New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-16
MIR. CORBIN TESTIFIES.
EXAMINED BY rYE SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

AGhFEMENT.
PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 15.-The Congressi nal Commit
tee appointed to investigate the strike the Reading
Railroad system and In the Schuylkll and Lehlgh
coal regions and Its relation tho alleged stoppage
OF Interstate commerce the Reading system met at
the continental Hotel this morning and examined
President Corbin, Of the Reading Railroad Company.
Nr. Corbln said that he at the head OF the bank
Ing concern which neg tIated mortgages on Western
/ and Southern lands
In order to establish the Jurisdiction of the COM
mitfoe, tho admission drawn from Mr. Corbin
that the Reading system had a connection by way
OF Bound Brook to NewYork. and had through traf-
DC I'D mat direction, and that It also and opcr-
atcs lines OF boats TO carry coal to New York Boston
ana 'ther Interstate points, but nc said that the
company in operating these coal lines only carried
tho coal of tho Reading Coal and Iron Company and
was not common carrier in this dlrecti H. Mr.. An
derson drew from the witness the fact that the Read
Ing Railroad Company owns the entire capital stock
OF me Reading c. al and Iron Company.
When asked by Mr.. Anderson whc her tho constitu-
tlon OF pennsylvania did not forbid a railroad COM
pany from owning operating such corporations
as the Coal and Iron Company, the witness said that
while fhc question Of the right of the Reading Rail
road Company TO the Coal and Ir n Company
had never been udcially decided had been matter
OF legislative investigation. and he did not believe
that any body questioned the right OF the railroad
mpany to own the Coal and Iron Comp pany. The
to the adoption Of the new constitution, and was not
subject to tho restriction referred and the charter
of the Coal and Iron Company was granted a few
years prior to the adoption OF the constitution,
not common carrier and contained clause author
izing any railroad company In the State of Pennsyl
vania to own its stock.
QUESTION tOR THE COURTS TO DETERMINE.
Mr.. Anderson suggested that unless the legislation
upon the charter Of tho Coal and Iron Company
expressly and I'm tprma pave the Reading Railroad
Company the right to and manage the Coal and
Iron Company. It was question yet whether the con-
stItutIonal prohibition did not apply.
Mr.. Corbin-"I can't that. 1t IS ques-
tIon OF law
The witness then proceeded to say that when run.
ming on full time the Reading system employs about
10000 men in or about the mines, and there
about 5000 employed. Every effort had been made
to got the men to mine the coal at such prices In
mpettion with other coal operators, the company
could afford TO pay. The Reading miners had been
In the State.
Mr.. Corbln read long statement showing the
was really manufactured product. He quoted fig
pany has My received since 1881 on average
twenty-five cents ton net for its AL and said that
royalty Of twenty five cents a ton.
In the course of his further statements, Mr.. Cor
Iron Company, said that tho capital stock of that
company, which was full paid, was ss 100000. and
which was given for purchase money and improve
To the question: as not coal higher now than It
was before the strike, and is not less being shpped'
Yes. coal is higher and we are practically ont
OF the coal business now because VIC can't get any
body to minc the coa.'
now THE STRIKE ORIGINATED
In November last" Mr.. Corbn said, notice
sent to him that certain coal sldet In
Phiiade phIa because the refused handle them.
hat thn al al hean mil
In :he lei Ich 'cgion by non-uniou men, Witness
cane over from NewYOrk and met a committee of he
men representing the hands who r,friscd to move
these coal cars, and as ed TO a settle
ment of the Lehgh strike. then told these men
tnat It was wrong to refuse handle this coal which
had from the Lchigi region. Tho Reading
Railroad Company, hn represented, bound as a
common carrier to take and transport all freight Of
~cfIsnS To- do II was noi for fbe rompanv i tn
ask whore It camr from who had mined the coal
move this coal he would be discharged The coal
moved and delivered the next day. Soon after this
some cars loaded with -four from Taylor Il Sons
offered and the men refused 10 handle il. because
Taylor & sons employed scab' labor. and had dis
aecr Jf the road was directed to move the nprh and
discharge any Wit refused 20 handle It. IN
December % A. the time b. j. sharfey
and Ambrose II"de, who were leaders in the Knights
Of Labor and had ordered and induced the men to
refuse to handle the freight were a'so dismissed and
neither Of them viii be given employment aCan on
port Richmond which followed and the Hnol going
ont Of o.G00 men on ile Readlns Railroad system.
Mr. COrbln then took up tho affair al Ezabc port.
where The refused 10 load Coal boat Of Eck-
lcy b. Coke & Co., because the Coke miners on
her "a Then followed general strike all over the
road. At least tho men were ordered ont Tney
ocOO refused and they were drorpcd and sh1l never
back again. This. Mr. Corbin said. was the
OF the whole strike OF miners and railroad men,
and he commended that his company was fully justi-
fed in It's course.
Not UNDER THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT.
In answer TO The question was therc not an agree
ment with the men that should be scharged
unless the matter submitted to arbitration their
case could he heard, Mr. COrbn said that he believed
that there sort Of agreement to this effect
hut It never int 'ndcd to such the
re OF iho to handle goods which the company
was bJnnd to take a. common carrier merely be-
the maker OF the goods Objectionable to the
KngAts Of Labor As well might II be said that such
an agreem would prevent the immediate discharge
OF an cmploye who should burn up engine pur
pose ) wreck train. Tie agreement referred to
ers could IN reason be the subject OF arb
Ir .tiOn.
that sup rinlendcn' swegad had agreed to take tho
en- ack aud submit the question ~ arbtIat lie
sa that he did 10 bel eve 1t. There never was any
u ton to ar ltrate this mater on his palt He had
b eA fhwarel and annoyed by these men for months,
und,r the circumstances had considered 1t his duty
to 4 he matter in his own hands.
Mir. COrbn then proceeded with the question OF the
strike of The miners which foil wed and which no
clame caused by the sympathy of the miners with
The railroad employees The miners, he said, had no
reason or any disposition 10 complain and would rot
haze gone the strike but fer the pressure of tho
i'm gh Of Labor upon them from Philadelphia He
that there had been any private agreement with
tho miners which was not in their written contract to
he effect that If the lchgh strike went the s per
cent advance would be paid Mr.. Corbm said:
I'VE and have been willing to take up the ques-
tion Of readjustment of wages il the VIII return
10 work, but we Will Il treat with them while they
are .Irf We will make basis as high any other
Company. but can't make II higher ard competo with
hem. And another thing-we can Ali the places OF
the ing miners in ten days IL the men can be
protected Up In tie mining districts big mon with
clubs and pistols are violently keeping no onv other
pen bu bo's who srr to a living ami Keep
r staNing from the mines and the breakers
We have been compelled to protect the 5000 mon now
NJ vok bv police All tables under county oHicers
tho exp ns"s ~ which will be comprIeh TO pay
Y don't her the mon belong to labor organ,la
lions or not. We will not seek 10 hnd them out bnt
win put to work all miners who Apply at m our OH cor