Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-15
MR. CORBlN ON THE STAND.
The House Committee Begins Its In.
quiry into the Reading Strike.

quiry into the Heading Strike.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1.-THE congressional CON-
mittee appointed 70 Investigate the strike on the
Reading Railroad system and in the Schuylkill
and Lehigh coal regions and Its relations TO the
alleged stoppage or interstate commerce on the
Reading system, met at the Continental Hotel
this morning and examined President COrbin OF the
AIDING Co. The special purpose or The committee
In holding sessions In this city is TO hear the rail-
road s,de OF the question from the officers or the
company. Mr.. Corbin said That the c.plt aiization
(Stock) OF the Reading system was SAC, 900 600.
lie was p. ident OF the Reading road, but not or
the Reading Coal and Iron %. Mr.. Geo. b. De
keim had been elected to that position because OF
his special RneSs TO take charge OIL the work in the
coal region winch mad been mucL neglected here
tOfOre- Witness, In response 10 questions from
Chairman Tillman. said That he was at the head Of
the banking concern which negotiated mortgages
on western and southern lands. In order 10 eS-
tabilsh tue jurisdiction Uf the committee
THE ADMISSION WAS DRAWN FROM MR.. CoRBIS
that the Reading system had a connection by way
OF BoundGrUOk To New York, and had through
trainc In that direction and that II also owns and
operates line of boats 10 carry coal to New York,
Boston, and other Interstate points. but he sud
that the company, IN operating THESE coal nIeS,
on,y carried the coal OF the 'auiug Coal and Iron
this direction. Mr.. Anderson drew from the
witness the fact tnat the Reading Railroad Com
pany owns the entire caDital STOCK OF the Reading
Coal ana iron Company. When asked by tue same
gentleman whether the constitution of PennSyl-
vania did not forbid a railroad company from u
ing or operating such corporations the coal and
iron company, the witness sd That wulie the
question OF the right OF Reading Railroad Company
to own the coal and iron company
HAD NEVER BEEN JUDICIALLY DECIDED,
II had been matter OF legislative Investigation,
and he did not believe that any oody questioned
the Tight Of the Reading co. 20 own the coal and
Iron company. The charter OF the former was
new constitution and was not subject to
the restrictiOn referred TO, ana tine charter
OF sss coal few and Iron company
adoption OF the constitution, and contained a
clause auJ. lorizing any railroad company In the
state OF Pennsylvania to own It's STOCK Mr.. An
dersOn suggested that unless legisla ion on the
charter OF The coal and iron company expressly
and in terms gave the Reading Railroad Co. the
pany, 1t was question yet whether the constitu-
uonal prohibition did not Apply.
Mr.. Coron--I can't answer that; it Is a ques-
The witness then proceeded to say that when
running on lull time the Reading system employs
about $4,000 men In or about tine mines, and there
are now about 5000 employed. Every effort had
been made 10 get the men 10 mine the coal at SUCH
prices In competition with OF ner operators the
company could AFFORD TO pay. The Reading miners
mad been paid, on an average better wages than
any other miners In the state. The miners were
paid upon sliding scale. the Basis Of which is a
price Of $50 per ton for coal By special contract
the miners In the Reading system
HAD BEEN PAID A VERY LARGE ADVANCE
for portion OF last year BECAUSE OF the strike in
the Lehigh region They had, however agreed to go
back after January 1 on the old oasis and because
the company could LOT pay an advance they went
out on strike. Mr. Corbin said that the coal and
iron company made very little money when coal
was at $3.50, although under the scale the
miners did very WELL The witness
then proceeded to give history OF
the strike now in progress on the railroad
system and its causes He said, and explained at
length, The reason for the statement that the
whole trouble arose from the attempt OF the
Knights OF Labor 10 refuse to handle Irights sent
TO the Reading system from mines where there
was a strike In progress the Lehigh region, and
In which strike their equalization was en-
gagged, or 10 move goods Which came from
nrms which employed "scabs" or non-union
labor. Mr.. CorblD explained that the company
was bound as common Carrier to accept
and move all freight offered to 1t tor tTansporta-
ton, and Ould not keep men in It's employ who
fused 10 move such IT ight. In Speaking OF
the strikers who refused TO cOsue back
on Tuesday, December %, after the Knights had
ordered them out, Mr.. COrbln S i'd: 'In this way
there were about 2, $40 men laid on the rolls and
none OF them shall come back while AIN president
OF the road"
Mr.. Corbin read long statement, showing the
Nature OF coal mining operations toprcve that coal
Was really manufactured product. and the ex-
penseS attending its production were very mu h
increased because OF the use OF valuai
WORK Of preparing IL Tor shipment. lie quoted
figures TO snow that the Reading Coal and Iron
Company has only received since 1881, on an
average % cents ton net FOR coal, and said that
no owner OF coal land would lease his property al
royalty OF % cents a ton.
The committee discuss the question OF going
TO the coal regions 10 personally investigate, AMI
Mr.. COrbin rendered a special Train which Was
however. courteously declined. The committee
II