
sells higher, and the people would rather live
on the lines OF railroads that are financially
strong"
Mr.. Burnes inquired as to the general proper
lions between local earnings and through earn
ings OF railroads, but Mr.. Gould declared him.
self unable to give Information on that point
The chairman remarked that he would be
very glad to have the scope of the committees
examination enlarged SO as to extend it to the
mineral regions, because IL the com mi ttee meant
1t meant to quiet the unrest In the
country, and to provide remedy for it,
LITTLE FUN.
Mr.. Gould good-humoredly. )H"I shall be very
glad to read the opinion of the committee when
a formal report is arrived at and will keep
any investments may have to make in abey-
ance until them"
The Chairman.-'I hardly think you will do
that if you get fair opportunity to have a shy
1t Wall street, and would like to be in part
nership with YOU"
This closed Mr.. GOulds examination, which
had extended over four hours.
Mr.. Hopkins, the vice president of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, was next sworn and examined.
He corroborated generally Mr.. Gould's account
IF the interviews with Mr.. Powderly at which |
ne was present He had always believed i'm ar |
oitratiOn as O means of settlement aud he saw |
40 objection even to compulsory arbitration, |
provided 1t was made compulsory on both |
sides. But such arbitration would have to be |
between the employees themselves actually at |
work. and the company. That was the point |
n this whole matter. Railroad employees had |
40 better friends than the managers OF roads, He |
thought it should be made criminal offense |
70 have strike on railroad. IT, before the /
lays of railroads, there was q strike OF steam
BOAT hands on the Mississippi river, and the |
strikers attempted to prevent the passage of |
BOATS, surely that would be such case of inter-
erence with interstate commerce that the gen.
sral government would dispense the strikers /
and say that traffic must not be interfered with
There was no objection to men quitting work. /
md IT, in the present case, the strikers had con-
lined themselves to that, the company would |
never have stopped running trains.
He was asked as to whether he had any |
knowledge OF Wall street SpeculatiOns in con- |
aection with the strike. but all he said he knew
On that point was that he had been informed |
had been noticed in brokers' offices. He prom
sed to give the names of such persons as had |
been mentioned to him in that connection.
He closed by paying q high compliment to
ministered the affairs OF the company.
The committee, at halfpast i've, adjourned |
until to-day.
Poisoned 1t Pesth BY Phosphorus.
Pesth dispatch TO the London Standard
On the 18th Of last month the daughter Of
IN official Of the Austro- Hungarian railway.
named Irma Szercenyi, handsome girl of ~.
and well known In the best middle class society
poCfh GVpov,S tote 49,