Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-10
1t Has Not Been a Very Profit
able One for the Commit
tee Thus Far.
NOTHING TO LAY HOLD OF.
Plenty of Gossip Floating Around,
But No Actual knowledge
TO BASE AN INVESTIGATION On.
A Lead Has Now Been Struck That May
Result in Something.
SPEAKER REED FREES HIS MIND
rFRoM A STAFF coRREsroNpENrl

rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-While there is a
great deal of gossip in regard to the report
Of silver pool in which Congressman and
others were interested, prior to the passage
of the bullion bill OF last session, the COM
mittee which was appointed to investigate
the matter has made no substantial progress.
The correspondent of Western paper, who
sent out the first intimation OF such scan-
dal. has refused to give the source of his in
formation, though it is believed that it was
Congressman Dockery, Of Missouri, who az
terward offered the resolution of investiga-
ton.
Speaker Reed said to-day that the COM
mittee had been, and still were. looking for
something which would be warrant for an
investigation-some point from which to
start. The only things that had been got at
were some newspaper publications, giving
no authority for the statements, and the
declaration made by Mr.. Conger, in his
speech in the House on the silver bill last
session, which no one paid any attention TO
at the time.
Nothing to Start On.
and could not be got back here before Con-
Cress would be over. Besides, he said,
there was nothing to indicate that Mr.. Con-
ger had any positive information on the sub
ject. What ne said might be nothing more
than the usual oratorical exaggeration.
Newspaper men who had written about the
"nool" had refused to give any information
or TO indicate in any way where information
could be had. Mr.. Reed said that the COM
mittee would be ready to recommend an in
yestigation at any time there was anything
TO take hold of 10 start or.
Mr.. Dockery, the Speaker said, had writ
ten a letter, giving the names of a number of
bankers or brokers who might be examined.
hut it was not alleged. or even intimated
that they had any information on the sub
iect. The committee, he said, had not neg
lected the matter in any wav, and were still
trying to get something upon which to base
an investigation.
A Lead Being Followed.
1t is said that there is one lead that the
committee are now following that may put
them in a position to get hold of informa-
tion, and il NAV not amount to anything at
all. A Congressional investigation is a very
unsatisfactory thing anyhow, but to author
ize one, without giving them anything to
investigate, would be worse than useless.
The members of the committee are un-
tdoubtedly anxious to act upon tn" resolu-
tion as speedily as possible. and they have
sought in many directions for something to
work on. 1t is difficult to judge from mere
gossip how much is based on actual knowl-
edge, and how much grows merely out of
the fact that the increase in the price of sill
yer, caused by legislation favorable TO that
commodity, gives an opportunity for the
formation of pool.
Talk of pool is heard on every hand, but
it is difficult to tell where it starts and who
may be able to give any information on the
subject. LIGHTNER.