The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-16
WHAT THE GOTERNOR sATs.
lie DISCUSSES the situation at PocahoDtas
and in West Virginia.

Governor OFerrall returned yesterday
morning frcm his trip TO Pocahontas'
and when asked as 10 the results OF his
examination Of the condition of affairs
i'm that section. stated that he felt more
than ever convinced that there would
have been very serious trouble had il NOT
been for the presence Of the military
"Just look at the situation said he.
Here were from four to six thousand
striking miners from West Virginia. COM
posed largely Of Hungarians. Poles, and
other foreigners. coming into Pocahontas
to force the men I'm those mines to go out.
OF course the authorities there would
have been powerless, and that there
would have been riOting and destruction
Of property and loss of life, Is certain
Il have great sympathy with the West
Virginia miners" he went on. "fhey have
been badly treated. and they are being
made the cats-paws of the coal opera
tors. for" added the Governor. with en-
phasis, this is a coal operators strike
THE ACTUAL STATE OF AFFAIRS.
In addition. the Governor made the fol-
lowing statement as TO the facts. which
he had gathered during his visit in the
Southwest from very reliable source:
Prior TO April list the coal I'm that sec
tion was sold by the operators 10 the
POcahontas Coal Company, all the stock
of which belongs TO the Norfolk ana
Western Railroad Company. Under the
contract then in force. the coal producers
received for their coal, I'm cars at the
mines. an average Of Y IL cents per
gross ton, and the Pocahontas Coal Com
pany disposed OF the product TO the best
advantage. and paid to the railroad COM
pany the net balance for It's freight
-. g.f .4l Ia
such "A low figure during the panic, tnat
while the coal operators received regular
ly their minimum price of - l. cents
per gross ton, the total gross receipts
Of the railroad company for tra1sporta-
lion were less than three mills per mile.
The result was that while many of the
operators earned p per cent. Oh their cap
ital invested, the railroad company was
forced into the hands OF receivers. II
would have been impossible therefore,
for the railroad company or the receivers
TO have continued TO guarantee so large
a price to the operators, but apart from
this a law was enacted by the last ses-
sion OF the West Nirginis Legislature
prohibiting railroads from selling coal.
and this of itself compelled the Norfolk
and Western to retire from the business.
AGREED UPON AN aRRANGIMENT.
on April lst Castner q Curran were
chosen by the operators as their general
sales agents. After conference between
The receivers of the railroad company
and the committee OF the operators. an
Arrangement was agreed upon wipch
would have netted the operators an aver
age Of Gi cents per ton at the mines. Al
the time that this arrangement was made,
the operators were asked by the receiv-
ers If they intended 10 reduce the wages
OF the miners, and they replied that they
did not. But. without notice TO the re-
ceivers, they did subsequently cut wages.
to take effect May LIST.
AS a consequence. the West Virginia
miners struck and the Governor IS fully
satisfied that the operators forced them
TO do so in order TO force the railroad
company to reduce it's freight charges
TO the ruinous rates that had resulted IN
putting the road in the hands OF recelV-
ers. The receivers are responsible 10 me
court for their conduct OF the ROAD
affairs. and they are not permitted 10 haul
freight at rate that is ruinousiy low.
THE TROUBLE Is IN wEsT VIRGINIA.
All this trouble. mind you. is in West
Virginia. The operators at Pocahontas
have stood by their agreement, nave not
reduced wages, and the men are entirely
satisfied with their wages and the treat
ment they received. AS evidence OF this,
the Governor, in his speech at Pocahon-
tas. called on all who had grievance
against the Southwest Company 70 make
It known, and no man responded. On
the contrary, there were many who said
publicly that they had no grievance, and
any humber OF miners called on the Gov
ernor privately. told him that they were