The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-01-10

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 0.-The situation
here. with reference to the Reading strike,
never looked better than 1t did this morn
ing. and the result is an increased confidence
on the part of the men, as the condition 0
the Reading road becomes more apparent.
The strikers had great expectations of some
conciliatory action from the company
at today's annual meeting OF the directors.
The Annual Meeting.
AT the annual meeting of thesstockholders
of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
held today. the report of President Corbin
was read, showing:
Earnings S2I, 762, ,929
Expenses. .............-.--..f-..'. - 10 ,357
Receipts Of the Coal and Iron Co.. Is,425, ,s07
Expenses. ss... ,971 20
Net earnings. .............-...-.....,.. 1,44S,432
d. Lockwood offered the following resolu-
tion ~
Whereas. The cause of the strike on the Phila-
delpha and Reading road seems proper subject
of arbitration. Therefore,,
Resolved, That George Y. Childs be appointed ted
arb TRAITOR to settle the diffisulties between the
company and its employees
On motion of Alfred Sully, the resolution
was laid on the table.
Austin Corbin was reelected president
and resolutions looking to the issue of bonds
&C., for carrying out the plan of reorganiza-
ti0n were adopted.
Orders to Quit.
SHENANDOAH, Jan. 9.-The joint COM
mittee of knights and the Miners and La
borers' Amalgamated.A Association issued or
ders today to all men to quit work, dead
or repair. There was general compliance.
leading member of District Assembly
No. H. and of the joint committee, said to-
day that the individual collieries shipping
over the Lehigh Valley Railroad would be
permitted to work on, but those reaching
market by the Reading road would be shut
down. Acting on these instructions. the
men of the Kelley Run colery held meet
ing this evening and, 1t Is said decided not TO
mine coal for non-union railroads TO handle
The William Penn miners were expected to
take similar action. The employees OF the
Reading in the Kohiwoor colliery were given
orders last night to come to work this morn
ing. So few reported that the breaker was
not started. The same thing resulted, at
Lawrence & Rrown's Mahanoy Plane collie
ry. The reason is Discrimination to mine
coal for non-uniOn railroads to handle.
Coal Growing scarcer.
READING, Jan. 9.-The scanty coal supply
in the Schuylkill valley is daily growing less
and there are no means of replenishing 1t.
Several hundred carloads of coke are now
daily reaching the furnaces along the Read
ing road systems, keeping them going. The
enforced demand for coke, 1t is believed. will
increase its price. Not single coal train
has left the coal regions since early last night,
and not single carload of coal has passed
through the city today. This probably never
occurred before in the entire history of the
company The fact that no coal has come
down is taken as evidence that Chairman
Lee was correct in his prediction that all the
individual collieries would shut down.
The opinion is general that the miners are
masters of the situation. The Reading city
council tonight passed resolutions declaring
that its members view with alarm the near
approach of closing down the Reading manu-
featuring establishments, caused by the scant
supply of fuel, believing that great harm will
be done to the wage workers and business
interests of the city in diverting the trade to
other localities, and retarding the growth of
the city. A committee of five was appointed
to wait on President C0rbin and urge him to
effect settlement of the troubles by arbtra-
tOn at once.
At the regular meeting of the board Of
trade tomorrow a committee will be appoint
ed to confer with the Reading officials rela-
tive to a settlement.
All the Reading company's collieries were
today practically idle, the only work done
being ''dead work" The strikers are firm.
In all the towns in the anthracite coal fields
there has been big jump IN prices. Fish
Back rolling mills, very large establish
ment. commenced using bitumenous coal to-