Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-02
CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE.
The Trades Council Alleges That Against
the South Fork Fishing CIub-The Du-
quesne Strikers to Receive Aid.

| The Trades Council Alleges That Agains
the South Fork Fishing CIub-The Du.
quesne Strikers to Receive Aid.
Last nights meeting of the Central
Trades Council was presided over by Joseph
L. Evans. The question of furnishing aid
to the strikers at Duquesne was discussed
and it was decided that the delegates be in.
structed to ask their assemblies for aid, moi
only for the strikers, but also to carry on
| the investigation.
Messrs. Smith and Hayes, who were ap-
pointed to represent the Trades Council in
the imported labor investigation, asked to
be released from the committee, on the
| grounds that they had been associated with
the prosecution of the charges, and they felt
that the duties of prosecutor and Judge were
incompatible. They stated that they had
accepted the appointment under the belief
| that L. A. 300 would select its
representatives from its own membership.
Since it had been intimated that that body
would go outside its membership to make
its selection, they felt it their duty to retire
from the committee.
President Evans appointed P. w. Joyce
to serve on the committee, and said that he
would name the second selection in a few
days.
New evidence has been promised in the
case, and its prosecution will be pressed
to an immediate conclusion, whether or not
L. A. $50 shall consent to be investigated.
A committee of three, consisting of J. NJ.
Kelly, G. Auth and Daniel McWilliams,
was appointed to draft a set of resolutions
on the Johnstown calamity, and reported
the following, which was adopted:
WHEREAS, There has been visited upon the
people of Western Pennsylvania a calamity un-
paralleled in America, if not in the history of
the civilized world, in the shape of a deluge of
water which was to the people of the valley of
the Conemaugh a visit of Noah, and
Whereas, the powers of man do not extend to
the control of the elements and we arep power
less TO prevent such calamities, yet we believe
it does lay in the power of man to prevent in
reference with nature and to an extent thus
avert such terrible disasters, and
Whereas. We hold the view that man is to an
extent responsible for the calamity on the
Conemaugh, by interfering with nature, in the
fact that he has damned the streams
which God made to flow free to the sea, by en-
croaching upon their banks and thus partially
closing their channels, and
Whereas. 1t is a custom, not only in the val
ley of the Conemaugh but here in Allegheny
county, to dump into the stream the refuse
from hundreds of industrial establishments
which we believe is detrimental to the poor
people. because it is they most who mustlive
on bottom lands, while their more fortunate
neighbors take to the hills, and
Whereas. There is no doubt but that the
encroachments on the banks of the Conemaugh
resulted in choking the angry waters, forcing
them into deep sea and drowning and killing
thousands of people, as well as running millions
of property, therefore be it
Resolved. That we. the Central Trades As
sembly of Western Pennsylvania in regular
meeting assembled, enter our solemn protest
against the choking of streams in the manner
referred to, and that we ask the citizens of the
Commonwealth to calmly consider our plea,
and insist on an agitation that will abolish
it further
Resolved, That if it is proven that the dam
of the South Fork Park Lake did burst and it
is proven that the members of the club were
aware of the dangerous condition, as they in
dicate by interviews in the public press that it
had always been a source of worry to them, we
believe them guilty of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
if not manslaughter and further
Resolved. That in view of the necessity for
immediate contributions to aid the sufferers.
that each delegate here at once return to his
union and ask for aid TO be contributed i'm
mediately, the same to be sent at once to
Daniel McWilliams, Treasurer of Central
Trades Council, County Commissioners office,
and acknowledged in the labor papers.