The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-12
INQUIRY INTO THE STRIKE.
1xPREsKNTATIvEs OF TIE MINERS RE-
FORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE

REPRESENTATIVES, or TIE MINERs LEE
FORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
U~ssr.sa lee Says 10 10 Net . Strike. but .
Leek Operator Quoted as saying
that he Csuid Net oaIy Fay . but as Fer
Coat. Aavsuee-Tho Csai Rarens' Frents.
WARRINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE investigation
into the Reading strike was resumed this morn
ing by the special committee appointed for
that purpose. To estop the Heading Company
from setting M any claim that 1t was not en-
gagged in Interstate commerce., and was there
fore not within the jurisdiction OF the commit
tee. Mr.. Anderson read. and had spread upon
the record, . suit in which the Reading Com
pany. BY Its " plea, admitted that 1t was en-
gagged in Interstate
Mr.. John l.. Lee. Chairman OF the Executive
Board Of the Knights OF Labor for the Reading
system, was the first witness examined. In
answer to questions put by Mr.. Parker, Mr..
Leo said that no did not consider that there
was any strike on the Reading Railroad. It
was q lockout on the part Of the General su-
p~srintendent OF the road. Five crews, he said.
refused to move cars at Port Richmond. and
General Superintendent Sweigert discharged
them without giving them a hearing. There
was an agreement that no mon should be dts-
charged except after q fair hearing. When the
superintendent refused to reinstato the men.
pending q hearing. q general g%oing-out fol-
lowed. subsequently a meeting was held in
Pottsville. and 1t was resolved that a settle
mont should be effected. Witness and others
went to Philadelphia, and on Dec. &c they
called on Superintendent Sweigert and told
him they were willing to resume work accord
ipe to the order issued by General Manager
Mcleod. stating that all employees who did
not report for duty on the morning Of the 9th
would be dismissed from the company's SER
vice. Mr.. Swsigert said: The order be
damnedl Your committee would not come
and SEQ us until you knew you were whipped.
Ihsys outgenerallod you. Had I tho powcr at
ny back that you people have, I could 60 into
this fight and win; but the Knights Of Labor
eowarIs, and they are afraid to hight" Witness
told Mr.. Sweigert. that they came to prevent
s asre s' his , tl1m eoMsh a: ssS Weisert ae ssis Ssk sWTslnI. a I
want the five crews discharged. never to work
Az %9ss tSr t this S sGmsanWA; .r / 1nssh 81 s xsHt s .ni
Of Bernard %sharkey.". Witness told him the
terms we're pretty hard. but that it was better
s sSsn nni have aRas tho IS strike siGte'e ecn tim %,sSn Thes then hen
vent to ths Philedslphla LEDGE, and Trsss
There was no. written agreement. Mr.. Swell
CERT was asked to put the agreement in writ.
INK, DuL DO EeluSeus anu Whuleu 10 KNOW IL
they questioned his v~eracity. The noxt day
Mr.. SMeigert failed to live up to his agreement,
and discharged the representative men all
nothing else TO do. Swoigert, when asked II be
s d5a MT &. ip bsd c h. l y pB Bt 50 m his ssr Sr, aes s said
to work had been withhold, and ne believed the
reason was that the railroad company wanted
the men Il had agreed to take back. The result
OF Sweigerts refusal to carry out his agree
Mr. Lee then went back to September last
and traced the Origin OF the difficulties In the
Of the labor men and was trying to Ak things
r. ths Lehigh reSgit s to have MI.
men. MI. Corbin told him he did not see why
there could not be q settlement: that he was
Gould afford to pay it too. Nj. corbia said he.
he wanted to mako 1t out Of the public. He
sS%pan ny' W sS pHY los lose %s net fEG0S T Sy Il, s Seeau us:
coal would advance and the public would have
On cross-e1amination as to witnesses con-
N. Lee said that he was then on 1save. Of
ME; SxeiSert had offered to pay him ior the
Rerd,Gd q his leave Of absence. but witness
take. pay from the railroad. What Nj. sHeeise It
wanted hin to DO was not E. stated. but The gu
cause witness had done a great deal for the
Hugh Giea.ryey Of tho Lehieh region test.;
those engaged in the mining business IN tho
! hssis so 5ssL1n; * fbs s stplHs in that sy tp 4ssIas bs.
~esntingston OF the difieultiss existing since
was that. as the workmen claimed. the
basis systom. OF wages was too. low.
psr o s1t.ni Min as%e would y hardly .ni m aRsrss ss s45 g
owned the houses around the mines and rentsd
from q to $3.50 a month for a s4o0 -frame6ouse:
stores. In some instances the men were direct
" required to purchase their supDlies In those
stores, but oitensr the thing was effected BY
refused the miner IN case he did not deal With
sas mean ssSsn1 exactly aaS that Hlsa'SS1 but ft The man lns Who 90 dealt ala
With the eompany's stores usually had tho best
; SSpCrs As % ff Il. s ses@sl T cost 81 sn m,GG Gs the 6saf PEI bs
llow as IS cents per ton. and was confident that
w yo SET 4. psss %nas . G mins y E from tSn n Mo SHat' Car
mel. told how tho operators had managed to
s sssss,D sh sb w siSs 81 q I'M miners csl. b Sy G gradualiy In In
ertng the pay DOR yard.
Mr.. Stone sought to learn the cost Of pro-
That was what the miners wanted this COM
mittss to ind out. The operators lived in lux
ury and had their fast horses. Mr.. Pardee was
worth al, 900, 900. Thirty five years ago no was
E.orth nothing. He had seen Mr.. Lewis. an in
diudual operator OF the William Penn mine,
quoted as saying that he could not only afford
70 pay tho 8 per cent. advance In wages refused
by the Reading Company, but As per cont. on
The committee then adjourned, with the un-
l~sEstaading that MessEs. Corbin. and Whiting
and thai. tho committee will 60 TO philadelphia
o. Tuesday.