, 1888-02-16
BEFORE THE BOARD.
Austin Corbin Relates What
He Knows of the Strike.
Deliberate Wife Murder by a
Farmer.
Startling Disclosures Promised
in the Opium Cases.
Corb1n on the Stand.

HeD. Oil con-
gressional committee appointed to inves-
tigate the Reading strike met here this
morning and examined Austin Corbin.
Corbln said he was president of the Read
ing railroad, but not of the Reading Iron
and Coal company. He admitted that
the Reading road was engaged in inte-
state and that the Reading
Railroad company owned all the stock of
the Reading Coal and Iron company. He
gave a history of the present strike. He
said that the whole trouble arose from a
refusal of the knights of Labor TO handle
freight sent to the Reading system from
the mines where there was a strike in pro-
gress (the Lehigh region) and in which
their organization was engaged, or to
move goods which CANT from firms which
employed non-union labor. Corbin ex-
planned that the company was bound as a
common carrier to accept and move all
freight offered to it for transportation,
and could not keep men in their employ
who refused to move such freight
In speaking of the strlkeA who re-
fused to come back when they were given
the opportunity, Corbin said: I'm this
way there were about 1000 men laid off
the rolls and none of them will come
back while | am president OF the road. -
Corbin read a long statement showing
the nature of the mining operations to
prove that coal was really a manufactured
product. In answer to the question,
Was there not an agreement with the
men that no one should be discharged
unless the matter was submitted to arbi-
%tration, or their case could be heard"
Corbin said that he believed that there
was some sort OF an agreement to this eff
feet, but it was never intended to cover
such n refusal of men handling goods
which the company was bound to take as
q common carrier merely because the
maker of the goods was Objectionable to
the knights of Labor. The agreement
referred to such matters as could in rca-
son be subject to arbitration.
Corbin's attention was called to a state
mcnt that Superintendent Sweigard 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 arbitrate this matter on
his part. Proceeding to the question of
the miners strike, Corbin said they had
no reason or disposition to complain and
would not have struck but for the pressure
upon them by the Philadelphia knights
of Labor. He denied that there had
been any private agreement with the
miners which was MT in their written
contract to the effect that if the Lehigh
strike went on s per cent advance would
be paid. The COMPANY had refused to
pay this advance after Jan. !, and the
miners had refused to work. Corbin
added:
I'VE are and have been willing to take
up the question of a readiustment Of
wages if the men will return to work, but
we will 0 treat with them while they are
out. We will make the basis as high as
any other company, but we cant make it
higher and compete with them. Anoth-
er thing, we can fill the the places OF the
striking miners in ten days if the new
union can be protected. We don't care
whether the men belong to labor organi-
cations or not. We will put to work all
men who apply at our colleries, and ask
them no questions, but if there is no more
coal mined from the Schuylkill region I'M
til we are compelled to mine 1t by dis
charging those who have come to us in
u trouble and stood by us to make way
for the strikers, no more coal shall be
mined while lhave influence to prevent
it"
Witness pronounced the stories of the
combine of coal companies all over the
country to keep up prices pure omance
In replytO a question regarding the asser-
ton that the railroad company has made
money at the expense of and
miners and laborers, Corbin said: 1.-The
best answer | can make to hat is that the
Reading Railroad company, with a paid
capital of $4,000, 900, has been twice
bankrupt in twelve years"
why Go you keep on mining coal if
Won have lost 80 600 OOO sinrn 1897
was asked.
q hardly know myself. But think we
can ultimately make money out of our
coal lands"
Don't you think it bad policy for
your company to be in the mining bust.
ness?''
Yes, sir; and | wish somebody would
buy out the coal lands. We would be
better off; but who will do it? We have
them and must do the best We can with
them"