The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-01-11

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committee was really nothing more than
one Of conference,
1t was rather slow In getting together,
but finally all put In an appearance ex,
cept Mr.. MCGregor, who was out OF the
city, The other members were Messrs
Terrell, Delbrngge, Cruise, Allison and
Wheat, On motion OF Mr.. Allison Mr.
Terrell was made chairman.
Judge Cochran was present on behalI
OF the road, while the Assembly was
represented by q committee headed by
Mike Finley. In addition to this com
mittee, there were present-in the lobby
twenty or so, either members OF the AS
sembly or connected with some labor or
ganizatlon having representation in thai
body.
AS soon as the meeting had been call
ed to order and the formality OF stating
the object for which 1t was held gone
through with, 1t was suggested by the
committee to the interested parties that
they confer together aud try and come
to some agreement. Anything s~atisiac.
tory to both sides would be to the com
mittec, and would DO favorably report,
ed and acted upon by Council. After
some parleyingthis suggestion was final
ly carried out.
Judge Cochran aud the Trades Assem-
bly, committee gathered about the re-
pOrters' table, the members ofthe Coun,
Gil committee went out aud smoked and
promenaded In the corridor, aud the
lobby before referred to sat aud listened
tolwhat few words OF the conference talk
reached them.
Fifteen minutes was allowed for the
conference, but 1t lasted for nearly an
hour, aud then nothing was accom-
plished. Much OF this time was wasted
In irrelevant talk. Judge Cochran wa
asked questions about q number o.
things that he knew nothing about, and
was not supposed 10 know, and thing
which had no bearing on the question
at Issue.
AS an example: What about the con
tractors or bosses going to boarding,
house keepers and getting them to take
laborers to board, promising to see to !
that enough was kept out OF the mans
wages to pay-his board bill, and at the
same time demanding q bonus OF ont
dollar per man per month from the
clearinghouse Geeper2 The Judge
knew nothing about it; no, he did moi
think that kind OF thing was right; no,
he knew nothing about a resident oI
Wheeling being fired from work because
he laughed at a boss; he knew nothing
about men having to sign a paper bind.
ing themselves to work for 81 % instead
Of 81 50 per day; yes, he had heard
something about certain arrangements
respecting pay days, and so on.
Ono member OF the Assembly's com
mittee several times started to make
some extended remarks or cheap i'm.
ported labor, the evil Of II, ETC., In all Of
which Judge Cochran assured him he
heartily coinCided, but what that had Ia
do with the question when the men EN-.
ployed In this great and much needed
improvement were none Of them receiy.
ing less than 81 80, was what he could
mot understand.
The Judge took decided issue with the
statement made by Assembly men that
the proposed amendment was a fair one.
The road was In q position to proceed
under its old ordinance, in case the
new one was passed with the objection.
able amendment, or the capital behind
the enterprise might decide TO stop
right where II is and take no further
risks. The latter was by no means an
improbable course. In case work was
proceeded with under the old ordinance
the terminal facilities would be largely
Of a Temporary nature; the terminal
facilities US contemplated In the
ordinance under discussion would
necessitate an outlay Of nearly 100000
moro than was at first estimated, and
all the work would BIO Of a permanent
nature.
Judge Cochran reasoned and argued
In a calm and very iorcible manner. He
wanted to know why be had not been
called on In a man.to.man style when
tho complaints first began 10 be made.
The first intimatlon that he had
that there was any dissatisfaction
was when the amendment had
been sprung on him In Council. He
had made the Assembly certain pledges
at the outstatt OF the work, and he Be.
lieved that those pledges had been faith.
fully carried out. II they had not been,
be would exert all the moral influence
possible 10 have them carried out. That
was all he could do, Capital could not
DO expected 10, and would not, 10 DO
more positive, enter into q contract with
the city as was by tho ordinance pro.
posed, subjecting itself to indefinite for.
leiture and constant threat. Theproposi.
ton contained In the amendment was
one the like Of which had never before
been heard Of, And so tho Judge went
on talking Of the matter In a business
way, while tho other side continued to
make complaints about bosses and the
alleged antipathy Of the contractors 10
Wheeling labor, dlspito Judge Coch.
rams positive assertions that Mi. Paige,
Que Of the chief contractors, always pre-.
ferred home men II II was possible to
get thotn, 9S they were always q more