Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-12
THE MINERS WERE ROBBED.
Outrageous Tyranny Practiced In the
Reading Goal Regions.
WHY OPERATORS GREW RICH.
President Corbin's System OF Oppres-
sion Described to the House Com.
mittee-Charles Francis Adams
Talks About His Road.
The Reading Strike Investigation.

The Reading Strike Investigation.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE special COM
mittee of the house to investigate the Read
ing railroad strike, examined John L. Lee,
of Philadelphia, sympathzer with the rail
road strikers, as the first witness this morn
ing.
In answer to questions Lee said he did not
consider there was any strike on the Read
ing railroad, it was q lock out. Five crews
he said, refused to move cars at Port Rich
mond, and General Superintendent Sweigart
discharged them without giving them a
hearing. There was an agreement that no
man should be discharged except after fair
hearing. When the superintendent refused
to reinstate men pending hearing, general
going out followed. Subsequently meeting
was held at Pottsville and it was resolved to
effect settlement, and witness and others
went to Philadelphia and called upon
Swelgart and made arrangements to declare
the strike Off. There was no written agree
ment Sweigart was asked to put the agree
ment in writing and he refused. Next day
Sweigart refused to live up to his agreement
and discharged representative men all along
the line. The men went out as there was
nothing else to do.
The result of Sweigarts refusal to carry
out his agreement was the cause of the sec
ond strike, or lockout. Referring to the
trouble at Elizabethport, n. j.. witness said
it was due to the refusal of the men to load
boat with coal for EckleyP. Coxe in whose
mines there was a strike, and the men be-
lieved the Reading company was trying to
aid Coke in his fight against the strikers.
Lee said he went to Pottsville and called q
joint meeting of the labor assemblies involved
and committee was sent to President Cor
bin. The latter offered no compromise, but
threatened punishment OF the strikers II they
did not move the coal then on the cars. 1t
was held by the strikers that the Reading
company was helping the Lehigh Coal COM
pany to stand against the employees. Corbin
was asked to bring about settlement be-
tween the company and the men. Corbin,
together with Mcleod, OF the railroad and
coal company, suggested as remedy plan
by which the coal market would be bulled,
and the wages of strikers would be made to
go up with the price OF coal. This the
strikers refused to accept Corbin, witness
said did not want to be known in the matter.
On cross examination witness said William
Lewis, of Columbus. o., in charge of Dis
trict No. 1875, of the miners organization,
could give positive evidence that th.re has
existed for some time a combination between
powerful railroad corporations TO break up
the organization of the knights of Labor.
At the conclusion of Lees testimony Hugh
McGaryey of the Lehigh region, took the
stand and testified that the Immediate cause
of the strike in the Lehigh regions was that
tho basis of prices was too low. Miners
would hardly average $3.50 per annum as their
earnings Perhaps - per cent OF the miners
accumulated "a little money.
Mr.. Stone asked if the operators had not
accumulated large fortunes. Witness re
piled that some of the wealthest men were
in the Lehigh region. Since the strike began
many Of the miners had found work IN other
regions but about 40 per cent were
still idle. He knew of none who
were actually. starving, but there
were many in want Since September the
labor organizations had distributed $50, 900 OF
| $i0,WO among these. people. He said the
mn .rs were valued by the assessor Of taxes
Mt 800 and laborers at SIS. The companies
deducted the amount Of taxes from tbs min