The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-02-16
COrbin Tesrifess

PHILADELPHIA, February Is. - The
Congressional committee appointed to
investigate the Reading strike met here
this morning and examined Austin
Corbin.
Corbin said he was president of the
Reading Railroad, but not of the Read
ing Coal and Iron Company. He ad-
mitted that the Reading road was en-
gagged in Interstate commerce, and
that the Reading Railroad Company
owned all stock of the e4ding Coal
and Iron Company. He gave the his
tory of the present strike. He said
that the whole trouble arose from re-
fusal of the Knights of Labor to handle
freight sent to the Reading system from
mines where there was strike in pro-
gress (Lehigh region), and in
which strike their organization
was engaged, or to move goods
which came from firms which employed
non-union labor. Corbin explained
that the company was bound, as COM
mon carrier, 10 accept and move all
freight offered to it for transportation,
ana could not keep men IN its employ
who refused to move such freight.
In speaking of the strikers who re-
fused 70 come back when they were
given opportunity, Corbin said: lin
this way there were about 1900 men
laid off the rolls, and none of them
shall come back while [ am president
OF the road" Corbin read a long state
ment showing the nature of coal min
ing operations, to prove that coal was
really manufactured product.
In answer to the question: was
there not an agI cement with the
men that no one should be
discharged unless the matter was
submitted to arbitration, or their case
believed there was some sort of agree
intended 10 cover such q refusal of
the men handling goods which the
company was bound 10 take as COM
mon carriers, merely because the maker
OF the goods was Objectionable to the
Knights of Labor. The agreement re-
! ferred to such matters as could in
reason be subject to arbitration.
| Corbin's attention was called to the
statement that superintendent Swell
CART had agreed to take the men back
and submit the question to arbitration.
He said that he did not believe it.
There never was any intention to arbl-
trate this matter on his part.
Proceeding to the question or the
miners strike, CorbiR said they had no
reason or disposition to complain, and
would not have struck bat for pressure
upon them Dy the Philadelphia knights
of Labor. he denied that there had
| been any private agreement with the
miners which was not in their written
contract, to the effect that if the Lee
high strike went on. the per cent.
;dvance would be paid. The company
had refused to pay this advance after
January 1st, and the miners had re-
FUSED to work.
Corhin added: I'VE are, and have
been, willing to take up the question OF
REIMBURSEMENT of wages, il the men
will return to work, but we
will not treat with them while
they are out. We will make the basis
as nigh as any other company, but we
can't make higher and compete with
them; and. another thing, we can fill
the places of 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 de
sire to earn living and keep from
starving, away from the mines and
breakers. We don't care whether the
men belong to labor organizations or
not. We will put to work all men who
apply at our collieries, and ask no
questions; but if there is no more coal
mined in the Sohuylkill region until we
are compelled to mine IL by dis
charging men who have come to
us in our trouble and stood by
US liz order to make way for strikers, &c
more shall we mine while have iniu-
ence to prevent 1t"
Witness pronounced the stories of q
combination OF the coal companies al
over the country, to keep up prices, as
pure romance.
In reply to a question regarding the
assertion that the railroad company has
made money at the expense OF the con
sumner and of the miners and laborers
Corbin said: 1.-The best answer l car
make to that is that the READING Rail
road Company, with a paid capital Of
$40 100000, has been twice bankrupt in
twelve years."
Why do you keep on mining coal il
you lost $12,0O0,000 since 1882" was
asked.
Il hardly know myself, but think We
can ultimately make money out OF oul
coal lands"
Don't you think 1t bad policy fol
your company to be in the mining bust
ness?"
Yes sir and wish somebody would
buy out the coal lands. We world be
better Off. But who will DO it? We
have them, and must do the best we
can with them"
| Destructive Fire.
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