New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-23
REVIEWING THE STRIKE.
A STATEMENT FROM. PRESIDENT CORBIN

THE HISTORY OF THE DIsPUTE-LossEs OF THE
REApING COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22-The following state
ment has Just been made pnblic by President Cor
bin of the Reading Company:
In answer to the various conmunicatisns from people
along The ine OF road who deeply interested in
the operation OF both the Railroad and Coal and Iron
Companies, wo beg to make the following statement:
In December csrtl carloads OF merchandise arrived
at Port Richasnd consigned to the Philadelphia Grain
Elevator Company of this city The employees OF this
company at Port Richmond IN charge of the switch
gnes refused 10 transfer tlese to the elevator
pany and gave as reason that the company did not
employ kaights OF Labor They were Immediately mott
fed that with such question this company had nothing
to TO- that we were common carriers and bound to
ceve nd deliver freight TO person company that
offered IL TO us and paid for portation. Notwita
sta ding tns they st refused te mako the transfer
and an orIer sue by the general manager Of this
company, Of wh'ch the following is II copy
PHLADELPHT,, Ponn.. Dec 90. 1887.
A. SwEiGAgD, Genera superintendent Phiiadelphia.
DEAR SIR: ornei that several ctrlolis of -four
consi1cd to tho Philadelphia Grain Elevator Company
In our Port Richmond yard and that Of our men have
and the refuse disclarS tbs lately from tue
service Of the Dpany. A. MCLEOD General Manager.
DEMANDS THAT COULD NOT BE GRANTED.
Five crews of men in succession directed 10 move
this freight and upon their refusal were discharged Be
Of that the leaders Of the Knights Of Labor.
or poran OF them, Oro'ed all the employees OF tho
Phlade phia AMI Reading Railroad Company, as they
pleased to denOmiuate it, "on strike" They left
the service OF the with notice TO ~ that tney
would not return unless the discharged rein
stated TO this the management vered that the
dis charged for disobedence of orders would ee
ssa eli aud this company proceeded 10 NIL the places
left by the voluntary wthdra of the mpoyes
from its fast as it could proper and
compel ent men. Finally Saturday December D. the
general issued order that tue Of such
employees dill report for duty the porning OF
tuesday December 27 wOd DO stricken from the rolls
and their places filed by new men. fhat was done. The
who left the service OF the company had never
made and have to this day made. any complaint
that they were worked an unreasonable NUMBER OF
hours that their not fair wages for the work
performed that in any single Instance they had been
treated otherwise than kindly by the management
Notwithstanding this, ahOl n under the OF
their employment win the cospIny, they wsrc bound
render honest and Iathfd vice. complying with all
reasonable orders 1t sht make D the iar transac
ton its business. they violated every obligation Of
this character and by teeir act cancelled any oo
CATION ui sht have the par Of the company
to retain then in It's service. over $500 men voun-
tarily left our service. rne Ne nunOcr OF now aad
competent meu presented themselves for service with
company. They employed and will be retained
so long rs they perform their duties faithfully.
We made any objection to LABOR organza-
tiOns In employing labor we nave never asked the
question whether an enployc was IA member Of one or
net lon perform the duties tley owe to this
company properly. shall staad by thsm. whether
they be union nOn-dnion No snail be sstra-
csed on his road he belongs To labor org tn
zation, ard Will be sstracsei beco lse he does
not Our ar Dyes will be expected - ren Ter fatsfn
service and take or ers fO the ntnakrneht II rsA-
ton business promptly anl wtuol question. As
long they do thsy viii retain ItS confidence aud
sip: but action hereafter, such IA mas been
taen heretofore emp will merit aud receive tae
same treatment Tho trsuDle on the railroad s 0nded
a.d will never be opsael up again.
HOW THE MINERS BROKE A CONTRACT
On September Ia. at the request 4 ssnmittee rep
resentns the miners. tho rntenent OF the Coal AMI
Iron Company. s. B. WnItnS met The an at their re-
guest agrced upon adv OF wa4es Of tho miners
o.. fou- u.-th, commanding the 1st OF September
1897 AMI euling January l. 1883. This agreement
reiuce to writing. one copy was retaised by the
com nittee, or Mr.. Davis chairman. with the signature
initials OF Mr. Waiting uj,l Is. rhe orsisl has tls
Signature OF joan II. DAVIS c Iirn upol 1t AMI was
lott with Mr. Whiting, AMI is nav IN possession OF ihe
company. The agreement reals foeTs:
Memorandum OF ucnt Pot sviile. Septeu-
Der IL. 1851 betweei ! B. VA tH:, general mtnaser
o. the Phra Ispht "A R)ttnE CIitaI ir'r CO np,ng
AMI John H. Davis charm AT oti't' joilt CON
mtee repros,utnE tn, nors. ltO1rer, alt O.ie' en-
poyes Of tle Plillieiphll aId Rnhns CIu an Iron
COnptny now WORKING IN Tor tn s 80 bass
The Phil hepha an iieI ting Coal AMI Iron Co many
sce Of ba-Is Drics, Tor AMI
cOntras cisht cent from ePtemJer l. 1884 for ior
months until January l. l'SS aad is agre 'm1 IL TO
terminate Janulrv 1888 liza so.te 1t ode " tn the
before thtt time Pnt'phil Aa Read
coal ant iron C"nptny Adopt Vance In
bass asrect upon Oy all t' other ancs; or In
caen agre men i. by Janulry or the men r,tur,
to rates thea that PIiiatsl.
pin AMI ea nag COl ami Iron Co nplny are to return to
the ,ymelt of tho - 81 ,a4s sce ue price. as pai up TO
,yi /, 1881 JOIN II. DAVIS Chairman Committee
IUtiSruie. Penn, Sept. I.
Upon agraensnt the Raalng Co uplny procee led
t. make payments during th5 fSIr months strcy in
wl the terms Of ha contract, aui wo putthe
miners durn fsu noal in al Iitisa 10 the basis
wages that hai herstofo-e governed the set,Iem at
Of their wages tie sun OF S2ll,9)6 -. No
contract it ae. csul be palmer in its terms
than tnat anl party TIA contract eau ever be
expected stand by it, terms. we NAT right to expect
that the mers w.ud san ny their part OF thi.
ment. About DeceuDer 20. however request was
made upon this company state what 1t intsA led 20 4.
by the minors on tnutrT An answer was furnished
theA tnro ish Mr.. Waiting, according 10 instructions
csntaihe tue following let ter, which was on Deccm
- al rc,,e 10 him az the basis OF an answer to be
yzaie 10 he HcH:
$ b. WHITING. general superintendent Iousrule Pcan
,G y Ts@on % n the ssT yF an 5 .S2a r.
made with tie -n TO t0iowm foa6rct r. a"s ra &
present Of basis prc Tor agt4 aud contracts
PR cont l[Im 1fPS"Te ISL ia sctemep oIt
made Sith sne other GSi o 1 nne' P'ors sr
ron Company to at pt Whatever lvanre ia b1's RAGS IS
Nv all the Other co neanes or IN cass no agr
h rat tn and in isi ea,e the Ph11elpe1 & ami
s. 80 basis schedule o prices as pad up % September
You arr the that VIC have lived up
part Of tue 20 at Isiy ana now we 'xRe1t & n Io
mn the iih Valley mners should return Deort
agreed 10 10 aud We expect tnem 10 perform st
part tgrro non SLY a. we have ours Atte
thdt II they ioru heir part
of III contract the rt y OF January vi" AT any
IN que. ION again
ai ami more Satisfactory ba-s tan tr ou
he ~ aud The pany. We are
nq to sav further will paw ~ all times a. hgh
1gr. other coat comp nv ami we ave always Deeh
nj paying wages To our ~ ner+
4 A. MCLEOD. General Manager
Ttn drphid. Dec. 20 1887.
No withstaudng the torn, ~ tho agreement, and of
the nscr given them in this letter of December %
he miners r-fuss continue at work In the mines az
ter January they had promised TO do am nfsrmed
that they dit this for two reasons First because we
would the who we're discharged on ne
raj .ad and second, because We would nOI continue
u. per cant RdvaBro which al un Ter THIS tre G.
me- paid for the fOlr msnths mentl0ned anu We IRE
informed they wOull no basis Ot wages nave seen
willing TO une'S nal hrst reiastdied
the railroad arbitrated that queStisa AS nave