The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-19
DIGGING DEEP INTO READING.
MIR. NORRIS OF THE RECORD
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
Quoting Figures to Show That Coal Could
Be Bought Cheaper for Boston
Than for Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA, February 1S.-The
Congressional Investigation Committee
resumed its inquiry into the Reading
Railroad strike this morning, the first
witness being General Superintendent
Sweigard, of the Reading Railroad Com
pany, who was recalled to enable him to
put in evidence. the text of the agree
ment made with the employees of the
railroad company and a voucher showing
that Lee, one of the leaders of the labor
organization, had been in the pay of the
company while he as at Pottsville at
he outbreak of the trouble. Sweigard
read the clause of the agreement which
guaranteed to the men an investigation.
The men had claimed that they had
been guaranteed fair trial before dis
charge for any cause. The clause of the
agreement which was read was that
every man should receive fair trial, in
case of any accident that might have oc-
CURED through carelessness. The Lee
voucher was for special services rem
dered during October at Pottsville. and
his pay was at the rate of $3.50 day.
MIR. NORRIS on THE STAND.
John Norris, one of the editors of the
Philadelphia Record, was called. He
said that he had been investigating the
coal trade and the management of the
Reading Coal and Iron Company for
many years, and as a consequence the
Record had gone into the coal business
for the benefit of the people of Philadel-
phia, and had succeeded in reducing the
retail price of coal in the city from Sc. so
to 80 ton. This was done by the
Record without profit for itself. Since
the strike prices had gone up again. The
company charged 81 80 ton from mines
now and did the same service twenty
five years ago for S1.22t.
The witness quoted figures to show
that coal could be bought at Port Rich
mond for 95 cents less a ton, if wanted
for shipment to Boston or New York,
than was demanded if the very same
coal was intended for the Philadelphia
trade.
Mr.. Norris said last year the Reading
Railroad Company had earned 10 per
cent. on the cost of the road and was
one of the most profitable roads in the
country. Its losses came from the neces-
sity of paying interest on its enormous
debt, which was the result of the policy
of combining its business of a carrier
with that of a miner.
The witness said that he had thorough
ly investigated the statement made by
Mr.. Corbin that the Reading Coal and
tons of coal from 1876 to 1888. at loss
of over $12,000,000, having paid $57,-
OOO, 900 to the miners and received but
$44 800. 900 for this output. The wit
to 1888, and said that the proceeds for
that period had been, as shown by the
company's own books, $50, ,624 900, and
that the company had really received
$29, 200, coo more than it had paid out
Mr. Norris proceeded at length to give
the committee great deal of statistical
data, and at the conclusion of his testi-
mony was cordially thanked for the
light he had thrown upon the subject.
A KNIGHT OF LABOR.
III. l. Bennett, one of the leaders of
the Knights of Labor, was then put on
the stand, and testified to facts in con-
nection with the strike and the inter
view with Sweigard. He said that the
clause quoted by Sweigard from the
| agreement offered in evidence to-day
was the ons under which they claimed
| that they were entitled to an arbitration
before the discharge of the crews who
refused to move Taylor & Sons cars.
In reply to questions as to the right of
| labor to dictate terms to capital, the
witness said that resembling Providence
in creating property, labor has a right Il
| control and manage it.