Mower County transcript., 1888-02-22
WILL RESUME WORK.

WILL RESUME WORK.
Tho Strike Of the Reading Miners Co,u.ps
80 AN Enl-The Men Ordered BaUas,
Pending ArbitratiOn-Mutusl Conoss-'
sions Settle tho Troubls-The Congress
sio'lsi Inquiry-How the Road Was
Rulred.
PoTrsvnLE, Pa. Feb 18-Master Work.
man Lewis last night issued the following
order to the striking miners in the Schuyi-
kill region:
"Yoa are hereby notified to resume work
Monday morning, February %, as per letter OF
Austin Corb in OF February II, which is accept
ed Us tho basis OF settlement The above
does not include any company but the Phi1a-
adelphia & Reading Coal u Iron Com
pany. as it Is the only one to agree
to these terms Of settlement, hence We
would urge upon the miners OF the Lehgh re-
gon, including the Panther creek valley, the
necessity OF maintaining q flrna stand until
those companies are willing to submit tho
questions involved to q 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
Lehtgh brothers,
The settlement was arrived at by cor
respondence between Mr.. Lewis and Presi-
DENT Corbin Of the Reading. Mr.: Lewis on
Thursday sent the following letter to Mr..
Corbin Offering to settle the strlkr:
"Belng desirous to bring tho strike in the
mining region OF the Reading Coal g. Mining
Company to close in order to get tho working
people IN and about those mines to work, and
speaking for those working-men, propose to
order q resumption of work at 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
or wages will be considered In conference be-
tween the company and its employees or their
representatives, and upon further assurance
that no one will be Disseminated against by
reason OF his connection with the strike"
In reply Mr.. Corbin sent the following
commune Iti0n:
In regard to your proposition I have con-
suited Mr. Kelm. the president OF the Coal &
Iron Company, and am authorized by him to
saV that it is substantially in accordance with
our position, and that such action would be sat
tsfDctory to US. No ono will be discrminated
aga nst because OF his connection with the
strike, 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 net to
expect as to pay higher rate OF wages for nin-
ing than those paid by the other coal producing
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 $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 ut tirs. refused by Mr.: Corb.n
PHILADELPHIA, Feb 18-The Reading in
vestigation was continued yesterday Ex-
President Charles E. Smith OF the Heading
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 repors the truth was
suppressed, the floating debt not reported,
and while the road was not earning any
money, it was paying div dends on it's
stock, which was accomplished by borrow
ing money. Some Of the directors were
gambling in the stock The object Of the
gambling directors was p1under. The COM
pany. he had found, had borrowed $15, ,OOO,-
900 to pay dividends which had not been
earned The witness said that in 1869
the company was doing a profitable busi-
ness and was perfectly solvent, and paid 10
per cent. of earned dividends and the inter-
est on its debt, which was less than So, 0OO.-
OOO 1t had incurred its present indebted
ness of $16O, 600, 600 by doing a losing
business and borrowing money right and
lett The nature of the comp>ny's busin ess
had been changed Accounts had been
crooked and debts concealed and the char
Gcter of the transactions entirely rovolu-
tionized. He further said he thought the
property would go back into a receivers
hands within year.
Superintendent Sweigert, of the Residing
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-
! dolphia, but admitted that he also had resi-
dences in New York aud other placeR
Dropping this line of inquiry the commit
tee sought to obtain from Mr. Co1bin some
thing OF the history of the former financial
difficulties of the Reading Railresd Com
pany. He said that the last dividend of the
company WAS paid in 1870 aAnd," said
Chairman Tillman, it will be a cold day
when It pays another" Mr. Corbin OBJ
tected to this sort of inquiry, claiming that
the com nittee had nc power to go into posi-
bilities of the future. 81 supposed" said
Ar. Cordn, testify, shat this was fair in
vestigataon. did not think you came here
to personally abuse every body connected
with the Reading Railroad Company and 10
call them thieves and robbers"
The Chdrman-sI don't do that; I am a
gentleman and can answer for what say
or do
"Welr" said Mr.: Corbin. Il will answer
such questions to the people who own tae
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 or
| that ever did exist to limit the output of
coal and to keep up prices At this point
Chairman Tllman pressed the witness for
| Q statement of the interest-bearing debt
| Of the company. Mr.. Oorbin grew angry
and rstorted: 1--WE would like to know the
grounds for a published report that the
chairman had called the Reading railroad
| officers robbers and thieves"
Mr.. Corb1n denied that the strike was in
| the interest OF the road or was caused for
! It's benefit He added: II don't acknowl-
edge the right Of the public to know the
particulars Of the financial condition Of the
Residing Company" Mr. Corbtn said he
thenght the road was on a good basis