Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

4. .. ESTABLISHED 1860- ) ) J. H. Eh TILL, Editor and Proprietor, f SUBSIDIZED RAILROADS. the pacific commissioners MAKE THEIR REPORT. Messrs. Anderson and Littler Sign the Majority Report and Mr. Pattleon That of the Minority—The Union Pacific Road and Branches the First Considered. H AbKiNHTON, Dec. 60—Under the act'of Congress approved March 6, 1887. entitled “An act authorizing an investigation of the books, and methods of railroads which have received aid from the United States and for other purpose*,” the Presi dent appointed Messrs. Robert E. Pattison, of Pennsylvania; E. Ellery Anderson, of New York, and David F. Littler, of Illinois, commissioners to carry on the investigation. Two reports have been submitted to the President, a majority report by Messrs. Anderson and Little and a minority report by Air. Pattison. The majority report opens with a statement of the methods pursued by the Commissioners, showing the laborious nature of the work. Tbe commissson examined the dierctors and officers of the respective roads and all witnesses whom they judged possessed of knowledge of the subject matter of tbe in vestigation. THE UNION PACIFIC. The Union Pacific railway is first consid ered, its total mileage, exclusive of branches, being stated at 1,815.17 miles, including the ..railways formerly known as the Kansas Pacific, and Denver Pacific, while the total mileage of the connecting branches, accord ing to the company’s report for 1886, is 2.761.98 miles. It is explained that the United States subsidy lionds did not apply to the entire lengths of these roads, the branch lines being excepted from ■t he lien. The commission has taken a great •leal of evidence relating to the cost of the branches, their operation and their effect on the system. The almost unanimous voice of all the witnesses examined de clared that the branch roads add largely to the earning power of the Union Pacific railway. Many of them go so far as to as sert that without these feeders the Union Pacific would be bankrupted in a few years. NOT SELF-SUPPORTING. It appears from the account of these branches that, having regurd only to the op eration of the branches themselves, some of them do not pay the expense of opera tion. Many of them do not earn enough to pay the interest on their cost in addition to the expense of their operation, and only a few of them succeed in earning a surplus beyond fixed charges. But the offi cers of the road and many other intelligent witnesses declare that the circumstance has no bearing on the question whether the branches are or are not an advantage. - They assert that in addition to the actual earnings derived from local oj>cration there is a large profit derived from earnings of all business interchanged between the branches and main road by reason of the liaul over the main road. In the opinion of the commission this statement is correct and the argument unanswerable. THE BEAL QUESTION. There is a difference of opinion among the Commissioners in regard to the value of these branches, but the ma jority argue that the branches exist, but tbe money spent in their purchase or con struction cannot be reclaimed, and the practical question is whether their opera tion. irrespective of their cost, is or is not an advantage. The Union Pacific railway is itself a holder of a large major ity of their lionds, and could effect no im portant saving of interest payments by dis continuing them. But as a matter ot fact the investment in branch lt.\?>, taken in its entirety, does pay a larjj surplus. The evidence of several witnr*ts examined on this subject is cited in support of the posi tion of the majority of the commission, among • whom were E. P. Alexander, President of the Central Railroad and Banking Company, of .Georgia, who served as government director in 1885, and declares “that the existing system of branch lines has been the actual salvation of the road.” Charles F. Adonis and ex-Glov. Warren, of Wyoming Terri tory, the opinions of the United States Commissioners of Railroads, Messrs. French and Armstrong, and the reports of the government directors are quotal to the same effect. EVEUy MILE WORTH THOUSANDS. It is also urged that “apart from the mere financial question, the communities served by tbe branch roads demand their construction and extension. They are of immense service to farmers, settlers and miners, and transform the barren nrairies into grain-liearing farms. Every ■)i]e of road adds many thousands of dollars o the value of the lands adjacent. The fficy ot branch line development is bene ■ial to the railroads, to the local coniniu ties and increases the solvent power of e corporation. It is not sufficient iswer to the conclusion that this iliey has been abused by improvident and en fraudulent expenditures in the past, he remedy is to punish the wrong-doer and it to suppress the natural growth of the ilroad. MUTUALLY DEPENDENT. “The conclusion is reached that the anches and main line are mutually de ndent on each other for support and de dopment, and that, through their union, ey represent a vastly greater relative riling power than would either tho •anches or the main line itself if they were ismambered. The net earnings of the ■stem taken for the past two years, by inch is now meant their gross earnings, ss their operating expenses and taxes, ive average, $0,800,000, of which sum 1,300,000 should tie credited to the parent f ne, aud $1,000,000 to the branch system. i'he actual value of the system, as gathered from Col. Morgan’s intelligent examina tion. based both on the cost of construction, on the increased value of the Terminal facilities and the right-of vay, and also on the close and critical ex amination of the earning powers of the main line, may be approximately stated at $150,- 000,000. A TREMENDOUS TOTAL. “The total fund debt of tho Union Pacific Railway Company on Dec. 31,1886, fexclu sive of the obligations to the United States, is placed at $881,900,137 50, of which $83,- 539,000 was prior to the United Ntutex’ tatntory lien. The total of the subsidy debt f the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific . t maturity, including priucqial and inter sst, and deducting tho credits of both companies in bond and interest ac count. November 1, 1887, la stated at $78,- : 189,741. 00. The average date of maturity of the bonds of Ixith companies is July, 1807.” The report adds that it is universally con ceded by every intelligent jiersoir who has studied'the subject that Union Pacific rail way proper, or its system, cannot pay its in debtedness to the United States at maturity. It was decided, therefore, “to submit a Mrem which shall secure to the United lutes full payment of all debts due it from rid oomimny, with a reasonable rate of Merest, having due regard to the financial bility of said company, and profier con ct, of its business in such a manner as , U afford efficient service to the Dubiic.” Wi* Ittofning AN UNDESIRABLE PLAN. “The system of requiring annual payments of a percentage of the net earnings, 'is de clared to be. nudesirahie. as leading to end less disputes involving iocesssnt litigation to which the sovereign power of t he United States should not be subjected. In the bills submitted herewith, the payments to be mu ie by the respective companies are fixed by the semi-annual amount of interest accruing on their lionds. which is directed to bo paid annually into the sink - ing fund. In the event of a refusal on the part of the companies to accept the terms offered to them by these bills the commis sion has found it impossible to substitute for the present system a method ot fixed payment, however earnestly desiring to do so.” After saying that the history of the Union Pacific railway will show that its assets have been in former years largely misapplied, ond that its flnan • ciul ability to meet its just obligations has been largely impaired by (he action of men who laid fiduciary relations to the corpora tion, but that under the decision of the United States Supreme Court the United States stands to these companion only in the relation of an ordinary creditor, and until the debt is due cannot initiate legal proceedings looking to greater security or ultimate paymeht of its claim, the report says: “We have, therefore, inserted in the bill which we recommend a section requir ing the Union Pacific Railway Company, in accepting the terms of adjustment offered, to consent that as to all causes of action existing or to exist against any trustee, director or officer of the company for any cause whatsoever, the company shall, on application of the De partment of Justice of the United States, bring any suit or take any proceedings that shall be directed by that Department ami prosecute such suit- or proceedings, under its direction, to final consummation." COMBINED MILEAGE. The mileage of the Central Pacific and Western Pacific (being that part of the Cen tral Pacific system covered by the bonded lfen) is stated at 787 miles, and its branches (exempt from lien) at 137 miles. The entire system is now leased to a Kentucky cor poration known as the Southern Pacific Company. Its value is estimated at sllO,- 000,000, but the commission lielieve this valuation excessive, and that it could lie duplicated for $50,000,000. The total funded debt of the system is $57,000,000, exclusive of the obligation to the United States. The ultimate debt to the United States is a little more than $71,000,000. The same consider ations which have influenced the action of the committee in regard to the Union Pacific apply to the Central Pacific. It is equally desirable to substitute for the percentage system the payment of fixed sums, but. says the re port: “Tbe application of the remedy to the Central Pacific Railway Company is a difficult task. It is hardly to be expected that any act resembling the act submitted in tbe case of the Union Pacific Railway Company will be accepted by the Central Pacific Railway Company. DON’T EARN THE INTEREST. “On the other band, in tbe event of a re fusal to accept the application of the entire net earnings resulting from that por tion of the read, in considera tion of which bonds were issued, is in sufficient to meet the accruing interest paid and to be paid by the United St tes, it is also insufficient to accomplish the re payment of the present worth of the obli gation, even at the reduced rate of 3 per cent, per annum, for the reason that the entire net earnings will not amount to 3 per cent, of the present value of the debt. An enforcement of its statutory lien, either at the maturity of the debt or an earlier period, if the debt, or any portion of the same, could be made to mature before tbe date now fixed by law, would result in a sale at which it could hardly be expected that any bid in excess of the amount due on the first mortgage bonds would be made. wouldn’t bid high. “The Union Pacific railway bow extend ing their roads westward, might become competitors, but it is not to lie supposed that any of them would give for this prop erty, in addition to the amount of me first mortgage debt a sum in any way approxi mating the amount due the government. The probable result would hr, as in the case of a compulsory sale of the Union Pacific railway, that the indebted corporation, or some of its prohiinent officers, acting in their own behalf, would acquire the title to this road; so that the ultimate effect would Le merely Dres*:iting to them as a gift 'substantially the whole amount due lot the United States. We herewith .iibmit a bill applicable to the Central Pacific Railroad Company prepared on tha.xuue principle applicable to the Union its rifle Railroad Company, except that in the Cent of a refusal to accept its provisions tin en tire net earnings of the subsidized p<; ion of the road shall be applied to the siifciug fund ami interest account as dire -tad bv the Thurman aid. The financial inability of the company to meet these re quirements is the result, as before stlted, of profligate and wanton dispersion of the assets of the coin[>any in dividends, the ag gregate amount of which excelled $34,000,000, and extravagant cont.Ais, persisted in to the present time, as Evi denced lu the case of construction tracts for the northerly end of the Califor nia and Oregon railroad, by the Pacific Jm. provement Company, entered into Oetoier 1886.” LITTLE SPACE GIVEN OTHER ROADS.i Comparatively little space is devotee* lo the other railroads, whose affairs wereln vestigated by the commission. They sh.ir in the condemnation of the methods of thair builders and managers which is bestowth its the cases of tho Union and Centfci Pacific, and appropriate legislation for eafch of them is recommended. In discussing the question of legislation, looking to the adjustment of the relatioa between the Pacific railway companies a ra! tho government, tho commission declar* that in its judgment it would have been ill possible to have enforced the provision, which was contained in all the bills pending in the Forty-ninth Congress, calling for immediate maturity of the entire demand of the United States! in the event of any default in the payment of any of the installments provided fori The contemplated provision requiring (Ini companies to agree to institute, on deinanra of the Department of Justice, all such suit* and proceedings as may be required by in to be brought against any officers on agents against, whom misappropriation of assets or other cause of action is or may "hereafter lie nlleged, seems, m the opinion of the commission, to lie the only practica ble remedy for violation of duty which it is believed has occurred. THE CONCLUSION REACHED. After some general observations upon tho financial operations of l>ond aided roads, the conclusion is reached by this commission, liosed on their own examinations of tbeoffi oera of the respective oompauiae, upon ex amination of the accounts by the experts of the com mission, and upon the import of the inspecting engineer ot tho commission, that, with the single exception, to lie presently noted, all of the duties and obligations of the builders of these roods have been persistently disre garded. The result is that those who have controlled and directed the construc tion and development of these com SAVANNAH, GA., SATURDAY. DECEMBER 31, IsB7. panics have become possessed of their surplus assets through issues of bonds, stocks and payments of dividends, voted by themselves, while the great creditor, the United States, finds itself substantially without adequate security for the repay ment of its loans. THE SINGLE EXCEPTION. “The single exception above referred to, we desire, at the threshold of this portion of the report, to indicate and emphasize. We refer to the administration of the Union Pacific Railway Company since the spring of 1884. in our judgment it is fully aud entirely exonerated from the condemnation to be passed on the transactions of other roads and relating to other periods. We are satisfied that this administration has devoted itself honestly and intelligently to the herculean task of rescuing the Union Pileitic railway ’ from the insolvency which threatened it at the inception of its work; that it has devoted itself by rigid economy, by intelligent man agement. and by an application of every dollar of the earning capacity of the system to its improvement and betterment to place that compauy on a sound ami en during financial foundation. This effort has been continued during the past year with increased intelligence and vigor, and we think it to be largely due to this admin istration that the United States to-day, in our judgment, holds the Union Pacific rail way, and through the value which it de rives as an integral part of the Union Pacific system (if protected by legislation) full security for the repayment of its whole debt of interest. ” JAY GOULD’S ENTRY. The purchase of a controlling interest by Jay Gould in 1873, the subsequent increase of the capital stock to 200,000 shares, the inauguration of the policy of constructing branch lines in 1877, the events leading up to tbe^consolidation of the Union Pacific and Kansas Central Pacific, aud that con solidation itself are detailed at great length and visited with sweeping condemna tion. It ultimately resulted that the consolidation worked no other harm to the combined organization than ex cess, ve capitalization, but in the opinion of the commission this circumstance does not justify the methods followed in bringing the consolidation about. Tbo financial op eration of the Central Pacific Railroad Com pany and its branches are discussed at fieat length, and various transactions of lirectors Stanford, Huntington, Hopkins aud Crocker, who are declared to have had absolute control of its affairs, are gone into with great minuteness. The construction contract entered into with Charles Crocker & Cos. is criticised. It is asserted that the profits arising therefrom were divided among Stanford, Huntington, Hopkins and Crocker, by whose votes they had been awarded, and: “In the opinion of the com mission the course pursued m this respect is wholly indefensible. AGREEMENT OF THE COMPANY. “The agreement of the company when it received the munificent aid extended by tbe United States was to repay the loan, and so much of the interest as bad not been repaid by transportation or percentages of net earnings at the expiration of thirty years. The course pursued by .Stanford, Hunting ton, Hopkins and Crocker was necessarily absolutely destructive of any possible security. ********* “The commission has made a diligent effort to ascertain tho actual cost of the con struction of the railroad to the Contract and Finance Company (the corporation which constructed section 138 and Promon tory Point, and in which Stanford, Hunt ingtou, Hopkins and Crocker were substan tially the sole stockholders), and, in their opinion, have arrived at a con clusion which cannot be far from the truth. An accurate answer to this question would be shown from the books of Charles Crocker & Cos ., a: id,of the Contract anil Finance Company. These, books were not produced, and in the opinion of the commission were purposely destroyed by direction of Stanford, Huntington, Hop kins and Crocker. The evidence on this point appears to be conclusive.” HUNTINGTON’S VERACITY. The evidence of Mr. Huntington before the Wilson committee in 1873, to the effect that bis share of the profits of the construc tion of the Central Pacific amounted to $1,000,000 of the stock of tho company, is quoted, and the commission says he must have known when testify ing “that his statement was not true, inasmuch as Stanford has testified that each of tbe parties in the interest re ceived $13,000,000 of the stock of the com pany as his share of the profits.” In the report is inserted a table giving the cost of the Central Pacific railroad, us that cor poration exists to-day as determined by the evidence before the commission and also the consideration paid therefor in bond-, stock and cash. From this it appears lhat the company paid for the construction in cash $41,573,- 711147, in bonds f 18,718,000, in stock $60,588,810 23; total $120,872,529 (Ml, The total cost of the construction, as determined by the commission, is $58,301,Nil 85. leaving surplus rolits of $62,570,6 )7 81, of which #60,585,810 33 was in stocks and sl,- 984,887 62 in bonds. All of this considera tion was paid to Stanford Huntington Hop kins and Crocker, and was voted to them selves by their own votes. THE BRANCHES. In the construction of the branch roads the surplus profit above the cost of con struction is stated at $55,5:10,554. Refer ence is made to the “constant, practice of the directors of this company to permit ex penditures of very largo sums cf money without the requiring of sufficient vouchers disclosing the purposes to which they wore applied,” aud the report says: “There is m> room for doubt that a large portion of this money was used for the purpose of in fluencing legislation and of preventing tho passage of measures deemed to be hostile to to the interests of the company, and for the purpose of influencing elections. It is im possible to read Mr. Huntington's evidence relating to these expenditures, and especially extracts from the Colton letters, written by Mr. Huntington himself, without reaching the conclusion that, large sums of money were expended by .Mr. Huntington in liis efforts to defeat the pas sage of various bills pending in Congress. If this vast amount of money had been ap plied to legitimate purpose* no motive lor concealment would exist. It must, there fore, be assumed that, the object was illegiti mate. and as Mr. Huntingtons own state ment ami his letters establish conclusively that moneys were used with reference to the company’* businctMin the departments :it Washington and in Congress, the con tusion is inevitable that it was used for im proper purposes.” > SO EXCUSE. [ The commission bear testimony to the Itreat energy and intelligence displayed by Stanford, Huutington, Hopkins and Crocker Bn the work of building and developing She railroad. but find therein no f justifl cation for the themselves Si the entire franchise of this company in its stock, aud of a oousider- Ible portion of it assets obtained through ♦hi tracts made by their own votes.” BEGINNING a GREAT SYSTEM. I the commi*sfolose* this review of the (leitral Pacific Railroad Company by Ann calling attention to the fact tf it the policy of the original promoters of the Central Pacific Railroad Company, now managers of the Southern Pacific Com ity, of Kentucky, has evidently been tocon struct and develop a great system of rail roads starting from Portland, in the State of Oregon, following the line of the co istto Los Angeles with communications and branches and connections suitable for the requirements of the entire country through which this line passes, including; the business of San Francisco and the busi ness of Southern California. Their enter prise then turns to the East, and pausing through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and part of Louisiana. reaches the Culf of Mexico at New Orleans. From this point i-omnuinication with New York is laid by water. Noportion of this network of railroad is subject to tho lien of the United States, and a glance at the map shows the result of the dismemberment or separation, leaving the aided line of the Central Pacific Rail road Company to itself and organizing the railroad just described into a complete sys tem of communication of its own.” In re ply to various questions propounded in the Dill creating the commission tho query as to whether aided companies "have observed all the obligations im posed on them, the corn mission among other things says the obligations re qir ng assessments upon the stockholders of not less than $5 per share at six -mouths in tervals until the pur value should be fully paid has not been kept by any road. It is the judgment of the commission that no dividends of any of the bond-aided com panies have ever been paid in violation of the law, but it does not wish to lie under stood as approving of tbe policy of dis tributing the assets of the respective com panies in this manner. INFLUENCING LEGISLATION. Replying to the question as to whether money or ether valuable consideration had been paid for influencing legislation, the report says the moneys of all the Irond aided roads have been so used, but adds that there is no direct proof that actual bribery was resorted to. The evidence is said, bovv ev r, to have established frequent use by the officials of the Union Pacific of money and passes for the purpose of influencing legislation. The minority report of Commissioner Pattison is harsher in itscharacterizHtionof the men who constructed and managed these subsidized reads, and their methods, and his recommendations are more radical, nothing less than an immediate winding up of the affairs of all the companies, enabling the government to withdraw at once from all connection with the running of railroads or sharing in the profits of their manage ment. His differences with bis brether commissioners in setting forth tbe details of the evidence upon which ho bases his conclusions is chiefly one of degree. He calculates that the total aid extended to the six coinjianies amounts to over $447,000,000. Ouly $2,000,000 was received for stock, and $97,000,000 of stock was issued These roads were built for less than $90,000,000, while 1 tends and stocks were issued amounting to $268,000,000. He characterizes the man agement of the subsidized roads as a na tional disgrace, and says thesi men chose dishonest methods. Huntington, "rloolrins, Stanford and Crocker, he says, through contracts made by themselves with them selves for construction, leases and repairs, tlivided over $142,000,000 in cash and securi ties. The entire report in fact is one long bill of indictment against the management of the subsidized roads, and his final recom mendation is a receivership. GLADSTONE THUNDERSTRUCK. The Rent Reduction Decree Declared a Tremendous Decision. Paris, Dec. 80.—The Temps to-day pub lished an interview with Mr. Gladstone, in which the ex-Premier describes the Insh Land Commisioners’ rent reduction decree as “a tremendous decision” and said he was thunderstruck at the news. He also said that the Tory Cabinet, having alienated the tenants, would now alienate the landlords. THREE MONTHS WITH HARD LABOR. Dublin, Dec. 30.—At Newmarket, county Cork, to-day, five persons were sentenced to three months imprisonment each, with hard labor, for attending a meeting of a sup pressed branch of the national league. An appeal was taken in each case. The blacksmiths and harnessmakers of Kildysart have received letters threatening them with death if they do any work for the police or for persons who have been boycotted. The blacksmiths have, in con sequence, refused to work for the parties mentioned. PRECARIOUS PEACE. Bismarck Said to Have Averted War for the Present. Berlin. Dec. 30. —The National Zeitung in an article on the political situation says: '‘Germany neither expects nor desires war. Prince Bismarck has thrown in the scale a decisive word in favor of peace. It is hardly probable that Russia will be in a position to force war upon Germany and tier allies. The chances are, therefore, that peace will prevail, although this peace cannot bo tnk-m as synonymous with the restoration of Eu ropean tranquillity, a fact for which Russia must answer to the world.” SPAIN’S PRETENDER. He Does Not Waive His Rigrhta to the French Throne. Paris, Dec. 30.—Don Carlos, in reply to an address from the French “loyalist, del egation” which recently waited upon him, said that, although dovoting himself totbe service of Spain, he reserved his rights to the French throne as head of the Bourbon family. Don Carlos enjoined the delegation to trust in Providence and not to take part in revolutions, which ho decared to. be ruinous to both church and State. A British Colonization Scheme. Brussels, Dei-. 30.— The Movl'ement Geographiqne says advices from Zanzibar are to the effect that the British East Afri can Association has concluded a treaty under which the Sultan of Zauzilwir cede* to the Association for fifty years sovereignty over the territory between Port Wanga at the mouth of the Oumba riv.-r, and Vitu, a distance of over thirty-five kilometres. This will facilitate the opening of routes to Victoria Nyariza and shows that England is desirous of founding a colon} - which will oxtend her influence to the source of tho Nile. It is probable that w hen Stanley returns he will bo asked to undertake this work of extending civiliza tion. _ Suicide in a Theatre. M aphid, Dec. 30.—During a performance in the theatre at Carthageua this evening a broker occupying one of the stalls com mitted suicide by exploding a dynamite cartridge. The concussion extinguished all the lights in tho house, and the audience becoming innie stricken fled from the building. During the excitement over too persons were more or less injured. Mackenzie's Optimistic View. London. Dec. 80.—Dr. Mackenzie has re turned to Londou from Han Rerat). He is inclined to take an optimistic view of the German Crown Prince's case. I A STKIKK EDICT IGNORED THE READING RAILROAD HANDS STICK TO THEIR POSTS. The Convention Decided That They Should Quit Work at Noon but They Failed to Obey—The Miners May Go Out After Jan. 1, When Their Contracts Expire. Reading, Doc. 30.—The convention of Reading railroad employes, after a contin uous session of nearly eight hours, ad journed at 3:30 o’clock this morning. At that time it was decided to issue orders for a general strike to take place at 13 o’clock to-day, every man in the employ of the Reading Conqinny with the exception of he passenger train crews, train men and ignal tower men and crossing watchmen, to strike fifteen minutes after the signal was passed across the wires to Philadelphia and Williamsport. Tho resolution said that the men should strike and remain out until the company should agree to arbitrate all differences. This included the shopmen in this city who took the initiative in refus ing to go out early this week, thus breaking the backbone of the strike at that time, and every man who belongs to tho Knights. A resolution was also passed offering a re ward of $2,000 for the arrest of any person who in any way destroys or injures any of the company’s property. The order in cluded not only the hands on the main lino but those over the whole system. DECISION OF THE MINERS. After the adjournment of the convention the miners hold a separate session aud did not adjourn until 5 o’clock this morning. They transacted nothing definite with refer ence to striking, but agreed to give a full financial and moral support to the strikers on tho railroad, The Schuylkill county delegation consisted of 135 delegates, and they almost to a man predicted that the company’s 30,000 miners would strike if they were not continued the 8 |>er cent, ad vance. The miners did not decide to strike with the railroaders, because they are work ing by an agreement with the company, which is binding until Jan. 1, and because they still have hopes that the company will continue the 8 per cent, advance. Chairman Lee, of the Executive Commit tee, before be left Reading this morning, declared that if a strike of the miners did take place it would not onlv affect the Bchuy Ikill miners but those in the Wyoming coal fields, as well as the Lehigh miners. He felt sure that they would all remain firm, thus placing on strike at one time 100,000 miners, and not a pound of coal could then be mined. VERY SECRET. Ijast night’s convention consisted exactly of 363 delegates, a majority ot whom came from the coal regions, the Lehigh and Wyoming miners Being also represented. The convention was entirely secret. Hardly a delegate arrived before sundown last evening, and every one had disappeared -from the city before daylight. The company’s officers in this city this morning were not greatly excited over the new order to the railroaders to strike. They said that the trains were all running on time; that they had all the men they wanted and others in reserve, and that the only danger was of a coal famine if the miners should strike. The trades unionists of Reading, com posed of such bodies as printers, hatters, molders. bakers, carpenters, hod carriers, cigarmakers, barbers, etc., have organized themselves into a body known as a Trade and Labor Council, which it is estimated represents LBOO men. They do not affiliate with tbo Knights of Labor. At a lato hour last night after a lengthy meeting the council passed the following resolutions: Ettolivd, That the Trade and Labor Council of Reading do censure the Philadelphia and Reading Company for their direct attack on or ganize l labor, and request all unions to extend their sympathy and aid to those directly injured by the company. Resi l'M-d. That we severely condemn the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for their very ready offer of assistance to the company in the present difficulties on the road, merely for the purpose of seeking revenge. NO SIGN or A STRIKE. No attention had been paid to the order to the Reading employes to strike, so far as appearances up to _:45 p. m. indicated. So far as known not a single man any wiiere on the Reading lines had yet left his post, and a very heavy business had boon done all day. Some concern is expressed about what may happen in the coal regions after Jan. 1, at which time the contracts expire. Representatives of the Reading shop men in last night's convention say thojvoice of the miners' delegates was all for war, while the railroad men were for peace, but the latter were outvoted. • STILL AT WORK. Reading, Pa., Dec. 30, 9 r. m.— The situ ation to-night remains practically un changed as Far as the Reading railroaders are concerned hereabouts. The road con tinues in full operation and the shop hands show no disposition to strike at anytime. T’ne Knights of Labor are evidently lodng ground in this vicinity, This week three trades unions withdrew from the order in this city aud will be mustered into member ship with the Trade and Later Council of the Federation of Labor, the great rival of the Knights. Seven hundred men on the Hhamokinand Mahanoy division of the Reading rail road at Sbamokin, Mahanoy Plane and Ashland struck to-day. This may prevent the shipment of coal for a while, even if the miners consent to continue work. The Reading convention’s order to strike seems to have been obeyed in the- coal regions only. LOOKED PEACEFUL. Philadelphia, Dec. 30. At Port Rich mond and at the de|X>ts and along the lines of the various branches of the company in this city, there was the usual activity this afternoon, and the officials reported that none of the employes hail yet quit work. A large body of Pinkerton detectives, together with squads of city policemen, *'e still on duty at the coal wharves at Port Richmond and at the freight depots, but thus far the striker; who went out several days ago, have shown no dis|xs!tion to interfere with the men at work. The Reading company to-day advertised for men to take the place, of the striking coal handlers at Port Richmond, guaranteeing permanent employment, good iwiv and pro tection to all who are accepted, hut giving notice that the men who were discharged on Dec. 84 for refusing to handle coal need not apply. About 150 men came down from New York on a tug and were set to work this morning. the crisis. Philadelphia, Dec. SO, 11:50 P. M. —The crisis in the strike will be reached to-mor row morning if the declared iutentions of the nine local assemblies, which are made up of the entire number of Reading rail road employes in this city, are lived up to. An unusually large meeting of Local Assembly No. 5890 was held to-night and 'there were present, be sides, representative* t eight other assem blies. The meeting was enthusiastic, and at its conclusion, about midnight, it wax state! that Local Assembly No. 5890 had resolved to abide by tuo action of the Read- ing convention and refuse to go to work at ti o’clock to-morrow morn ing. Delegates from eight other assemblies, it was said, had pledged their locals to take similar action. Local Assem bly No. 58St0 is made up of the freight handlers, stevedores, engineers, conductors, brake]non and others on the Philadelphia division of the main line and is one of the largest assemblies on the system. Local Assembly No. 7032 is composed of freight handlers at Port Richmond. I-oca I Assembly No. 6535 includes the freight handlers atother.stations in the city. I-ocal Assembly No. 8285 comprises the coal handlers at fort Richmond, who have been out since Tuesday, and As seniblies Nos. 8810, 10107, 2120, 3835 and 2175 are made up from other depart ments of the road. Assembly No. 5800 appointed a committee of three to notify the Reading officials of their action, and this committee will visit the company's olliee for that purpose to-morrow. The leaders of Assomby No. 5800, which body are the moving spirits in the proposed gen eral action, declare that all the men are firm, and have only delayed because they wanted to take concerted action. They assert that the entire systeuij with the exception of the mail service, will lie tied up to- morrow. It. was also resolved at to night’s meeting to bring suit for damages against the Heading Company for allege-1 willful delaying of telegrams between this city and points on the company’s lines in reference to the present troubles. WYOMING MINKBB WON’T BTBIKE. Wilkksbahrk, Fa., Dee. 30. —There will be no strike of the miners in the Wyoming region. The miners here and in this vicin ity are net thoroughly organized, and of course would not obey the inundates of the Schuylkill union. Attempts have been made for some time past to get the miners and laborers here to join the Amalgamated Association hut very littlo success is being mot with. No anxiety is felt here at present. The region is working regularly, the production of coal is enor mous and the miners all seem to bo happy and contented. ENOINKEBB EOB TUE READING. New Yohk, Dec. 30.—Thirty engineers who were discharged from the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company’s employ be cause of their connection with the strike which recently took place on that road have been engaged to take the places of some of the strikers on the Reading road, and left Brooklyn for Philadelphia yester day. PRINTERS AT THEIR CASES. Non-Union Men Who Took Their Places Walk the Plank. Chicago, Dec. 30.—The job and book printers’ strike has terminated, and the de feated strikers are Blowly returning to work. The non union men are heing discharged as fast as the st rikers return, noth withstand ing that most of the employing printers swore that not a man who came to their aid should ever be discharged to make way for strikers, no matter how good a workman said striker might be. The gradual end of the strike, or more properly lock-out, is appreciated by the newspaper printers and such job printers as were uot involved in the general wreck. They have been paying a weekly assessment of 10 per cent, toward the support of the strikers and were much relieved Wednesday when it was cut down to 5 per cent., owing to the small uumlier of strikers and the liberal aid of other unions. Labor to Fight with Ballots. Chicago. Dee. 30. At a special session of the Trade of Labor Assembly of Chicago last night, for the purpose of instructing the delegates to the coming session of the Illin ois State Labor Convention at Peoria, a declaration was unanimously adopted that the time had come for indejiendent, political action by workers. Strikes and boycotts against great corporations were pronounced to have lost all usefulness, and tiie delegates to Peoria were instructed to induce the State Association to call upon nuxilliary bodies to organize at once for separate ex ercise of their political power. Glass Workers to be Locked Out. Sandwich, Mash., Dec. 30. —Local Union No. Id, of the American Flint Glass Work ers’ Association, having informed the Bos ton and Sandwich Glass Company that cer tain of their propositions would not be ac cepted, General Manager Bpurr ordered that the pots be not Ailed with glass this afternoon as is the general custom. A shut down of the works uere on Monday is in evitable. HANGED BY VIGILANTES. ■i . ii ■ ■ ... • Strung up on the Tree Under Which He Slept. Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 30.— A special to the Gazette from Ht. Francis, Ark., says: “William Herrig, who murdered Ins young wife and her paramour near here Thursday, was banged lost night by a band of vigi lant*. After the murder Herrig set out toward the northern boundary lino with the purpose evidently of escaping’into Missouri. Directly after the crime war. discovered a force of men set out to And linn. This was done about 11 o’clock last night, four miles north of Rector. When found he was asleep under a large tree. He was in formed that he must die and he made no protest, in fact he said he was willing and rea<iy and that he had nothing to regret. Hif wife had been untrue to him aud he bad killed her lover, and this be regarded ns justice. In regard to the shooting ol bis wife, he said bo could offer nothing in the way of defense. He was then hanged on the very tree under which hfe was found sleeping. His wife’s stage name was J ulia Bennet before her marriage. An Article Censured. London, Dec.|lo.—The Russian press cen sures the Russian article in the November number of the Century Magazine. The article is entitled, ’•'The last appeal of the Uuifsian Literals,” and is by George Ken nan, an American who has re cently returned from Russia, and Siberia. It contains the text of nn address sent to the late Czar by the Liberals of Mos cow, sotting forth the evils of the present system of government in Russia and asking for a national assembly and constitution. A Year On ’Change. New York, Dec. 80.—The total sale* of stocks at the New York Block Exchange during the past year were 86,921,MS shares, against. 100,*>2,050 shares for the year 18*0. The sales of (State and railroad bonds amounted to *3rto,9fjfi,2s3, par value, against <i'07,031,9l 1 iu the previous year, and of government bonds to $9,047,100, against $12,798,500 in the previous year. Franco and the New Hebrides. Paris, Dec. 30.—Ex-Colonial Secretary Etienne lias written a letter, in which he say* that the plan for a mixed government over the New Hebrides is impracticable. Division of the Archi|ielagobetweep France and England he declares to be the only log ical solution of the matter. Rome's Syndic i.emoved. Rome, Dec. 80. —Hie Duke of Torlonia, Syndic of Rosie, has been dismissed for re quest ing the Vicar of Rome t convey to ttie Pone the city’s iubHee vreetings. < FRHIEBIO A VBAR > i fICKYra a cop y f REPUBLICANS VERY FOXY HOW THEY WILL TRY TO STEAL DEMOCRATIC CREDIT. A Tar ff Bill to Anticipate Any Com promise Measure the Democrats May Have In View to be Rushed Before the Ways and Means Com mltte of the House at Once. \Y ashinoton, Dec. 30. —The Republicans of the House are tasting about for some means of forestalling the Democrats in tax reduction. They know very well that the country expects the advice of the President to be followed, so far as the reduction of taxation is concerned, and they are afraid that they niriy not be able to vote against the tax reduction bill which the Democrat* will bring forward, and so may help to pass a bill for which the Democrats will get the credit. The leaders talked around among the Republicans before the holiday reeea* began to see what the general opinion was. WHAT THEY FOUND. They found that almost all the Republi cans were In favor of taking off the to lincco tax aud the tax on alcohol used in the arts, that some favored the reduction aud some the re|>eal of the sugar duties, while a few favored free raw materials ami free salt. As to the course of the parlia mentary action to be taken the majority favored such means as would enable the Senate and a conference committee to re peat as nearly as possible the juggling of 1883 so as to keep protection in every possi ble instance just where it is and increasing it in such cases as that of worsted goods. MB. BROWNE’S BILL. To-uigbt the B'far has the following sug gestive statement: “Representative Browne, of Indiana, who was a member of the Ways and Means Committee in the last Congress and will again be assigned to that commit tee, is preparing a tariff bill which he pro poses to submit to his oolleag les on the Re publican side of the House for their ap froval, as a substitute for any tariff bill the tamocrats may bring. He thinks that there is a chance of the Demo crats bringing into the House a tariff bill or such character that the Re publicans could not afford to vote against it, and then whatever credit accrued from the measure would go to the Democrats, lie proposes t hat the Republicans shall have a bill of their own, and then if the Demo crats adopt one of the same sort the Repub licans can claim that they first made the suggestion. NOT QUITE BEADY. “He has not his bill entirely ready yet, but he expects to complete it in time to sub mit it to hi* party friends, and get it to the \Vays and Means Committee before they have time to report a bill. In character lU will net differ widely from what is liable to be taken by the Democrats. A* a compro mise it will propose the repeal of the tobacco tux, and of the entire duty on sugar, salt and iuinlier. It will reduoe tb* duty on some grades of wool, or probably place the coarser grades of wool on the free list. The aim will lie to take the tariffed article* entirely that have an every day consumption as far as iiossible without dis turbing needed protection.” POSTAL TELEGRAPH TOLLS. Senator Cullom to Introduce an Amendment to Hie BUI. Washington, Dec. 30.—Senator CuUora will introduce an amendment to bis postal telegraph bill immediately after the reas sembling of Congress changing the rate* nam'd in the original bill; more especial ly those for the transmission of press mat ter. While hsbelieves that Congress ought to prescribe rates for the use of government wires as prescribes rates for use of the mails, instead of leav ing it to the discretion of officials, yet the rates named In his bill wored e ignated merely as a suggestion to tba committee which should have the bill in charge. U|>on subsequent review and with information which has gone to him from many sources, he has reached the conclusion that there ought to te no difference upon government lines between services of like character rendered to evening pupers and those to morning papers. THE PRESENT EXCUSE. He says he appreciates the weight of rea son which leads private companies to charge more for day than night service, namelyc the fact that the wires are in great demand for commercial messages at a comparatively high rate during the hours from 10 o'clock in the morning to 3 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon, but be behave# tiiat. such reasons should not operate as re gards governmental lilies, ann that the gov ernment should know no preferred pat rons as to rates of like classes of business or as to the order of transmission. The rate* to be named in the amendment are based upon the unit of 100 words or fraction thereof, and are as foUows: For 500 miles or less, 25c.; between 500and 1.000 miles, 30c.; between 1,000 and 1,500 miles, 35c.; between 1,500 and 2,090 miles, 40c.; between 2,000 and 8,000 miles, 45c., and for more than 3,000 mUes, 50c. When mors than one copy of the same dispatch is sent to different newsoapers at the same or dif ferent oAlces the 'Postmaster General is to prescrite the rate to te charged for “drop” copies. SNOW KNEE DEEP. Trains Delayed on Every Road In th* Northwest. Bt. Paul. Minn., Dec. 30.—A driving snow storm set in at 10 o’clock this morn ing and is still raging to night. The snow has drifted heavily and trains are delayed all over the Northwest. A Jamestown, Dak., special reports that the Northern PaciAc road east bound Limited passenger train urrived there eleven hours late. A Watertown, Dak., special says that all trains on the Burlington, Cedar Rapid* and Northern road have been abandoned. Bismarck, Dak., telegraphs: “Snow be gan to fall early thi* morning and Juts con -tiuued steadily since. Trains tram aU di rections arrived here very late this morn ing. All night trains have beeu abandoned. CHATTANOOGA AND THE TARIFF. The Chamber of Commerce Adopts a Series of Resolutions. Chattanooga, Dec. 30.—At a meetingof the Chamber of Commerce to-night the fob lowing resolutions wero adopted: Resolved, By the Chamber of Commerce of Chattanooga that our Senators and Representa tives in Congress be requested: 1. To favor raising the necessary revenue for the support of tte government by a tariff upon Imports so adjust*-d as to prevent unequal Dur dens and encourage the development of our material resoui-ces, and at the same time afford ji st compensation to labor. 2. That it <s the sentiment of the people of Chattanooga, and the territory contiguous, that no reduction should be made on the duties oa coal, iron ore or their products, as such reduc tion would to vitally detrimental to the inter eats of large sections of country of which this la the commercial centre. a That the secretary be instmcled to forward a copy of these resolutions to each Senator aud liopriwcntaUve in Coiigro-ss.