The Portland daily press., 1888-04-07
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Mr.. Riggs Says the Pacific Roads
Have Been Unfairly Treated.
How the Standard Oil Company
Fixes the Market.
a Trust in Which the Workmen Share
the Profits.

Biggs, of California, to-day appeared before
the House committee on Pacific railroads, in
advocacy of the passage of the Huntington
bill for the settlement of the indebtedness
of the Central Pacific to the government. He
urged upon the committee the wisdom and
Justice of allowing the Court of Claims to ad-
judcate the various claims and counter
claims in the case. The road had not in his
opinion, been fairly treated by the govern
ment 1t was possible that the railroad peo-
pie could be induced to accept bill provid-
ing for shorter extension of time for the
payment of the debt than proposed in the
biil introduced by him. Touching the value
of the additional lien which the company
offered the government in the event ~ us
acceptance of its bill, Mr.. Bggs SAID the
Pacific railroad commission traveiled tnIougn
the country too rapidly to correctly estimate
its worth and urged the sub-co mmlttee TO
90 to California to look into the matter. Ac-
cording to the present intention OF the com
mittee this will be the last hearing on the
subject Of the Central Pacific.
The Commissioners on the Law.
The Interstate Commerce Commissioners
were before Senator Frye's Committee on
Commerce, Thursday, by invitation, to give
their views with respect to the amendments
to the Interstate Commerce law, which the
committee has under consideration. They
said they did not wish to appear as advo-
Gates of any of the proposed changes in the
law which they were required to interpret
and execute The conference covered the
legal bearings of all the proposed amend
ments, the Commissioners stating freely and
informally their opinions, based upon expe-
ence, as to what effect they might have II
enacted into law. The Commissioners will
probably be invited to appear again
Question of Oil.
The House committee on manufactures to-
day began an inquiry into the alleged Stand
ard Oil Trust Henry Webster, Of Bradford,
Penn, contractor for drilling oil wells, tes-
titled that he was a member of the Oil Well
Drillers' Union, labor organization COM
posed of nine lodges, representing practical
ly the entire Northern Pennsylvania and
Southern New York oil fields. Itwas an en-
tirely separate body from the so-called Pro-
ducers' Association. The union was organ
lied in December, 1887, and numbered be-
tween 2200 and 24C9 men. The witness de-
clined to give the names Of the officers, al
leging that it was secret organization, ana
that he had pledged himself not to dlyulge
the names of its officers. Before the lorna
ton of the union, the work in drilling and
clearing out oil wells had become very slack,
owing to the determination of the Producers.
Association to diminish the production OF
oil. 1t was understood that million bar.
reis had been set apart by the Standard Oh
Company and a million of barrels by the
Producers Association for the benefit of the
laboring men who were thrown out by this
shutting down. The Well DrllierS Union was
formed to secure the benefits OF this action.
Since the union was formed, oil drilling In
the witnesses locality has practically ceased.
Tho uitnQcc bac donp work since That
date and has received S75 as his share OF the
amount set aside for those thrown out OF
work. The witness laid before the commit
tee copy of an agreement entered into De-
cember p, 1887, between the executive Doar9
of the Producers Protective Association ana
the executive board of the Well Drillers Un-
ion. This contract provides that the Pro
ducers' Association shall pay the Wen Drill.
ers Union the profits on million barrels Oh
oil and the residue on another million barrels
that may remain after adjusting and paying
the other classes of labor injured by the
shut down, the cost Of pure oil being 62 cents
a barrel November l, 1887. and subject 10 In
terest, storage and fireloss charges from tnat
date. These profits shall be- distributed
among the members of the Well Drillers'
Union thrown out Of employment The oil
shall be held by the Producers Association
and sold by them when they think proper,
but not faster than 0ne-fourth every three
months. The association shall advance
upon DIOSptCtiN6 pIOulS Cl pei 0dys
included, to each member of the Well Drill
ers Union for each day member is out OF
employment during the continuance OF this
agreement. The entire oil must be sold be-
fore December /, 1888, and the residue OF the
profits, after deducting the advances prOvld-
ed for paid to the Well Drilers' Union to be
paid by them 20 the members entitled thereto
pro rata in proportion to the time they nad
been out of employment at drilling, and
also to compensate the contractors Tor tne
l..~e. I..ell AtNAE
persons entitled to the benefits shall consist
only of members in good standing in the
union who have been legitimately engaged
in the business of contracting and drilllng
or tool dressing during the year 1887 in the
light oil fields ON oil wells.
The Pension List.
The following Maine pensions were grant
ed today:
George A. Bosworth. Litchfield.
Samuel X. Thorneton, Springfield
Jeremy Mckinney, Biddeford.
Forest K. Steward, COrinna
Albert ID. Keene, deceased, Wald0boro.
REISSUE.
John Oldham, Hartford.
Randall GalliSon Sherman Mills.
Joshua Black, Searsport
NAVY.
Eben Hale, North Bluehill.
Lemuel jackson, Lewiston.
ORIGINAL, RESTORATION AND REISSUE.
Ruth Porte, mother of Charles A. Lukeforth,
Liberty.
gor and Ellsworth.
Notes.
The President to-day approved the act
granting pension to Mrs. Logan and the
act to increase the pension of Mrs. Blair.
Congressman Mills is mot improving so
fast as his physician desires. He was worse
Yesterday and had to take his bed again.
Lyman Holden has been appointed post
master at Casco, Maine.
The postoffice appropriation bill as agreed
to in committee. appropriates $6O, O,133,340 for
the fiscal year 1889.
Senator Daniel has introduced a bill to re-
peal the statute which provides that no per-
son who has served in mil ltary. naval or civil
service of so called Confederate States shall
be appointed to any position in the army Of
the United States
The President has nominated Brigadier
General Cook to be Major General, and Col.
John X. Brooks, of the Third Infantry, to
he RrioAdipr General