sing-case would please you, yet I know you would not accept the car; so I have ordered it destroyed to prevent its being imitated, and we will at once begin a new one, which will be finished within two weeks if human beings can accomplish it. This miserable blunder was by an American foreman, whom, of course, 1 have discharged, and I have ordered two sent from Paris by special steamer. I cannot express my regrets, etc.

(Signed) BANQUIER."

"Well, that beats the James, send an aide down to the Palace to inform the Princess that the Bullion will not be ready by Saturday. Curse it!" he muttered, "I shall have to use the Peerless for two weeks more, when it's fully a year old now. Let me see. The Orient was built for me two years ago, the Famous was the next before that--yes, the Peerless is fully a year old and-What infamy is this?"

"Our General Agent at W. confesses to making two frightful blunders in the payroll for last month, by which Jones, who is the ticket agent, telegraph operator, express agent, baggage agent, freight and switchman at the junction of the six roads, received $23.00, instead of his proper salary for the month, which is $22.85; and the other case was section-hand No. 48, in the N. gang, who received (fortunately for one day only) thirty-seven cents, instead of his regular per diem of thirty-six cents. We have deemed it unnecessary to ask you as to the disposition of the General Agent, but have summarily discharged and entered suit against him. (Signed) HACK NOSE." "I'll send that scoundrel to the-Well, here's good news, anyhow:"

"Our agent at Bologna wires us he has just shipped us a cargo of 15,000 Italians and Hungarians to take the places of the striking Anarchists. All right now.

(Signed) SPIGGINS."

if he fancies that horse, to take him, of course as this is the seventh in the last

six months, perhaps I should—Humph! they evidently appreciate my services, according to this."

"The Directors have just learned of your order just issued to reduce expenses, and you are notified as follows: Your salary will now be $62.000 per annum, instead of $45,000; and besides the $900,000 voted for your last car Bullion, you are allowed not to exceed $1,800,000, with which to provide yourself with another special nickel-plated engine, a new palace dining-car, an additional palace restingcar, and an improved palace smoker, and as soon as you get this reduction accomplished you are allowed a three months' tour of Europe for recreation, during which vacation your salary will, of course, be continued. (Signed) BUNKER."

“Oh! there are worse positions than that I hold; and then, I really ought to return to Paris awhile and personally select a new car jester to replace Vinceux, who is getting very dull; then I want another batch of prima donnas and-Oh! the old idiot!"

(Cable)" His Majesty commands me to say to you that your Greatness must mistookee be. Onlee one decoration you

was allowed-for the leftee breast-not one the rightee breast also for likewise. SPERMACETTI." (Signed)

"I'll attend to the old fool when I see him.

James, cable a draft to Paris for half a dozen rosettes of the Legion of Honor. I'll have decorations on my feet if I want them. But I must go down to

H. and meet the Senator about that new bill, which we must at all hazards defeat. James, order the Peerless for 2:10 p. m., and give orders that at 1:50 everything on the one hundred miles of road must be side-tracked and out of our way. And be sure and don't send the Chamberlain

Dupont in the car, but send Alfred. That Dupont only bowed twice yesterday on entering the Presence, and I'll teach him a lesson. If Congressman Puter comes to the Palace for an audience while I'm

"Your Royal Scion, the youngest Duke, wishes to know if he shall accept the imported Andulusian racer from Monroe at $78,000? (Signed) MARLOT." "James, send word to the Duke that

has been obtained."

And wearied with his arduous labors, the President pressed an electric button for refreshments.

ADAM YOPER, in Journal.

Editor Magazine:

COMMENTS.

A portion of your last editorial and the letter from Denver, showing that the man who was made temporary foreman was neither worthy nor competent, leads me to pen a few lines regarding some matters which have come under my notice in my life-time.

The idea is, and has been often advanced, that a man to be foreman, superintendent, or master mechanic, should be a good, competent man with sound judgment and capable of teaching any man under his charge. Yet how often have we found that some of those in power are lacking in every particular.

A few years ago I was running a machine when a master mechanic from another division passed through the shop. He remarked to me if he was master mechanic here he would speed up the machine, and yet within two months of that time I had to reduce the speed fully onethird to do some work. That master mechanic was a stone mason by trade, had only been a master mechanic a short time, yet he knew much (?). Another instance: An engineer made a fast run, he pleased the officials and they made him a master mechanic. Yet we could say of a truth he knew nothing of how to build or repair an engine or any part of it, besides this he could not write plainly his own name nor cast up a sum of compound addition. These two men, we believe, are master mechanics' to-day.

Then we hear men speak of what an apprentice should know. I would like to see every apprentice tried and proved, but at the same time I think every foreman, master mechanic and others in authority should be compelled to come up to the same standard, for how can we expect a lad to learn from one who knows less than himself?

I see from reports that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Railroad Conductors are trying to adopt some plan whereby everyone before he can be an engineer or conductor should attain to a higher standard of efficiency than formerly. This, we

think, is right, yet we would ask if it is so essential that those coming up should be so well educated in their business can we expect those now holding those positions can do their duty with so small amount of knowledge as they possess? Many of the engineers and conductors of to-day (who have been successful in their calling) are as regards mathematics, history, geography, etc., as ignorant as a babe, in fact many of them do not know anything of what is going on in the world around them, and should there be some great change in the time-card, etc., it will take them weeks to feel they can run safely again over the road. (This is not an overdrawn figure in the least). We believe in education in every and all branches and trust the day is not far distant when it will be more demanded than now and when the old heads will have to expand as well as the young ones. Of course there are as many different opinions as there are men in the world, yet on some points we must all agree (or at least all in this free country) and one is we should all strive to get more light.

Another matter regarding articles for the MAGAZINE. Each and everyone should be allowed to write on any subject which may tend to assist employes and employer. While conversing some time ago with an employe of the Union Pacific road, he said: Everyone who writes to the MAGAEINE ought to give his mind, especially when it affects the men." I answered then and still say there are times and cases which if a man gave vent to his feelings, though he might speak nothing but the truth, that as soon as his remarks should come to the ears of those affected thereby he would get his time-check. For instance, during the last cold snaps when the freight train ran into the passenger near Amoria, the engineer on the freight declares there were no tail lights on the passenger train. And the brakeman on the freight train which was run into at Medicine Bow says, he could not keep the tail lights Both burning on account of the oil. those nights were bitter cold and lamps would require good oil. One daily pa

per here published a lengthy article stating that a number of the train men said they had bought oil for their lamps rather than run chances. Now suppose we had published these things and some others which we heard at the time and some we know, how long would we have been before we should heve been called to account and in all probability discharged. This ought not to be. Any man should be sustained by every master mechanic, superintendent or other official when he publishes the truth then many things would be set right, and it would be better for officers and men. Hoping a short time will set these mat ters to rights. H. J.

THE READING STRIKE.

News regarding the Reading strike during the past month has not been furnished by the western press very liberally and what little that has appeared has been very indefinite. The Journal of United Labor (February 17) publishes the following correspondence, which shows the status of the strike as far as the General Executive Board have acted:

PHILADELPHIA, PA., Feb. 7, 1888. MR. AUSTIN CORBIN, President, Philadelphia, Pa.:

DEAR SIR:-Will you kindly say whether or not you will meet a committee of the General Executive Board of the Knights of Labor for the purpose of investigating and if possible settling the trouble existing between the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company and the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company and their employes? I remain, sir, very respectfully,

JOHN W. HAYES,

Secretary General Executive Board. To this letter replies were received as follows:

PHILADELPHIA, PA., Feb. 9, 1888. MR. JOHN W. HAYES:

DEAR SIR:-Your favor of the 7th inst., was not handed to me until half-past 10 this morning. In reply I beg to say that I know of no trouble existing between the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company and its employes, and consequently there is nothing that can be made the subject of investigation and discussion.

You speak, also, of the troubles between the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and

Iron Company and its employes. In re lation to such matters you should prothat Company; but to save you the trouperly address Mr. Keim, the President of ble of writing another letter I have handed him your communication to me, with a request that he respond to it. I am, very respectfully, yours,

AUSTIN CORBIN, President. The letter sent by President Keim to Secretary Hayes was as follows:

PHILADELPHIA, PA., Feb. 9, 1888. MR. JOHN W. Hayes, Philadelphia:

DEAR SIR:-The President of the Phila has handed me your letter to him of the delphia and Reading Railroad Company 7th instant, with the request that I reply to the portion of it relating to the trouble existing between the Philadel phia and Reading Coal and Iron Company and the miners. I assume that you are familiar with the contract made between this company and its minerslast September In violation of its of the company left its service on the terms nearly all of the employes first day of January last, and a large number have not returned. There are at present working for the company at: would be a much larger number at work the mines about 3,000 men, and there if the men were left to exercise their own judgement and were not deterred? by threats of personal violence.

We are willing to discuss the question of wages with any person representing the men actually in the service of the company. As we have stated heretofore, if the men had continued to work under that contract after the 1st day of January, and had at any time thereafter desired a conference in relation to the matter of wage, the officers of the company would have met them or their representatives on that subject, If, when the miners return to work, a conference' upon the question of wages should be desired upon their part, we shall beready to confer with them, with the un derstanding that no basis different from the one already in existence will be established that will require this company to pay more for labor for the same classof work than is paid by its competitors. Yours, truly,

GEORGE DE B. KEIM, President. The Investigation Committee began its: work at Philadelphia on the 15th, when Mr. Corbin, President of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, appeared before the Committee, and from the Philadel phia Record, which paper has shown remarkable fairness in publishing infor

mations of this strike, we take the following information. Mr. Corbin, after giving a history of the road, its finances and his connection with it, was requested to detail the troubles existing prior to the strikes, and in compliance he said:

In the month of November, 1887, I was advised of certain carloads of Lehigh coal being side-tracked in Philadelphia because our employes refused to handle them, as they were mined by non-union miners. I immediately came over from New York and met a committee representing different departments of the railroad. I had never refused to meet a committee, and the object of this committee was to ask me to intercede in behalf of the Lehigh miners then on strike. I called their attention to the side-tracked coal, and notified them that it was incumbent upon the Company as a common carrier to handle that coal. We were then in the hands of the Receivers, and any violation of the law would justify the Court in taking away our charter, and our employes were bound to obey the laws and respect the commands of the Company. The committee were all railroad men, and I then gave them notice that we would allow no more monkey business. Goods intrusted to our care must be handled, and if the men refused they would have to leave the Company's service. That coal was delivered, but later (on December 22) the General Manager advised me that some of our trainmen in Port Richmond refused to deliver flour to Charles M. Taylor's Sons because the stevedores employed by that firm were not Knights of Labor. I directed the General Manager to move the flour in accordance with our obligations, and if the men refused to discharge them. The order was sent and five crews were successively discharged for disobedience. This precipitated a strike of the trainmen, and I directed Mr. McLeod to issue an order discharging B. J. Sharkey and Ambrose Hede, who lead the strike, and refusing to allow any of the discharged men to be again taken into the service of the Company. About 1,000 men had left work in Port Richmond, and on the 24th of December Mr. McLeod posted a notice that work would be resumed on the 27th

and that the former employes who failed to report would be discharged and their places filled. This order excepted the discharged men, who would not be received into the Company's service.

When I became connected with the Company I tried to ameliorate any dissatisfaction existing on the road, and I made it a rule that no employe should be mal

treated. I have never had an interview with Mr. Lee or any other of the strikers,

as I did not intend to arbitrate the question of delivering freight intrusted to the Company. I would not meet a committee, nor did I instruct Mr. Sweigard to do SO. propose to run the road and handle all State and interstate commerce prompt.ly. I cannot believe that the alleged agreement was made with Mr. Sweigard, as he thoroughly understood my feelings on the subject and would not act contrary. We had been bothered by Knights of Labor interference for six months previously, and we did not propose to have it continue. We filled all vacancies in the railway service that we needed, as the dedecreased force. cline in the coal business provided for a We were surprised at ble trouble. our success, as we anticipated considera

At that time we did not think of a strike

in the mines, as we thought the men would remain loyal, and we were unpreSome of our enpared for the trouble. gineers went out, but the majority remained at work, belonging to a labor organization called the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. I want to say right here that the contract with that organization is as faithfully kept as one with Drexel, Morgan & Co., and I have never had any trouble with them.

As to the trouble at Eliza bethport, we had docks and boats there to serve our New York trade. Coxe Bros. & Co. purchased from us 400 tons of coal, free on board their barge at Elizabethport, but when we attempted to fill the order our men refused to load the barge, and, continuing in their refusal, were discharged. The reason for the refusal was that the employes of Coxe Bros. & Co., who are Lehigh operators, were out on strike, and the men did not like the firm. A general strike was then ordered by the Knight of Labor, but all the men did not go out. To those who desired re employment the notice of the 27th was addressed, and was plain and concise. The complaint was made that the men did not receive the notice; but we were not to blame, as we gave it all the publicity we could, posting it on the Company's property, publishing it in the papers and telegraphing it to our division superintendents. About 2,600 men were dropped from the roll, and have not returned to work, nor will they be re-employed while I am President. There was no question of insufficient pay. no complaint about hours of work, nor dispute of any character; the whole move was instituted by the Knights of Labor.

Mr. Corbin was then questioned regarding details since the strike began in which his answers were strongly indicative of a desire for revenge. He de

nied any speculative design in holding out against the employes, and any connection with a coal pool. Continuing, Mr. Corbin cited the incident of the railroad men declining to deliver eighteen carloads of flour to the Taylor's Sons, and said:

They claimed to have an agreement that no man should be discharged without a hearing. There may have been some such agreement, but it it covered such a case as that it was witnout my knowledge. I blame the leaders, who are always stirring up strife, for all the trouble in this case. No, I cannot suggest any legislation which might remedy the trouble unless you can do something to punish the men who stir up the trouble. I believe that I can operate the road better than the Knights of Labor. When I find that I cannot I shall resign and let the stockholders choose some one else; but being in I propose to stay and run the road. I have picked up a good deal of information since I have been here I did not know before; and if I had known it I don't think I would have been here.

"Then," said Mr. Parker, "as a result of this strike you have been relieved of the payment of wages of 17,000 work people and cleaned up all the coal on hand. Can you give the financial result

of that?"

President Corbin eyed his questioner for an instant, and then answered "no." Continuing, in answer to questions, he said: "These 2600 men on the railroad went out on purpose to injure this corporation; they had no complaint to make of pay or labor, and they never shall work for me again."

"Do you mean to say you will not take them back under any circumstances?"

"I mean to say they shall never work for me again."

Mr. Corbin was again before the committee on the 17th, when closely questioned regarding his Company's method of doing business but nothing bearing on the strike was brought out.

On the 15th, S. B. Whiting, Gen. Supt., George de B. Keim, President, Mr. Richards, Gen. Manager of the Coal Company testified before the Committee. Nothing bearing on the strike

brought out except by Mr. Whiting who said:

Our minors showed a spirit of discontent shortly after the strike began, when they were called upon to support the Lehigh miners. Some of the miners obtained work at our mines, but how many I cannot say, and others went to the Wyoming regions. The strike at our mines practically commenced in the latter part of December. Men stayed away from the mines at the time of the railroad strike, as they were determined to support the striking employes. At the last of December about one-half of the whole number were idle, but that was partially due to the short empty-car supply, caused by the failure of the Railroad Company to work the road promptly. About twenty collieries were thus unable to be operated.

On September 14, 1887, I received a communication from the Joint Committee of Knights of Labor, Amalgamated Association of Miners and Eccentric Engineers asking for an advance of 15 per cent in wages and setting forth the reasons for the request. We finally agreed upon an advance of 8 per cent., to operate until January 1, 1888, the agreement being prepared by myself, aided by James Ellis, counselor for the Company, and John Veith, the Mine Superintendent. The substance of the agreement had previously received the sanction of the Receivers. When the request for a continuation of the advance was received, I replied that the Company was expected to go out of the Receivers' hands in January, and asked them to wait until the reorganization could be effected, as I had no authority to act for the Company.

Taking the history of the September agreement, he said:

In the first place, our men agreed to work under the old basis, which had been in operation for thirteen years, should the Lehigh miners at any time return to work at the old figures. They were confident that the strike would not last one month, and its failure was a great surprise

to them.