The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-02-24

the Strihe Oh the hSaUlng Htnefs CoIlos
to an End-The Men Ordered Back,
Pending Observation-Disclosures Conces-
sions Settle the Troubie-The Congress
sional Inquiry-How the Road Was
Ruined.
PoTTsvnLE, Pa, Feb 1S.-Master Work
man Lewis last night issued the following
order to the striking miners in the SchuyI-
kill region:
''You are hereby notified to resume work
Monday morning, February p, as per letter OF
Austin CorO in of February II, which is accept
ed as the basis of settlement. The above
does not include any company but the Phila.
adelphia & Reading Coal s. Iron Com
pany, as it is the only one to agree
to these terms of settlement hence we
weuld urge upon the miners of the Lehigh re.
gion, including the Panther creek valley, the
necessity of maintaining firm stand until
those companies are willing TO submit the
questions involved to a conference, with the
assurance that no victimizing will take place
after starting the mines.
"Working-men everywhere, we appeal to
you to redouble your efforts in behalf of our
Lehigh brothers"
The settlement was arrived ct by cor
respondence between Mr. Lewis and Presi-
dent Corbin of the Reading. Mr. Lewis on
Corbin Offering to settle the strike:
being DESTROYS to bring the strike in the
mining region of the Reading Coal s. Mining
Company to close in order to get the working
people in and about those mines to work, anu
speaking for those working-men, l propose tC
order q resumption of work ut once upon your
assurance that can promise the men that after
they have gone to work and the mining
operations are in regular progress the subject
of wages will be considered in conference be.
tween the company and its employees or theii
representatives, and upon further assurance
that no one will be Disseminated against by
reason of his connection with the strike.n
In reply Mr. Corbin sent the following
communication:
" In regard to your proposition 1 have con
suited Mr.. Kelm, the president of the Coal &
Iron Company, and am authorized by him &c
say that it is substantially in accordance with
our position, and that such action would be sat
isfaetory to us. No one will be Disseminated
against because of his connection with the
strike so that it is not understood as protecting
such men as have made or attempted to make
personal assaults upon the men remain
ing at work, and provided, further, that in any
conference over wages the miners are not &c
expect us to pay higher rate OF wages for min
ing than those paid by the other coal-pToducing
companies in competition with US, but that we
are willing to pay as much. 1t is understood
that the wages to be paid on returning to work
will be on the old $3.50 basis and will remain
under that basis until change shall be
mutually agreed upon"
This is regarded as practically settling the
strike. 1t is practically victory for the
Reading Company, although the miners
have gained the right to arbitrate, which
was at first refused by Mr.. Corbin.
pITI. Eah 1S Tho Re1diOor in.
vestigation was continued yesterday Elk.
President Charles E. Smith of the Reading
railroad testified that in 1876 he resigned
his dictatorship because the company was
publishing false reports and cooking up
its accounts in the interest of stock
gambling. In the reports the truth was
suppressed, the floating debt not reported,
and while the road was not earning any
money, it was paying dividends on its
stock, which was accomplished by borrow
ing money Some of the directors were
gambling in the stock. The object of the
gambling directors was plumber. The COM
pany he had found, had borrowed $15, 000,-
900 to pay dividends which had not been
earned. The witness said that in 1868
the company was doing profitable bust
ness and was perfectly solvent, and paid 10
per cent of earned dividends and the inter
est on it's debt which was less than 50, 000-
600. 1t had incurred its present indebted
ness of 100000 600 by doing n losing
business and borrowing money right and
lett. The nature of the company's busin 5ss
had been changed Accounts had been
crooked and debts concealed and the char
acter of the transactions entirely reyolu-
tionized He further said he thought the
property would go back into receivers
hands within a year
Superintendent Sweigert, of the Reading
railroad, then testified as to the beginning
of the strike of railroad men, Mr. Corbin
was then recalled and asked if the charter
of the road did not require him to live in
Philadelphia He said he did live in Phila-
delphia, but admitted that he also had resi-
dences in New York and other places
Dropping this line of inquiry the commit
tee sought to obtain from Mr.. Corbin some
thing of the history of the former financial
difficulties of the Reading Railroad Com
pany. He said that the last dividend OF the
company was paid in 1876. Sand" said
Chairman Tillman, it will be cold day
when it pays another" Mr. Corbin OBJ
iected to this sort of inquiry, claiming that
the committee had no power to go into posi-
bilities of the future Il supposed" said
ME-. Corbin, testify, that this was fair in
vestigation [ did not think you came here
to personally abuse every body connected
with the Reading Railroad Company and to
call them thieves and robbers"
The Chairman--"I don't do that; / am
gentleman and can answer for what l say
or do !"
Well" said Mr. Corbin, 81 will answer
such questions to the people who own the
Reading railroad, and not to the public,
who have no business and no interest in it.
He absolutely denied any knowledge what
ever Of any combination now existing OF
that ever did exist to limit the output OF
coal and to keep up prices At this point
Chairman Tillman pressed the witness for
a statement of the interest-bearing debt
of the company MI Corbin grew angry
and Eetorted: We would like to know the
grounds for a published report that the
chairman had called the Reading railroad
officers robbers and thieves"
Mr.. Corbin denied that the strike was in
the interest OF the road or was caused for
its benefit. He added: II don't acknowl-
edge the right of the public to know the
particulars of the financial condition of the
Reading Company" Mr. Corbin said he
thought the road was on good basis.
George W. Jones, former vice-president
Of the road, said the plan of acquiring the
mines was Mr. Governs and had caused the
debt of over 800, 900, 600 He corrobo-
rated the testimony of Mr.. Smith that in
1869 the Reading Railroad Company had
only a small debt, was paying interest on it
and earning any paying dividends of 10per
cent. 1t was the dealing in coal lands and
the purchase of coal lands which could not
be utilized for many years and the at
tempting to force a small part of them to
pay the interest on the whole investment
which wrecked the company.
Arrest of a Mexican Postmaster for Rob-
bling the Mails of 500, 900 in Diamonds.
Ell PAso, Tex, Feb. 1S-Louis W. Fleury,