Newspaper Page Text
yOL. XXVIII— >0
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 21, 1S8G
PRICE FIVE CENTS
POWDERLWS POSITION.
He Tills tin : nre-tIg«tU g "rmnilttee
i bont tlu Haights of L®bor.
V I »* I he CI>J- er» Alms nl i« (» •
'mriflopg Are~witm Ho linovu
♦ hoar thr of ibe Wetlirn
Ulrlbf* Etc
fptcial ri»«mrr*-.SH»». 1
Washington, April 20 - G-and
Master VVotlunau P'Wderiv and
Messrs fify*s and Turr ev, of the
Kniehls o< Leber, arrived in W <sh-
irgiOD this morning and were at the
C’pi'cl at an seriy hour.
The special committee of the house
of repreiwntatlv's to inquire info the
labor d’fflculties in the southwes'
held its •first pi bite ecHsio’i to day.
Owing' to the d ffieulty of obtaining
the use of a convenient room in the
capit'T, the committee had to hire
one in an adjacent luiiding, the Con
gressional hotel, at which accommo
dation* were very deficient Tar
hour oi meeting wee fixed ef 12 noon,
but it was bslf-rast 1 uefore the com
mitten get to work. It consists of
ex-Gcvernor Cur'in, of Pcdd
syivania (chairtna) ), and Burns,
of MifS uri, Crain of Tixhs Ouih
waite of Ob-0, Stewart of Vermont,
Parker of New York, and Buchanan
of New Jersey. All the members
were present except Stewart, who is
absent by leave of the house. Among
the prominent persons in attendance
were as it. nroseu'atlves ( f the knights
of labor, TVPrwd rly, grand nr s'®'
workman, J W Hayes and Wu, O
Me Do we)), mi mbtrs of rhe exicutiv..
board, anc Frederick Turner, grand
secretary; as representat’ve® of the
railroad interests, Wager Swayne.
couuee 1 ; and a?representatives of the
women’s league of America, Mrs
Charlotte Smith and three other
ladies. A corps of f ur stenographers
wu on hand to make a full report of
the proceedings for the railroad com
panies
Powderiy was the first witness, and
as such was sworn by the chat man.
Powderiy is very far frr m filling, at
le s in an outward appearance, the
typical ideso p a horny-banded son of
toil, Ou the contrary, he appeals to
be e quiet, reserved, (ie’icaio-lookiug
man, whe Ins spent some fify yiars
of existence in an easy, contented
way He dresses plainly, is olosely
shaved, except ae to a lor g drooping
mustache, wears spectacles, and has
a high intellectual forehead. The
chan man, addieBbing him, said :
You understand th'.s committee is
raisea by the house of represen la
lives for the purpose if porsible of
getting d* wo to the reasons for the
unrest and the disturbance which
now exists in the country, end cs
pecip.lly r.s to cot fhets between labor
and capita! ai d between employers
and the employed. Tide committee
is fully set sib/e to the course you
have taken in your previous life and
of your disposition to reconode the
unrest of che people. Therefore, wr
call you as the fi s witness. B"
pleased now to give to the committee
in youi own language your impres
sions as tc this matter,
From the chairman to Powderiy:
“I know you well, and I knew that
you have intelligence e; ough to go
on and give this committee the in
lormation a seel s ”
Powderiy—‘‘Wnen your message
came to me I did not understand It,
and I came here without papers and
without any knowledge of what
wouid be if quired of me, The field
wnicti you nave opened up iu your
question is so broad mat I have no'
given it the consideration which ii
desei sea in order to answer it proper
ly, because it takes iu the general
question that is now being do cub e.<
by the working people and by toe
business people of the country, s
iliat I would rather answer yout
questions as they are put, and then,
ti necessary, I will meet iie commit
tee again alter I hive piocureu my
papers,”
Chairman—‘‘What, in your judg
ment and opinion, is (because of trie
disturbances now existing iu Tie io
caJiues referred to iu me resoiuoor ?’’
Powderiy—“The men who art,
now e gaged in the o.fflcuhiesln the
west have drawn up u bill of griev
sects anti have presented it, io the
manager of the Missouri Pacific road
at S' Lcuis. That bill of grievance'-
presents the views of the laoomig
men, It lias been s ated that the
cause of the present strike ou the
lines or the M souri Pac fic railroad
company was the discharge of a man
named Hall from the em
ployment of the Texas Pacific
railroad company, ami it has been
stated that immediately following
his discharge and (he refusal to re
instate him, the employes of ail the
other railroads struck, This state
ment the employes of the railroad
system known as the Gould system
claim to be untrue. They say that
the discharge of Hall was one and
only one of many causes of the aotion
taken by ti em. Here is the r filcial
statement drawn up by the commit
tee of district assemblies No 101 and
No 78 of the Kmghts ef L ibor, and
with your permission I will read it.”
Powderiy thereupon rta 1 the s ate-
ment of grievances referred to, and
which has been already published in
the newspapers,
Chairniau — *• What knowledge
have you as to the truth of the facts
stated in that paper other than the
statement itsel ?”
Powderiy—“I have never given
the matter my personal attention.
When it was first brought to my no
tice I wse engaged with the general
executive boatd at Phiiaie phta,
where we were holding a session. I
saw through the newspapers that
th-re was a strike on theTexn: Pa
cific railroad, and that the strike on
the Missouri Pacific railroad had fol
low! d ii, but I beaid nothing from
our men there, and bean! Votbinp
fflcial on the sulj'ct until I read a
d.sj a ch from 'he vice president of
the MNsouri Pacific, Hopkins of
New "Y >:fc, i. king soaie questions
Immediately foil) wing that we tele
graphed to the west for particulars of
tbt s rike, and we received an answer
somewhat similar 'o the statement
wh-'ch I have read just now ”
Chairman— "From whom did yen
r< ceive that answei?”
P -wderJy—“We telegraphed to the
man whose name I sew In papers,
Mai tin Irons, tut the dispatch in re
uly Ofitrie from another man named
Page Then some mortgag? bond
holders of the Texas Pacific railroad
esme to pee us ar-d asked if we could
not do S'mething to end the strike.
We then telegraphed to the receiver
of the read.”
Chairman—“Cat: you give the
names if .those bondholders who
came to spo you?”
Mr Powdi-riy—‘ I know the ’ ame
of iheir i wyer— Dickson. Weaskeo
of Governor Brown, one of the re
ceivers of the Ti x ie Pacific railroad
whether he would consent to meet
with r committee appointed by our
executive board, for the purpose of
arbitrating er settling the difference-
on the T< xns Pacifi ■ rnad. His reply
was thr,i ttie real hsd mi trouble with
the employee, but that it had had
some disturbance with former em
ployes, or er methir g to tha‘ cfl®ct
The telegram that was sent to Bn wn
was sent at the urgent r-ques. of the
people whose money ms invested
iu the bonds of the Texas Pacific rail*,
road, and who were anxious to have
the matter settled. Failing in that
attempt to settle, I went west and
there I met with committees ot
workingmen, including men employ
td on the Union Pacific railroad and
on several lin s constituting the
Gould s’stem, and I heard them
make similar statements to that con
tained In the bill of grievances which
I have Just lead. Then I telegraphed
to Hex e, asking f or an interview foi
ike purpose of endeavoring to ar
range » me terms of settlement
He refused to meet me In my < fHcK'
capacity, but said he would meet tut
v a cit'ztu. I had no authority tr
act ns aei'lzen In the matter, and of
course, I did not meet with him. I
otune bank east, and a few days aftei
tkoi I went to New York. The his
tory . f what took place there ha-
been published so < xtensively in the
piet-e, il a': it is unnecessary
for me cow to go over
It, While T was in the w si, I
heart, from the men of iiuie abusvi-
w*>ioh I don't think the manager of
tlio Missouri R c lie railroad ku -ws
p yiui.ig about Alor.g the Iron
Mountain railroad they have a system
u; ;akii>g 25 cents a day from iht
wages of men who receive $1 end 5i>
e-rus from he wsg s of men wno res
ceive 82 a day, and »o on in propor
tion, fur what they call the hospital
fuou, Tneo the men claim that a-
soon us they are taken sick they are
discharged and are denied the rigtn
oi eotoni g the hospital, Then there
are Instances which can be proved
where men have made contracts to
buy land from the company ou regu
lar yearly installments, and wtien
having paid all but the last install
ment, they were discharged from the
employment of the company. Iu
that section of the country it is differ
ent from the cast, The men can't go
into the next town and get a situa
tion, and the consequence lias tee-
that in at leas, one particular cases
man was obliged to remain idle so
hug that be lost his property. Tbt
men claim there are several instances
o. trial kind,”
Powderiy stated that in b;s inqui
ries he had found tout the causes of
discontent actually xisted rs de
scribed u;.d that he c mid have wit
nesses called to t s :fy to them if bin
informant nad been correct,
Chairman—‘ Will y- u state th;
purposes of the oigai izuiou < f the
enisrh s of lobe* ? Wnether its pur
poses are tne prottc- ton of the inter-
cots of lab- r and wuetuer it is peace
iu iu -11 I h action-?’’
P *wd®r y—"The aim of the organ
z -.tiouof tr*e Krkgn.s of L sb tr is ti
bent fit the iaoorer ai d t* securn c
better feeling bet wen him and his
emplryer. All our methnus are
peaceful We never counsel anything
.if a vi Immature. A member of the
organization may cnee in a while
Ci mailt acta of violence. We cannot
help than It ss a mutter beyond our
cmtrol, because wnen men feel that
they have endured a wrong there 1-
no ,aw wkicn cun properly restrain
them "
Chairman—"Do I understand that
the knights of labor is an organ zi-
tion to protect labor nut only on tne
railroads, but also in the mines and
Id factories?”
Powderiy—“We attempt to do that.
Our association la intended lobe an
educational one, We aim at having
our members study :hc conditions by
which they are surrounded, not only
their own oonditions, but those of tne
men for whom they wuia.”
Buchauac—"In i r-ler to pave the
w>*y to intelligent action ?”
P iwderly—" Ye.-i, sir. I claim that
it is no moie than right for both tc
meet on equal terms and to have a
thorough understanding of the wants
of rash other, and it seems to me
that until they do that they cannot
properly fix up their differences.”
Chairman—“I i your letter to me
you spoke of d;ffl :ulties iu respect to
receiverships of railroad companies ”
Powderiy—’ Ye*; when a railroad
company does noi pay, and when It
In your Judgment can lie ooust.itu-
tloiiftlly itouo aud what might be
dour-, aud what rughl to be done by
amendment io tht> oonstitution.”
Powderiy—"I shall d • so, and I
fbatik you for the suvg- stlon.”
I i reply ‘o further questions Piw-
derly -aid the strike began ou Feb
ruary 27 on tne Texas Pacific road ;
that he did not possess a knowledge
of all the steps that led up ’o the
strike, but thought documents iu the
hands of the knights of labor
would show then.; Meat he
it'pu’ In i could not tell by whom
for e ; rtain 1 the sttlke was cnlered, but that the
I order wits given by the district as
senuil-; that the authorities above
the rank of disirict assemblies were
not consulted; that he could not say
whether any prop:,sitions for arbitra
tion had come from either the em
ployer or employe- b-'fore the strihe
occurred, but that the men hud mailt
known lln-ir grievances to Hcxie or
two or three ocoasious aud that at,
opp''r'u T v'y had been gi* en the com-
pauy to ( Her arbitra ion ”
Crains—“I find it stated in the
bi’l of grievances produced by you,
that the men asked f< r redress 'ini*,
and time, outlnvain; that theexecu-
tlve ci-mnilMee of the ktdgh's ot
labor sought to setile matters, and
ti a* the reply of ,ke general superin
tendent of the Missouri Pac ii; rail
way, refusing to figne io :iu- con
fers' ce as propositi, car* be pro
ttured ?”
Powdorly—"Y?a, I am told a’s>,
that along iht Iron Mountain rail
way, aud along outer roads in p«rt.!-
of Texas, the superintendents a;:it
foremen aro interes 1 ed in company
stores, and that Ute men arc coat^
polled to deal at these stores. The
employes are not told in so many
words rhat they must deal ti e a, bn'
they ore reminded that It. is to their
Taterest to do so If a murmur of
complaint is to reach the ear of the
president of the oompany, it mu-d go
through the superintendent and a
man w.il be ili.-.churg ti as soon an he.
Utters a word of complaint. The men
whose moirey is Invested iu the mil-
road knew nothing abotn tkiu. In
inai y places double prices arc charg
ed in these stores ”
Buchanan—“Will you be able to
furnish specific it s ancee of this
kin.’?”
Powderiy—"The committee will
find proof of all these things.”
Buchanan—"D you know whether
the grievances set f *rtti in the paper
which you read oneianted exclusive
ly on the Texas Pacific road, or In
connection with other road- ?”
P awderly—"On rhe entire system ’’
Buchanan— “Including the Mis*,
sou'! Pacific
P w lerly—‘ Y s The men t;V
oomplain that convicts are hruugnc
from the peuiteiuianes in T>xaato
wirk on the riiilr-iads, and that
striped suits may L*t seen side fy
’sine with honest labor in trtsck re
pairing That Btatrment has been
made to me by members of ti e com ■
mmee."
Buchanan—"Fi-quent reference
has been made in the newspap“ry ”
t contract or agreement ruaile in 1885
Can you produce It.a' paper ?”
Powderiy produoed what he stated
to De the original contract or agree-
.meut r f the 15th cf March, 1885 pro
posed by the governors of Missouri
a id Katiea.', and accepted by the rep
resentatives of the railroad companies
aud of the working men.
Buobanan — "And the present
grievances a e that iu violation of
that egresment and without notice
the waires of men were reduced?”
Powderiy—"Y-a.”
Buchanan—“You “poke about the
railroads being operated under re.
ceivcrs. Ha : it been your observa
tion that sometimes receivers r>:» v tie
app linted for hiini iy u st .ok Jol king
operatim?"
Powderiy—"Tout has i.eeu my
idpa.”
Chairman—"That is, that the au
thori’y of ther'urtie s- mc ioietn
voked to wreck a railroai ? ’
P nolerly—‘ Y-s."
Buchanan— 1 Is not a railroao
which is in the nands of receiver tm
most dang-rou.s competitor iloit a-
conducted r.,iiroid cc.i
gr s into the bauds tif a receiver, we
fltul it to be true that if we ask for a
redress of grievances or wrongs, we
sre r-ferred to tb° court, the receiver
<aylng that lie bus no power to retne-
d> them But that when 'here i« atv
other matter lo be rectified, the re
oeiv-r „«n d f - so without applying to
the courts ”
Chairman—‘ D you know the par
tlPuWts t.f any wrongs i f tha' kind ?”
Powderl.v—"I cannot give particu
lars now, but I will do pc ”
Chairman—"Tha v Is to tay, 'hat
they wreck o read anti h
'-he hands ot p- receiver
I -u 'pose- ? '
P iwderly—"I dot ’■ k> ow whetl er
they wrtek it or not."
Buchanan—"They run it a-liore at
ail events, w.-e.ber they wreck it or
Dll' ?”
Powderiy—' Y.j», sir; there are a
great many personr. who xpress ih:;
opinion that if the United B'.atts
govt-inn.cut can run a railroad after
its teir.g wr.cked, itsh' u'd certainly
he able .o run a good railroad.”
Chairman—"Thar ib & 'ogical con-
clu-loti ”
P iwderly sta’ed that in Tie g-n*
eral i flice in Philadelphia were pu»
pers wi iclt would b. valuable to the
mmittee, and -:bt cup-iraian replied
:h>■ t the commit;tee would i-q nr. ail
papers Iliat threw light on the suh-
j ct undc-r investigation “S:. for,”.
•aid he, "w* have a very goods a t
on what you ssy to-d&y. I do not
a-k y r u to divulge all your secrets cf
iht- knigh’.e of mb^t, but -you have
stated hat the oi jee’e of the society
are to protect Tie labor of the country
:>s far as p, s ihle aga n u t thci xactions
of if corporations.”
Powderiy—“To protect not only
tlis labor cf ike country, but to pro
tect the manufac ur'Vo os wtll. VVe
desire that the ciauutao'.uiers shall
be in such a condition tba. they will
be able io pay good w.« g-.-s. We have
no quarrel wun a legitimate enter-
pr’s ”
Chairman—“The aims <( your
society are entirely pieacefu.?”
Powderiy—“They ;re entirely
peace;ul, nut they am liable, of
course, to be mii-undorstood even by
members of the association once lot-
while. If you discover ;hit mem-
oers of the knights of labor along the
caiiroai’s have violated the laws of
he learn or its own laws—and the
committee w 11 discover that fact—
we will be as ready to assist in pun-
ishiitg thtm as we are in upholding
their rights ”
Buchanan—“Y >ur public utter
ances have showu that.”
Powderiy—“I have been somewhat
misunderstood. When I oaid I was
will! g to expose everything in con
nection with the organ’z'’.ioD, if
those wl.-o manage the r diroads, or
•f one man n particular would do
the same thing, I sp< ke freely and
-ruthfudy. I nave no oljection to
snowing up everything cmaeciid
with the organizHion—its secret’s
signs, pas-s- words and ev rytbing,
oelore tut committee, and befoiu the
world, I want it Uuderstood,
that so far as our executive
board it- concerned, I have from
over 4000 as.iembli s, letters i f en-
dorsem- iit of the secret circular . f
min'.', which, since it w:s i.-sut-d, 1ib.s
been made public. Tins’ endorse
ments l e.i me cut in what I have
said, so that you can understand from
tne tenor of tne circuit,r the charscs
ter of our organization. When Isuj'ed
that our organ zvtlon was willing to
meet our oontesiante before the courts,
I had uO idea tlmt I was making a
wrong statement. I believe that the
law of the land is higher than any
other corporation or any organ zation
and that when a man violates the
law af the laud, either as a knight or
private cii zju and a* a m.ruber of a.
corporation, he s oulu be j u Tsketl
for it, aud lust his connection
with an orgau’zation should
be no smeld for him
aud I ktivo thought on the other
na: d that u muu who violates the
law and who it- worm tuiiiious of dol
lars should i- ufiler the ssme as a poor
man. I nave mctle that statement
and the pe*iple have scei ti: to set. in
it an in vita ion to ui.aicl.y. If that
is anarchy, 'n the name of G ui what i uonestiy
is law ?” j have?”
Buchanan—“la oTn-r words, you) P iwderly— 1 Undouh'edly.' 1
cedevo in the t.id time dtclaration, E ichanav.— • Y u pri'mis-.-d f r fur
•fiat all men nre created Lee ano nisb the committee with some views
equa- ?” as to a icgislat.ive run-dy for trr ub!t
Powdtriy—"Y -; an.l that ail of the kind now exisTnu', will you
should stand so before me laws. I | also, iu consider!i g these questions,
p. s ess the same righ's bef re the . ,ake into v.tW the compltx ojl uxo of
law i-s iht man who na- millions. I ! this government, and the divided re-
was b ru hi re and have my interests ■ spousibility between federal and sla"-
here, but even if I Were not uorn legislation, so as io make your su"-
here and though I only hud a hand- 1 gestion such as the na'ional legiBiii-,
ful of this eartn’s possessions, it is my | ture can duly act upon ?”
uh; it as much to me as the other Powderiy—"1 will do so.”
man’s rnilhor a, and the law is as
much bound to protect me.”
Burns—“The country generally,
and I doubt not proper-y, seems to
place a good deal ot confidence in
your inltgrity, your intelligence aud
your patriotism. Being disposed to
consider questlo. a practically, I ask
if you have given tuouglu to the
question of a itgisiative remedy for
the evils to wnicn you Lave alluded?”
Powderiy—"I have never worked
Buchanan—• Has ii ever rccurreo
to you that possib'y the power which
is lodged in the court to appoint a re
ceiver was meant originally to be a
temporary device by which the prop-
erty might be preserved until after
the foreclosure has been entered and
the sale of the property made ?"
Powderiy—"I have entertained
that opinion. I may be wrong, of
course. I have no knowledge of the
inside working of the railroad com
it out properly. I have thought it pany, but there Is so much said to
over, but have not followed it to its tiiat efl ;ct that I thought such a
conclusion.” thing might be possible.”
Burues—“Will you he able, during Buchanan—"I do not hesi'ate to
the sitting ot this committee to give say that the modern pracTce of a
us your views on toe question of a court taking hold of a railroad and
remedy for the wrong?
Powderiy—"How lung is the com
mittee likely to s' ?”
Chairman—“About two months.”
Powderiy—“I think I will be able,
because In that time you will have
an i illcial declaration from the chief
men of our argan zatiou on that
point.” |
Buns-"I would suggest further
working It for years is entirely for
eigu to the purpose for which the
power was or'gioally given.”
Powderiy—• That has been my
id -a.”
Crain—"What is the principle of
ti e organization known as the
Knights of Lahoi?”
Powderiy—"Our organization aims
to i-etTe all diflerences by arbitration
that it may be wcil to consider what and reconciliation, and mat is one
reason why we havo difficulty in
managing It. It was never th ught
of ti l recently, that our organ zt-
Ton slv uld h«vo anything to do
with strikes rio, loo, boycotting .s
something which we have mver
legislated on but one", and that was
to restrain ii, and our restraining ins
Huence will go slid farttur.”
Chain—“Then the principle en
which your organ’za'lon is ba-ed Ih
•.ha* nf bringing capt a', and lubor tt
closer roiatlo* ?"
P 'wderly—" Y-s.”
Qrmn—"Aud this strike went into
. fleet ou au k ’rity "f the district as
semblies, not of the general organ’z -
tied,?”
Powderiy—’ Oar general organ ac
tion has t ever given ua general of-
flci rs any power over the question of
auikes,”
MeDawe 1 will be heard to-mor-
ro ,i * Further meetings of the o un-
mlttee will lie in the room assigned
to the committee on electors c uut,
which is in toe basement of the oap>
oil HI d »• j liuH the room where tin
Pun Electric investigation is held.
THE TIE UP BROKEN-
Tli» S* w Tore Slri-nt <'»«■» Ro-nmi-
0|t*m!t-na - Snnruor Oil'-stoy As-
,1 onrj tfcc “IrllkV'ii '»« I llo—Th«>
i-on-tn TohSIT *«
HlrlU-. Il.c
Spools 1 to F!rqu!r«r>8uu.
Augusta, Ga., April 20 -Two
weeks ago, the t-xecutlvp boards of
the knights of labor petition!d the
presidents of tbe cotton fao'orles, to
abolish tbe line or pass e; s en: ; that
no knight, bo forced lo take the place
of» d sihari.e! ktdght uu il inves \-
gatioti oy me t-xecuti' c board of
king.': s; that all maohn ss :ece ve
$8 for tv c ve liou s work; that fifty
yar''s shall cc s itute o: e eu ; thai
where one mill pays $1 30 daily for
card grinding anil another pays
$1 75 the average price be
#1 52}; that 'he average prioe
uu* obtained he raised 15 per cent,
this advanoa to begin Muy l°t, Tii"
txe.iuilve board asserts mat the op
eratives have qule ly tUhmjtted to
fn-ni 30 to 35 per cent reduction
during lire last two years. They ask
an advance in w because ttio millr
can atlord it. They desire a c m far-
OL.ce with the superintendents and
mrseere on any vacancy or dis
charges, that they muy fill the vacan
cies. They ftpk tor a ooPday fir the
employes May let, when they will
discuss ‘the labor question and kltu
dred topics, and .nvioj ..he presidents
of the mills to attend, aud
appoint two speakers to address
them There ave eiglu cotton mills
id Augusta employ og 3000 bauds,
• It la thought, mist ut • miu hnva
joined :lje it u ignis of lubor. Ton
presiden's of 'he mil s tie i a meeting
to-day sod irstied the following cir
cular letter to their employes in ihn
rubs, oof ti ticlnv the cx au'.lvi
board f;he knig, s >f 'abre:
1 Y;ur attention Is requeued to a
calm and careful consideration of
■ nis paper. Wa have roclvcd
a communication purporting to
co:i e from an order known
as the Kulgots uf Libor arid e'gue-l
oy‘he master workmen and execu
tive committee of that ordu. Tills
cnmmuriica*lou pretends to set forth
certain grievances an<i»r which you
s.re suflerlng and demands their rt •
driss. This order claims to lie aoiing
at your i; stance and in your behalf
If ihls be true, wc decline mos‘ post-
ive*y to recognize any outside In
terference between our empl ij’P* 1
tmi! our=clves. Wc arc always pre-
pared to confer witti you as tmphyes,
but in no other capacity, upon all
luljec's to the common interests. We
rtc gnlzs thav it*o rate, f wages is a
fair subject of agreement betweeti
the employer and unoluyi.it, and thai
ihe right to work or quit working for
another belongs tton iiUteiy 'o i v :y
uie who is not a coi victor s'ave, an'i
.lie light lo eu ploy or not to employ
vioiliti i aits ou.e atcl inerr *c liblc
Toese .ugius can only 'u ! mittd by
the parties tnemse.ives. Wc shali.
therefore, lie glad to receive and
fairly c:>: eider ai.y ccc.ntiu.iuit'i n
from cur employes a<i sueb. bu w
•’ii! uol uimw oti'sule |r ies f
man-ige • or allairs L c n lusioi*,
we w'-uld tail your at'ention in tbt
fit; that a( present the n Pr lie
:-arnit;g very little more in an tx
(jfttis'-s, and tb»' u> to a rsa-nt period
they have for several yesis been no
at a 1 euvy lo s, tiieir nlockholders
receiving no dividends, while during
the same period the employ es haye at
least receiv’d a living.
The knights 1 iabrr held s meet
ing h< re to-night, which was largely
attended, and the following preamble
and r siiutlon adopted:
Whereas, Our execu’ive hoard has
been positively ignored by the mill
presidents, and as It is positively con
trary to our const tutlon for us to ad
just any grievances, o'ber than
through our executive board; there*
for® be It
Resolved 1st, That we, the opera
tives and employes of the mills, do
absolutely and positively decline to
confer with the presiuents or any
other peraor s except through our ix-
ecu'ive board.
21, That we endorse fully the ac
tion of cur board.
31 That we forward to each of ihe
presidents whose names apr ear on the
circular distributed through the mills
to-day a copy of these resolutions.
OoVKKNOK OGLESBY ADIIKESSK3 THE
STRIKERS.
Chicago, April 20.—Only one at
tempt was made by the Lake .Shore
road to-dny to run a freight train,
and that re-uked txaoliy as yester
day. One of 'he train hands w-s
knockth down by the tinkers and
badly hurt. Governor Oglesby lies
hoet here uli day in oonsultatioi
with railroad m>"i, prominent capi
talists and civil, fllolals. He says he
will not order out the mili ia until
all other rer edies are exhausted-
He visited 'he scene of the strike in
Tie afternoon ai d from the car
p!a*form modeaspc-tch to the crowd,
of 400 or 600 strikers and their sym-
path z'rs. He advised tho men lo
preserve peace and endeavor to have
their wages adjusted in a more quiet
way He stud that strikes were lutils
to (fleet ar.y permanent change in
Ihe cndiflo i f -flairs. } r o reminded
tl:° workingmen that the govern
ment w<.B orgau'zji to protect
property and lives and it would ii"8
force if r eo ssury to ( fleet
that purpose. He further said he
was the instrument of the s'ste to use
that power, and that while tie (le-
pi red tlie lice, ssity that would com
pel liliu to call out the rnili ia, y et it
might be his du y, ami if H were tils
liu’y he would certainly do so. H i
then went on to picture the scenes cf.
bloodshed which would p ollow such
action,and chlcd on the men to avoid
the levs of a single dry ’oy using
a little fi re'll eight and re'uruing
*o work Oglesby’s speech was rt rt r.
received favorably at 11 -at, the crowd
interrupting by such orbs ns’ You
arc wrong then !” "That ain’t what
wt arc drlvlt g ut !’’ e*o, hut when
:hc governor had finished the crowd
bmk" Into long and tienrty cheers,
which were kept up till the train
pulled away.
Ni \v York April 20 -Tne tie up
of tho si reel cur lines has been partly
uni eked and the ca-’ on ail the
roads are running, all bu’ tbe Third
avenue road sending out their regu
lar number of cars. An order to re
lieve toe tie up on all the Un s hut
Third avei u- was issued this mom -
lr g by the i ffleers of tht Empire pro
tective association on ‘lie assurat 09
beirg given that tbe tffldnis of oth
er companies were no* assisting aud
would not assist the Third avenue
road. The latter road ran a number of
cars with new drivers and conduc
tors. but Ihe inside and pla'forms 9 f
those cars were filled with peace
officer* AU along tbt rou'e the new
drive:s and conductors aud even the
peace 1 ffleers were saluted with jeers
and yells by the crow is welch col-
l®oted st- the different points. At
Park R'w, the end of th<. journey,
the side walk was lined with a crowd,
but no oae mrorf irrsd to oppose tho
progress of th® cars.
organizing colokhd assemblies .
Gal VEST; N, April 20 —A special
to the NtW’h from TeXurkana says if,
ii r.s been discovered ’I.at wiihln Ups
past three weeks Urn knights of
labor have organ'z J hi vsral colored
assemoUts hi cn. vicinity of Texar
kana, both iu Arkansas and Ttxas,
Tho movement's regard’d with ap
prehension.
TAILORS ON A STRIKE.
Lynchburg Vh At>rn 2d — Tbs
J oumsymeu luiiornor this city struck
to-day for higher wag g.
A DAM BREAKS.
Aad a FlffOil W*i#r Panm f>o«rn
Tpon n V HI 'iff*
'iwlal tc Euaclror-'iuu.
Titisfield Mass April 0. —At
6 c’uiOi-k .tins rnormng Uie village of
East Lee was inumla ®d and devas-
taled oy the 1 renting away of « uam
a' the Mud Pond reservoir fountain
lake, about tv o and a half miles iroru
the vll ag.-. Tho pond covered ninny
acres of swam,* and was increased
from IU original limited s za by ex.
tensive dams buhl by a olubnf manu
facturers us a storage i'luoii for water.
F ist r* e village, whose half o< z*u
paper mil’s are -ltualed on iU..e,reath
if eei veil he firs iuw.- of me aooideiit,
wIjcli hie >1 t»i came pourli g doWti
tne streets, ttie. water being ftom
four to s x feet deep and
bringing witli it trees, portions
of bouses, barn®, fence-, wagons usl
everv (ru veobie property. Tb« l»«o*
pie fi.-d io liie Klo|>e of tbe Valley.,
along which Ihe torrent wus |n utlug,
and Houb: Iiouhps moved and toppleil
••bout !:ke chips on a river. Tna
f! oil passed E>-t L p and went ou
down ili'. real, desir- ylo.- gardens,
line fer.c s and moving Hi" smaller
buildings [■ hud not rhe power,
however, to Artel: utterly the larger
houses, though the d mage done will
ami u :t lo many thou-ujd d »[lara.
A.-i boom as pos-ibl®, tlie people went,
up the hue cf the ti >od
toward the pond, at.d found the
ruin worse as they approached the
starting point (fthe torrent. Fjr-
tunutely the track of tho fl.iod wui
in a sparsely inhabited country, hue
what destruction there was for it t >
Join wrecking three or four housia
aloi g Its way was thoroughly accom
plished. Much stock, besides proper
ty, is lost. Explorers nave already
found the bodies of si x persons, and
are searchlrg for others. ■ The scene
is one of terrible dessolation, and the
town of Lee is wild with excitement.
Later new« just received from Ev?i
Lee says Dine bodies h®ve been found.
It is expected that more will ho dis
covered.
THp PeniMhlu Naval Drill.
Speo'al tc Er.qai:Br*ttun.
Pensacola, April 20— Ti-day
forts wen built and destroyed by tna
a'tlllery. Admiral Jouett unu iuncea
’.bat a sham battle will take place
Friday. The P -nsaoola base ball
club defeated a picktd nine from tho
fi -et to-day by a score of 9 to 2 The
admiral will review the ^ava! brigade
to-morrow, and ihe tioojs will break
camp or. Saturday and return to their
ships. The tquadrou will continue
ihe sea 'Xeroioes for ten days,