The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-16
CORBIN HARD TO CORNER
HE MINCFS NO WORDS WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

ANO OD1bCJlOn 10 being t'QJ ON iteCOIN
as Being Determined Not to Take
Back any of the Striking Railroaders
How Pennsylvania Constitutional
Prohibition is Overcome.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, Feb l5-The Con
gressional Committee appointed to investi-
gate the strike on the Reading Railroad
system and in the Schuylkill and Lehigh
coal regions, and it's relations to the alleged
stoppage of interstate commerce on the
Reading system, met at the Continental
Hotel this morning and examined President
Corbin, of the Reading Railroad Company.
The special purpose of the COMMITTEES in
holding sessions in this city is to hear
the railroad side of the question
from the officers of the company. In
order TO establish the jurisdiction
of the committee an admission was drawn
from Mr.. Corbin that the Reading system
had connection by way of Bound Brook TO
New York and through traffic in that direc-
ton, and that it also owns and operates
line of boats to carry coal to New York,
Boston and other Interstate points, but he
said that the company in operating these
coal lines carried the coal of the Reading
Coal and Iron Company. and was not n
common carrier III thao direction.
ALL ONE CONCERN.
Mr.. Anderson drew from the witness the
fact that the Reading Railroad Company
owns the entire capital stock of the Read
ing Coal and Iron Company. The charters
of both companies, Mr.. COrbin said, ante
dated the present State constitution, and
they expressly provided that the stock of
the coal company might be owned
by the railroad company, SO that
prohibition of such ownership did
not affect these companies. The
witness said that when running on full time
the Reading system employs about 10000
men in or about the mines, and there are
now about 5000 employed. Every effort
had been made to get the men to mine coal
at such prices as, in competition with other
operators, the company could afford to pay.
The Reading miners had been paid on an
average better wages than any other miners
in the State The miners were paid on
sliding scale, the basis of which is W 30 per
ton for coal. By special contract the miners
in the Reading system had been paid
very large advance for portion of last year
because of the strike in the Lehigh region.
They had, however, agreed TO 60 back after
January on the old basis and because the
company could not pay an advance they
went out Oh a strike.
SMALL PROFITS.
Mr.. Corbin said that the Coal and Iron
Company made very little money when coal
was at 81. 80, although under the scale the
miners did very well. The witness then
gave a history of the strike now
in progress on the railroad system
and its real causes. He said, and
explained at length the reason for the state
ment, that the whole trouble arose from the
attempts of the knights of Labor to refuse
to handle freight sent to the Reading sys-
tenn from mines where there was a strike in
progress (the Lehigh region, and in which
strike their organization was engaged, or to
move goods which came from firms which
employed 'scab" or non-union labor. Mr..
Corbin explained that the COM
pany was bound as common
carrier to accept and move all
freight offered to it for transportation
and could not keep men in its employ who
refused to move such freight. In speaking
of the strkers-who refused to come back
Mhen they were given an opportunity on
Tuesday, Dec %, after the Knights had
ordered them out, Mr. Corbin said: I'm
this way there were about 1900 men laid
off the rolls and none of them shall come
back while am President of the road"
% CENTS NET ON THE TON.
Mr.. Corbin quoted figures to show that
the Reading Coal and Iron Company has
only received since 1881 on an average 23c.
per ton net for coal, and said that no owner
of coal land would lease his property at a
ROYALTY of 25c. a ton. Returning 10 the
question of the Reading Coal and Iron
Company, Mr. Corbin said the capital stock
of that company, which was full paid, was
SS7, 600 900, and that it had mortgage
debt of many millions, $50, 900 900 or more,
which were given for purchase money and
improvements. He explained that the line of
boats which he had referred to as carrying
coal in connection with the Reading Railroad
Company to Boston, New York and other
points was the property of the Coal and
Iron Company, and not Of the railroad com
pany, and that the boats were not on any
well ascertained and permanent route, but
were "tramps," taking coal to such points
as from time to time was found necessary
or convenient The Reading road does not
own or control any line out of the State ex-
cept the Bound Brook line TO New York,
over which it ships coal by way of the New
Jersey Central road to Elizabethport.
OUT OF THE BUSINESS.
To the question, SIS not coal higher now
than it was before the strike, and is not less
being shippedH Mr.. Corbin said; "Yes,
coal is higher, and we are practically out of
the coal business now, because we can't get
anybody to mine coal.
Referring to the miners strike, Mr..
Corbin said. 1--WE are and have been will
ing to take up the question of n readjust-
ment of the wages OF the men if they will
return to work, but we will not treat with
them while they are out. We will make
the basis as high as any other COM
pany. but we can't make it higher
and compete with them and another
thing, we can fill the places Of the striking
miners in ten days if the new men can be
protected. Up in the mining districts big
men with clubs and pistols are violently
keeping not only other men but boys who
desire to earn a living and keep from starry
ing away from the mines and breakers.
We have been compelled to protect 5000
men now at work by police and constables
and county officers, the expenses of whom
we will be compelled to pay. We don't
care whether men belong TO
labor organizations or not. We will not
seek to find them out, but we will put TO
work all miners VINO apply at our collieries
and ask no question. But If there is no
more coal mined from the Schuylkill region
until we are compelled to mine IL by dis
charging the men who have come TO us in
our trouble and stood by us, 10 make way
for strikers, no more will ever be mined
while have influence enough TO prevent
itn
coRBIS HARD TO CORNER.
Chairman Tillman sought 20 show that
the railroad company, IN reality owning tho
coal aud iron company, was derelict IN It's
duty TO carry on Interstate commerce be
a.. Ill