Huntsville gazette., 1886-04-03
TO RESUME WORK.


by Mr.. Gould--The Correspondence.
NEW YORK, March 2S-General Master
Workman Powderly of the Knights of
Labor had very little rest on Friday
night. After the midnight conference of
the executive board adjourned and he
had seen all the reporters he went to bed
at four O'Clock in the morning. Eight
months ago he broke two ribs in fall
and two weeks ago in another fall he
broke them again. He is also suffering
and he got very little sleep. At 10
q. m. Saturday the board resumed
its deliberations in room 322 OF the Astor
House. This is long room, with two
windows looking out on Broadway. Near
ly half the room is occupied by two
double beds. By the window to-day
stood bureau with signs, evidently
homemade, pinned to the frame of the
looking-glass. Above the glass was a
sign with the words: cit saves time to
talk to the point" On the right side of
the frame was one bearing the words:
"Please leave your smokers outside"
At a table by the window in front of
this bureau sat John W. Hayes, one of
the executive board. who writes with his
left hand as well and as fast as most men
can write with the right. Around the
room sat or walked W. II. Bailey, a tall
man with white hair and black moustache,
and j. B. Barry, short man with short,
black beard. Both Mr. Barry and Mr..
Bailey are members of the executive board.
Frederick Turner, short, rather stout,
with light hair and moustache, was also
present. He is general secretary and
treasurer of the Knights of Labor, but the
most important man in the room was the
general master workman. Mr.. POwderly
is short and slight with soft blue eyes
half concealed by gold trimmed spectacles.
He sat in a cane-seated armchair with his
body bent over to favor his broken ribs,
and leaned his cheek on his left hand.
The pain and anxiety of the past few
weeks had left their traces on him, and
until he spoke he seemed like an invalid
sitting up when he should have been in
bed, but he talked like q levcl-headed,
clear-minded man.
About eleven O'Clock messenger was
sent from the board to 1876 Broadway,
where the offices of Mr.. Jay Gould's vari-
Gus railroads cluster around the Office of
the millionaire. The messenger carried
| large yellow envelope with this letter in
| It:
NOBLE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF !
LABOR OF AMERICA,
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY, {
PHILADELPHIA, March 27
Mr.. Jay Gould:
DEAR SIR-The general executive board
would be pleased to have an interview with
yOu Mt your convenience to dav for the pur
pose of submitting the Southwest difficulties
to n committee of seven for arbitration,
three OF the committee to be appointed by
yourself and three by the general executive
board, the six to select the seventh member
of the committee, their decision in the mat
ter to be final. Should this proposition be
acceptable we will at once issue an order
Tor the men to return to work.
By order OF the general executive board.
ISignedl FREDERICK TURNER.
Secretary of the Board.
The messenger returned to the Astor
House shortly after eleven O'Clock with
an oral message from Mr.. George Gould
to the effect that Mr.. Gould had not
reached his office, but that an answer
would be sent during the day. The COM
mitteemen were hopeful Of favorable
reply.
Mr. Gould reached his office shortly
after eleven o'clock. The board Of direc-
tors of the Missouri Pacific Railway Com
pany met him at half-past twelve O'Clock
in his Office. Messrs. Sidney Dillon,
Russell Sage, A. L. Hopkins, George
Gould and T. J. Eckert and John L. Dill
lon, the latter counsel for the railroad,
and at four O'Clock the following answer
to Secretary Turner's letter was ready to
be sent to the executive board at the
Astor House,
THE MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY,
4
| Frederick Turner, Esq, Secretary, Philadelphia:
DEAR SIR have your note OF this date,
| proposing an interview between your execu-
| tive comm,tte ee and the Officers OF THIS com
| pany for the purpose of submitting to arbi
| tratiOn by committee of seven what you
| icrm the Southwestern difficulties You
| are doubtless aware that in the negotiations
| which took place here last August between
| Mr.. T. V. Powderly. general master work
man, and associates, and the officers of this
| company, 1t was agreed that in future no
| strikes would be ordered on the Missouri
| Pacific road until after a conference with
the officers of the company and an opportu-
nity had to adjust any alleged grievances.
In view of this fact, attention is drawn to
| the following correspondence between Mr..
A. L. Hopkins, vice president or this com
| pany, in my absence and Mr.. Powderly:
FORMER CORRESPONDENCE.
NEW YORK, March 6.
4. v. POwDERLY, SCRANTON, Pa: Mr..
Hoxie telegraphs that the Knights of Labor
| on our road have struck and refuse to allow
ing they have no grievance, but are only
striking because ordered to so. IL there Is
any grievance We would ike to talk it over
with you. We understood you to promise
tn at no strike should be ordered without
consultation. A. J.. HOPKINS.
PHILADELPHIA, March s.
A. L. HOPKINS, SECRETARY MISSOURI PA
CIFIC RAILWAY, 1875 BROADWAY, NEW YORK:
Have telegraphed West for particulars Pa
pers say strike caused by discharge of
man named Hail. Can he be renstated
pending investigation?
T. ". PowDERLY.
NEW YORK, March ST. V. POwDERLY:
Thanks for your message and suggestion
Hall was employed by the Texas q Pacihc
and not by US. J hat property is in the hands
of tile United States courts, and we have no
control whatever over the receivers or over
the employees We nave carried out the
agreeme nts made last spring in every
respect, and the present strike is unjust
to us and unwise for you. 1t is reported
here that this movement is the result Of
Wall street influence on the part of those
short of the securities likely to be affected.
A L. HOPKINS.
No reply to this message was received, but
this company's request for a conference was
ignored and its premises at on invaded and
the property destroyed by the men of your
order in great numbers who also seized and