The New York Herald Newspaper, February 24, 1871, Page 5

THE: COAL ‘CONSPIRACY Fears of a Fuel Famine in This City and Vicinity. ’ Alarm ahd Excitement Among the Poor People. What the Dealers Say on the Subject. @oal Fourteen Dollars a Ton and Still Ascending. Only Four Days’ Supply in the Entire City. The Plot of the Monopolists Explained. Meeting of Coal Operators at Philadelphia. THE WAGES OFFERED THE MINERS. The most unexpected events sometimes occur, bringing disastrous consequences that had never been dreami of, Butof ali the swange things tuat might arise to. startle tis community @ sensation from tne want of coal may fairly be considered as at Jeast of universal interest. For several days past vhe rumor: bas been gomg the rounds that @ coal famine was imminent, and this coming howe to 60 many thouvands of firesides with real Meaning, occasioned no litle degree of fear and consternation, especially among the poorer | classes, WhO Duy their coal from day to day. Seized, of course, with a characteristic desire te make the most Out of the passing emergency, the coraer gro- cerics were jubilant at ihe chance of PILING ON THE AGONY on dwellers hi tenement houses, and, therefore, they not only diminished the pile of coal im the buckets, | bat added nearly deuble +o the ittle pile of stamps dewanded of consumers in excuange for the scarce and .valuavie commodity. Graduaily the price of coal went upward in the grocer.ea, day after day, wl! from twelve or fifteen | cents a backet the price, yesterday | advanced to twenty-eight cents, which evidenuly 48 something enormous, That a cry of famine should be raised among the working classes under these circumstances is not much to be wendered at; for 80 jar us poor people could see there was more than Treason Lo believe that @ panic had set in, and to spread the bad news far and near that the rest of the | ‘winter was for them to be cheerless, bughtuns dud ful of the keenest suffering, bringing perhaps te tne | children and oid people the end of their mortal | career, | ‘The question does really recur as to whether the a@nticipations concerning the existeace of a coal panic were well founded or otherwise, and it must | be said, after full mvestigation, there has never been anything said more truthfully than thai tuere 1s at present i this city a famine of coal, Seven or eight days ago coal sold in this city at $7 and $7 50 a ton. Day after day since then the | price has been gradually gomg up. Yesterday the Wholesale dealers sold stove coal at fourteen dollars a ton, and of this there were only tiree | cargoes in the market; chestnut sold at twelve dol- | Jars a ton, and of this there was only one cargo. Stove and chestnut are the principal coals used by consumers. Tous it may be seer Ut within a week | ks PRICE OF COAL HAS DOUBLED; and this fact, with the knowledge et low the mar- Ket stands in regard to supplies for the coming mouth, might well be taken as data from which to conclude that a famine is imminent. It must also be remembered that dealers add from $1 50 to $2 a ton in doing retail business, and of course the the dealers’ prices are largely augmented when the coal is sold in bucketfuls at Lhe corner groceries. Hence if the price of coal advances steadily as it has ‘veen going up for ine last few days, those who are compeiled vo purenase the fuel in small quantities must succumb to thelr impoverisued means and do | without fires altogether. It 18 @ question requiring more prescience than falls to the lot of poor humanity to teli how soon the dwpending panic may be averted, or to say Whether it shalt be averted at all beiore Uns metropolis hus | experienced aii the | PIERCING PAINS AND PENALTIES | which must necessarily eusue irom a coal famine. | That no eforts should be spared, no troudie avoided, | no responsibility shirked, whereby this great | eaiamity to the poor might be shakea from them, a | brief reflection upon ie in a wnement house, or | ‘upon the sufferings of frozen bearts and lunbs umong the families of the needy, must easily demoustrate. ‘This threatened coal famiue has @ history, a be- ginning, a crisis, Which 1s now at hand, and un ending which belongs to the future, Tue neginuing goes back (0 over tWeive months ago, or probably 10 Jong before thut time, and has its origin ma une ot the Old and familiar tussies. that so often nowadays crop up m every conniry between capital avd lavor, In October, 15°! mines of jennsyly: of the diMicuiies men, There A « 1 ADVANCE OF WAGES given all over te cou-minmg region, Two dif ferent methods were used to meet the demands of the men—one of them being the establishment ot a certain basis according to witich the Wages were to be awarded; the other, that of advance of Wages without a basis. The ibree large coal elas of Pennsylvania are located i Schuylxill, Our ben and Luzerne counties, aud im. the last mamed county are the four great coinpanies known as the Scranien, the Delaware, the Hudson and the Wilkesbarre, When the settlement was eifected the ininers at Port Carbon, at the head of the Schuylkill Canal, were to work on a basis of $2 BO a tonu—that is, they wee to ree ceive a‘certain percentage for every ton of coal turned out, each ton counting as 1 sold for $2 50, Ail over the Wyoming vailey the men went to work on a basis of five doliars a ton tor coal delivered at | New York, with a sliding scale Insuring for them a ercentaze Of aby stu over five dollars. ‘Three large compaules—the Pittston, Delaware and the Scranton—adjusted tietr affairs by paying the men larger wages thin they had been receiving, bub relused to pay accerding to a basis, as they said that would be making the men partners in the ownership oi the Mines. Lhings worked along qgaietly till the 3.th of Noveinber last, when the Scraaion Company iid a pubic sate of coal in this city, at which the pri ranged lower «han they had done at any time ior cigut yours pre- vious. Lup ceai was then soid for g843; sleet: ex, $3 61)s; grave, $3 77; eae, $3 9s; stove, $4530; Dut, $3.40. Shortiy alter tui8 sale the Serantoit Company notived their men thar there shoud be a reduction of thirty percent on the wages of all hands, On December 1 there was a general swike, TUE MEN REFUSING TO WORK, Soon after the inén employed ali over the entine State joined their srowmers of the Scranton Company and there was a total suspension of work in every mine, The men at Lort Carbon demanded a basis of tyree dollars; those of tne Scranton Company demanded the old wages, or a basis of tive dollars, with a percentage on any sum obtained for coal over five dollars, and with no'reduct.on of the fixed basis of five dollars. Previous to tats gene- ral strike the men belonging to the Pituston, Delaware.and Scranton mines did not belong to the Workingmen’s Union of the place, but after the etrike they struck hands with the others, and ail are now members of the asseciiuon., On the Lobo last the Grand Council of the Union fesued 2 notification to the efiect that such wen as choose, after the 15th inst., might go to work with any employer who would pay the wages demanded, and on the iéth snstant THE RAILROAD OWNERS AND OTHERS {terested in the transportation of coal trom the olMiiig regions held a imeeting 1a tus city, aud so advanced the rates for iransportation that to work the mines would be virtually profiuess, The object Of img move was to help the jarge coinpanies; for the smalier companies would have been willing to any amount to the men and then make the fe profits that were certain i consequence of the scarcity of coal. The high tarif put on oy the railroads rendered impracticable any etfort to Work @ mine even on the smailesi scale. ‘The resuit of all this 1s that there is a perfect quiet im the once husy mining regions, and while the men. are determined to held oui to the last the employers Gre equally resolved to SMASH UP THE WORKINGMEN’S UNION, and scatter, if they can, all the debris to tie winds or wheresoever they can never collect again to plot ‘what the companies eall mischief, famine in this city shall last just 90 aller a spirited strike in the ceal ia, there was an adjustment velween Uwe colnpalies and the Ans the | cipal wholesale coat dealers in the cliy yesterday, | a day 1s estimated at 2 ; aitention | twenty dollars a ton, and probably not much of | Workmen had not had so many chances to save | | s@ Without any diarin ef ulumate defaications. | of receiving adequate compensation for the ser- » Coal , ab all bat @ Oourishing piace just now; and there |-come from | befove suspension, and the way WEW YORK HERALD. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY v4, 1871— hanemsing qneetions arise ont of the pre- sent state of affairs, and one of these ty:—“Why not get coal from somewhere else?” The answer to this and many | uizzithg interrogatories is, Wat the coal tu ney! ia ts anthracite, and that in Maryland bitumous. For the most part, the work- ine peeple of this city could not think of using In tneir smail stoves, and within the smail enclosure of their dwetitngs, the soft, smoky coal which comes frem Marylaud. The owners of the Cumberland mines are at present doing a largely mereased busi- ness inthis city owing to the troubies in ‘Pennsyl- Vania, but not ameng the consumers of stove or chestnut coal, eicher of which is in ordipary use for cooking purposes, “The price of even Cumberland coal has ‘advanced within the past few days from seven 10 eight cotlais a ton, im consequence of the Increased demand for it by mannfactories, steain- ey ta olher places where steam is required in he City, Since the first alarm tn connection with the coal, famine there have been all soris of speculatienscon- cocted and ¢trenlited about coal. Distinguished embers of Congress have received threatenmg Thessages in regard to the sutject, and many well- known citizens have been interviewed, ‘There has beeu especialy a cry for AN ABOLITION OF DUTY. which means, itis to be presumed, the abolition of the tarkff of $1 25 in gold, which is placed on the coal coming from the British American provinces. A very erroneous idea prevails in regard to wis Matter, aud, all merchauts iamiliar with the coal between of Pennayl byes Raeeeserertat aa. Fenn trade talk about ths cry of abolitien as ausurd, And) they giye as a reason the fact that the — coal that comes from British America is piiuminous coal, and, therefore, Not fit to be used for ordinary household purposes. Wero the tax taken oi! it would simply place Nova Scotia in easy competition with our own. State of | Maryland, which aiso mines bituminous coal. But even if the tax were not @ darrier against the sale of British Amerto.n coal in this, cliy, and sup- posing that the British American coal were a glut now iu the cliy, What good could it do m the present emergency, Tt could render no help that could not be rendered by the Cumperiand coal, of which there is pienty in tie market at eight dol- | larga ton, and the price of whieh has been unt- | tormly at about that figure foy the last three years. | So that it would seem as if there is no remedy for the existing state of affairs in the city but to “grin wac bear? the terribie laiiiction, roughiy as it may come, But it ts just as well to be prepared for the worst, and the HERALD re- porter that he might speak Invelligently to i[BRALD readers (is morning, Interviewed some of the prin- | ‘vhe information he received, put tn a nutshell, may be stated in a few, words, but they are words of | serious finportance, and mean this, that there is in | this city at present 1 » COAL ENOUGH FOR FOUR DAYS ONLY, and what is to be done then no one conld give even agu ssat. ‘Tne lightest estimate at which the sup- ply was placed was 50,000 tons, and it may be stated tat the average consumption of coal in this city for 000 tons, There is probably, besides the 60,000 tous above alluded to, | about 20,000 tons, or perbaps leas, lying Scatvered etiher at Sonth Amvoy, blizabei- | port, Port Johnston or Hoboken, which are the | shipping depots for the Pennsylvania Coal trade mw connection with this city, ‘fhe sapply im the mar- ket, as stated above, 18 marked to Lhe very lughest | jigure. Remembering tus dearth and the sad con- sequences which must ensue ifs there does | hot come some speedy relief to the poor, | may be called to the fact, wiicn | the reporter” learned ‘from vartous " sourees yesterday, that the wel!-to-do, who are well sup pited with coal in their cellars, have been for the last | few days rusuing io'the deaiers and ordering large | uantities of coul lest the famme might overtake | em, Thisis MOST UNUST TO TRE POORER PEOPLE, whose mens ¢o not permit them to purchase in | Jarger quanittss than may be used from day | to day, A icw of the dealers, it is said, con- template not secvving large orders, and in this they are to be commended. tf the prospects of an end of the strife do not look better by to-morrow or Monday, ceriaiuiy coal will be sold in this city in the beg:nmi.ing of next week at the enormous price of | anthracite coal can be had then at that figure. | In speaking yesterday with a few gentlemen who | had just come irom tad mining regions, the reporter | Was informed that there 1s bo prospect whatever of | an immediate settlement of the diMcuities now pending, ‘There are parts of the State whore ine | money as in others, but still by far the majority | have been very comfortably off, especially im the | Wyoming vatiey, wuere the soil 13 fertile, In this | latter region mos. of the men own their own cot- | tages and have a ilttle spot of land, which they cul- | tivate. But even in the poorer districts in which such favorable circumstances were not abundant | the men lad their sayings banks in which to deposit their money, and it is A MOBT REMARKABLE FACT that very jittle money has been @rawn ont of the | banks by the men, The grocery and other stores | give them unlimited credit, and will continue to do | membering that there are in all between thirty and | forty thousand men on strike, all doing nothing, yet RESOLUTE AND DEYERMINED TO CARRY THELK POINT | vices the} regions render their employers, the vast of Pennsylvania are anything is no knowing what brewing harm may ; this great strike of tte swarthy | miners, It is said that the ringleaders are either | Scotch or Welshmen, and very inielligent contrivers | of vsing the weapons the Union places at their disposal. But wiih the railroad companies | and the mining companies arrayed Against them ; * they cannot hold out much longer than about three mouths, It may be useful to kuow that, even it to- | morrow the entire mining apparatus oF the great coe: fieldg Were lo be tuken up for a resuunption of work, probably two weeks silould elapse before a hundred tons of coal could _be taken to this city, ler the first supplies given should necessarily be to the furnaces and lines, 1 Thus it is evident how near the oly 1s to a coal famine, and not nly this: city bat ail the cities and | vowns in the viemity of New York. ‘hesame dread | prevails in every itttie village in the vicmity—and is as keenly felt—as here in huge Gotham, where the | clamor for coal in a day or two Will no doubi originate # sensation of the most novel sind, and one, too, that will have only. Pox for: Tmaany regretful, surroundings to be Janghable. What is io be done ’ Whaat the Workingmen Say on the Subjeci. JEppo, Feb, 21, 1871, To Tur Epitor OF THE HERALi By your permission we, the undersigned, commit tee of Jeddo Branch of the M. and L. B. Association, wiil now resume our communication relative to the suspension or strike. And for fear the public should lose sights of the facts contained in our last letter | with reference to the miners’ wages, we will quote them again. He, the miner, ‘according to nis agreement with the operator, should have | 65 cents, per ton when coal Js selling for $5 per ton | in the market, and 10 cents per toa advance whea | coal advances $1 per ton, and he (the miner) does j not wish the coal to command a Righer price than $5 per ton at the seaboard, a8 he (the miner) thinks this a fair living price; but the miner actually gets | but 35. cents per ton instead of the 55 cents as per | agreement. We wWunk this statement ongat to convince the public that the miner Is not responsipie tor the sus: pension or for the high prices now paid for coal in market, As a still further proof, we give aa extract | of a letter written In New Yerk to the anhracite | Monitor on the 16th ult., to. the effect that bo miner or operator shall have the beuefit of the acvance price now rulmg ia ti market. ‘They (the railroad companies), have advanced the tolls from, Wilkesbarre to Port Juiin- son or vethport to $7 10, which was only pla four,cents per mile per ton. This Jooks as if they (the railroad companies) intend to torce ‘prices ‘still higher, and | coal is now al the exorbitant price of $12 per ton; and, by the way, the operators:and railroad compi- panies are onc and the same.sev of men. mWe ask the public agam to judge who are the con- spirators, or If this act of these monopolista is not adivect conspiracy against the M. and L, B.A. and | the consuming public also? The object or tins con- | ” spiracy on the part of the railroad: and iron-com- | panies is to break up the M. and E . A, and ths { consumers must remember -that if is not the miner . alone who. they are .oppressing, but the laborer and others, whoseworkk is rls more aivicult and quite ag dangerous: while their com- pensatie seliom above $10 or $11 per week, but | otten, very often, below these figures, ‘Pnis is the im- | port of the New 1ork letter, | We ask will the pnblic, we mean the poor and the | | benevolent rich of our cities, countenanceer be in | synipathy W: th such an unholy scheme? We tuink | not; und we re justified in ealiing upon our citizens | for tauce in this our hour of need. Lhe power | of corporations ts derived from vs, We have granted it and owe can | take it away, or else we will claim . the privilege of fixing & limit to ther power through our jegisiauion. Fer be tt understood that tvese companies do not use the millions thus un- | righteously accumulated by them for the good of our coinmon country or the benefit of | its citizens, but take it to Europe to enrich | themselves a3 in tne case of the Reading Raliroad: | Company. So long as the American people allow such opwages as this, the interests of our beloved America as in danger. We have plenty ot coal.in the country, and can protuce ft at five dollers per ton, And why should we allow these monopolists to force the citizens of the free land of America to pay $12 per ton. Let, us pn hands to put down this wonopoly, so as the consuming and producing people can live, abd the poverpriaing interests of America will flourish. If not | the interests, ‘both manufacturing and commercia will go into the hands of the few, who, make them- selves rich at the expense of the poor. In our next We shill show What gave rise to the Mv.and L. B. A. and what its object and aim really is. opmg our communication 18 acceptable, we remain, respect- fully yours, is NEAL P. JOHNSON, President. BNOCH P, EVANS, Committee. PATKICK McLAUGHLIN, WILLIAM O'GARA, An Enthusiastic Workingman. To THE Epitor OF THR HERALD:— Thanks, shanks, thanks for your noble article on coal, Iread it with amazement and fear, because, being out of work all winter, and ‘not a cent | OD ag best they may, without money or assistance, | renewed sutierings? The only wonder 1s that we | and purposes. | stopped resumption. It must be understood that | XYork and two at Philadelphia, That held to-day "morn | Fell, committee of the Lehigh’ coal | in their own hands to the last. to buy coal at a low price, how wil I do ‘now the price fis doubled? There must be 80,000 or 90.000 similarly situated in this ciiy, Why, sir, the miscreants. who could concoct Bu ® scheme—coal proprietors and road men—the whole lot ought to be elevated to higher positions and made more notorious than they are, put upon a wooden stage, sometimes erected in the yard of that black building m Centre street, and that piece of rope would never have been a8 well used, for better mien Nave been so treated, ‘This 1s a warning tothe rich who starve and oppress the poor. A WORKINGMAN, MAZTING Of COAL OPERATORS A’ | PHILADELPHIA. No Signs of a Cessation of the Strike=Miners Anxious to Go to Work but Cannot Accept the Terms of the Coal Kings—Determined Edferty to Further Enhance tho Prive of Coal~Sufferiugs and Mortality in the Mine ing Districts-The Latest Ofer of the Capi- talists. PHILADELPHIA, Feb, 23, 1871. ‘she despotic measures pursued by the prominent coal operators of New York, Philadelphia and the minmg regions in their eager desire to still fur- ther enhance the price of con}, leaves no farther doubt in the minds of the people that the operators and not the miners are at the bottom of the troubles now agitating the mining districts of Pennsylvania. The whole history of coal mining in America has never yet produced a strike that will equal the present one for the suiferings it has en- tailed on the laboring claases and miners. Whole families 1n the mining regions are now stricken by disease simply because they cannot pro- cure the absolute necessities of life. Re- ports are daily brought in of sickness, suffermgs and death m the wining regtons, and the mortality, instead of diminishing, is becom- ing more fearful every week. Left alone to struggie is 10 to be wondered at thai we coustantly hear of are not startled some jnorning by the report of out- Tages by desperate men seeking sustenance for their starving families. ‘The parties who are driving these worksngmen to the verge of despalr are the very ones who are dally adding vo Lhe miseries ol these heipless people, and we are Lold that “the miners must be brought to terms. We cangot submit to their exactions any longer,” &c. Every strike that has ever the coal regions has been brought about by the operators to put up coal, and on} most occasions in the worst season of the year for poor people—winter, They generally com- inence operations early in the fail. Ainers are told tnat the price ol coai must be reduced to uccommo- | date the suffering poor(:) The reduction begins, and gradually arrives at such a low figure that the miners are driven to quit work, as ther wages depeud altogether on tne price of Coal. This 18 just exactly what the operators want, Oa the ground of a short supply of coul Une price 13 raised, and as the season advances and the rigors of winter begin to be more keenly feli the price 1s still Lurther enuanced. And here we have the whoie tuing in @ nutshell, Coutrolling many journals, as they mest ceriainiy do, the operators begin to heap the loudest Kind of abuse on the miners, ‘They are accused of conniving to torce the operators to | pay them higher wages, and then we are tuid by the indignant and much abused (') operator, that the mincrs have again combimed on secret session to | aud to the sufferings of the poor people of the coun- try. ‘This 1s the history of the present strike, and is, in fact, the history of every coal strike, to all intents occurred in THE MINERS ARE WILLING, even anxious, to resuine work, but the operators will not let them, They have the game in their own hands, and are going to hold the trumps tll the game is played out. Taree hundred millions of | capital against less than one hundred thousand 1s | fearful odds. I we be allowed to judge from former | precedents the larger amount will triumpu. ‘The president of the miners’ secret council calica on several operators of the city last week and offered toresume operations on the three dollars basis. The tors not only spurned their offer, but doubled the ireight rates on the Read- ing and Lehigh Valley roads and effectually there are among tie operators a number of men who are anxious for a resumption of business; they are, of course, in the minority, These men had begun operations in ceriain sections of the coal regions When the rates were doubled, and they were suddenly checked in their forts to put coal in the market. Operations cease at once, and the miners retired from the mines, and everytning resumed the same desolate air that hus possessed ihe country for the past three moatns, it is time thts sympathy tor the operators was checked; they neither deserve nor need it, FOUR SEORED MEETINGS have already been held by operators—two at New was the fourth of the series. They have always taken precautions to keep tneir proceedings secrét, but the HERALD has inpesenly. Pubished a Lali re- port of their doings and the objects almed at. Their confessed object is to break up the Miners Benevolent Association, a s@etety of the miners, or- ganized fer the mutual venefit and elevaiion of miners. The society has no. political partialit bat simply aims to elevate its and) protect their interests against —oppr vession from any quarter, In order to break up tus imstitution it was decided to hold out against them to the uttermost, Knowing tull weil that none but the mivers could lose, ihe operators have spared no means thas would tend to bring out the desired result, and their determination is to break up this union at alt hazards, In the meeting this morning the following resolu. tions were unanimously adopted. If the miners ac- cept the terms well and good, if not they will be obliged to do Without work. ‘The following is an oficial copy of the report of the proceedin ss this Avan Adjourned meeting of the coal operators, conl car: rying co:upaniea and iron manufacturers, held at the olive of the Philadelphia an’! Reading Railroad Company, in tas city of )’hYadelphia, on thursday, a Packer, presid mt-ot the Lehigh V: Mr. ral superintender Railroad Company v5 R. ley Samiuel Sloan. president, Jobn Brisbin and William Storrs, of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Raliroad Company; ‘Thomas Dickson. president, | W. Weston, coal superintendent of the | on Caual Company; General John | George A. Hoyt, treasurer, and John B. superintendent of the Penieylvania Coal C i Franklin B. Gowen, President of the Puiiadelp! Reacing Kailrord Company; E. W. Clarke, ah Coal_and Navigation Company; Charles Parish, | presuient | Wilkesbarre Coal ron Com | ugene Borda, William = K and J. | Slegivied, comiuttes, of the | Schuslkill operators; | A. Pardee, Dr. G. B. Linderman, Eckley B, Coxe and J. ( ‘operators; Samuel ‘Thomas, delogate representing the Lebtzh fron trade, and Henry 8. E rt and Henry Sushong, committee of the Scnuylki Vailey tron trade. Asa Packer was called to the chair and William R. Storrs appoinied secretary, ‘After a full interchange of opinions the following resolu- tions were unanimousiy adopted :— Reeolved, That the Schuylkill region offer to the men of their district for the year 187] the $8 50. basis, as agreed upon tu November iaat, aifding up and down at the rate of one per cent advance and decline upon wages and contract work for every three centa per ton advance and decline in the price of coal at, Port Carbon, provided that the men shall not be paid Ata higher rate than under this basis they would be entitied to when coal in $$ per ton at Pore Carbon tntil all the regions go to wor! Resolved, That the Lebigh region offer to their men the following rates for the year 1S71. when coal is five dollars on board at Elizabeth wad Port Johnson :—Oatside wages to be from nine doliars to ten and a hait lars; inside wazes, from eleven dollars to twetve dollars; miners: wages, fou teen dollars; contract work, ten per cent less than at the tive aoilac basis ‘of last year, with an advance and dechne of tweive and a half per cent on waves and coutract work for every one dollar advance and decline in the price of coal at Elizapeth or Port Jounson ; provided that nutil ali the restons go to work no bigher rate of wazes or contract work shall be paid than the men would be entitied to receive upon thi» new banta, whon coui ts #ix dollars per ton on board at Klizabeth- poxt or Port Johnson. evolved, That the Delaware and 'Hndson Canal Company, the Deiaware, Lackawanna and Westera Railroad Comp: and Pennsvivarin Coal Company continue thei pre otter, with the right to. 60 modify it from time to time a8 to make the wages paid by them 2s neariy equivalent xs p ticable to, what may be for the time being patd in the Schuy kill and Lehigh regions. Resolved, it any, region may go to work upoa the above terms being accepied by thelr men, out that no region shal | commence until the men of such Fegion haye accepted the said terms, solver, That-we are united in opporing any intert vy the workmen or their association with the manageme and control of our works, and will insist upon the avando ment of their clams to mich control. It ia believed that the above rates will be as nearly as pos- je equal in all the regions, The meeting, which was perfectly harmonious throughout, adjourned to convene in New York at the call of the resi } dent. Having relieved themselves of tie forgoing ‘1 solves," the operators adjourned to awati the uction of the miners. | It may be well to state for the benefit of the laborers in the m:nes that no better offer will be made; the operators. being determined upon heiding the game OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. PUNNSYLVSNE. (From the Williamsport (Pa.) Gazette, Feb, 20,1 ‘The coai miners’ strike still continues and 1s likely to continue forsome time to come, unless tie organized mob which now compeis the coal con- sumers of the country to pay extra prices lor coal, is broken up and honest, starving men are allowed to go to Work Wien they please an@ for such prices as they please, We have no dowvt but that on many occasions the owners of mines haye connived at “gtrikes"! in order to reduce the steck of coal and obiain better prices. ‘This has oeen done until the organization known asthe Werkingmeu’s Benevolent Association, has become a power beyond the control of the avari- cious owners, Itisa secret association, with the most rigid oaths and rales, and which will not stop at murder or any other crime to compass its ends. At the present time, hundreds of their mem- vera arein a starving condition and wish to ge to ut the lead who draw salaries from the lavorer’s contributions, compel them to remain idle, In consequence of this great sudering, absolute star- vation and death is*becomin mmon in the mining distriets as a consequence of thé strike. A writer in the Afiners’ Journai says that ‘in one alon e we learn that a very large number of children have died irom want, from expesure te weather, having: scarcely any clothing to cover their Daked feet anu | industries, should | hation of four or five large corporations. ‘RIPLE SHEET. limbs, and when disease acta tn, their weeping and impoverished parents could procure nothing but had to see them perish before weir eyes, while their fathers — begged for work of any kind w heip them, but not at mining or working at the mines, because thelr lead, ers Jorbid them to work there without thelr orders. Besides the terrible siaughter m the mines by rush- | ing recklessiy 1 to procure food for their families, hundreds have perished this winter, as with the lit- tle work they liad jast yoar they could not pay the dues exacted by the eaders and make any prepara. | Won for winter,” | Now thatthe funds of the Workingmen’s Renevo- | lent Association are becoming exhausted, the | families starving and many dying of want. the rail- | roads have combined anil raised the price of freight 80 high that no coal will be shipped froin the auviira- | cite region, This stops all mining forthe present, | and, a3 We have said before, will compel the sir king miners to go to work at such prices as the | ow.ers can ‘ord to pay, or starve. As the | funds of tue orgamzalion are nearly ex- | bausted by paying for support and payiug | leaders, they cannot be supported in idle. | ness and @ short tuve must completely break i the unscrupulous organization. if Lis be accomplished the inconvenience be tolerated for a v1 it is time some measures Were taken to release the coal consumors of the State from such subjection to | the whinis of a mob, and We commend the ralivoad | companies for their action in atiempung to starve the Workingmen's Benevolent Association into dis- | cord and disseiuuon ‘There sects to be litt's doubt but that the power: ful organiz tien origimaly tranied lor tae provection of miners «3 become a victiin to dishonest ers, who have not only had their Livi rom thet sei- lows, but jave plundered its treasury aud leit han- dreds of the poor members to starve. A civase in their constitution gags every mombor and prevents his uttering or saying enyi..iog Ainst the inan- agement under heavy penalties. ‘ney have a | Paper supported by the funds of the society, but nO mewber van express lis opinion or disenss | measures relating to their general weilare, unless io passes the ordeal of the censors, who are lexders, and has their seal apon fix Under such cireun- stances tue thieving leaders have things ali tb own way, and live become intolerable tyrants. ‘Phe way tiley rule ruin the miners is illusurated py the following case, which occurred im Schuylkill | county, aud 1s communicated to the Mixers’ vour- | ual. I8ib not tine the Legislature moved to live- | rate the oppressed and plundered miners, and tle people Who suuer in consequence of the tyrauni val nob? We wiil give one that recently occurred tn ub hanoy reyion:—On the Loth an operator ther u wished to give employment to sowe of his men, Wio had large iamulies, and who were moso destitute, thougit he would start with that odject in view. He cold ius bess to plek owt six men WhO noode! Mt most and set t ¢ men, of course, Ws members of the Workingmen’s Beuevo- | lent Associauion. One of them, Who was in arrears of dues, paid five doliars, and said tat as soon as ie | could muke some mouey by working he would pay | Up the Whole of his dies, Bub vhis didnot sui ve | jeaders. Notice was given by the division tiut iv should HOt Work untii tae dues were paid, ariel du every man five duilars Who worked with hum the dues were paid. ‘Lhe consequence wast of the men could go to work, though then were suilertag tor the necessaries of iiie, were willing io work, {From the Philadelphia Ledger, Feb. 20.) The anthvacite coal busimess couuuues very un- settled, Notwithstanding the representatives of the Miners? Associamou passed, nearly unavimously, resolution authorizing the resumption of wo the mines on the 15th instant, 16 has tus iar mes | With a limited response and unimportant results. A | lew amines bave started, but there 3 bee: no general resumptien, nor is there likely tO be Of the miners’ proposition of last | year’s basis of three doliais per ton, or | on any terms or conditions that, as aileged by the operators, gives the contro: of the trade to tiie mimority of iiners and workiag ten, Antoracite coal is pretty much inciuded in tiree regions—itie | Scnuylsil, tae Leigh and the Lackawanua—the | Peace ol any two of Which is equa to the mar- et demisud at present bigh prices of coal, and if alt three are continuously worked througn the enure year there is over producto, and necessarily a de- Gime in prices of coal to consumers, and aiso a de- | cline of Wages fo the workinen, ‘The trade, a8 we | Have said, is confined to taree regions, and vo three lunmediate interests in each “of ‘uhose several reslons—the miners, the operators, and the carrying companies, Heretofore, aud up to the preseat time, the supply of coal has been wholly regaiated by a minority of the miners through well organized com- binauons, by which tue suppiy has veen lessened or increased ab pleasure, regardless of either of the otner two interests, or of tat greater interest, the consumers. As all the capital of the trade is tur- nisnea by the operators aud by the carrying com- panies, those two iuterests are now about to com- bine, as We infer {rom the movements making, to yeviailM tue control of that capital, and a voice in the direction of the trade. Nothing detinite as to all the details of effecting this result las yet been arrived at, but there is no | doubt a thorough and cordial wuderstanding be- | tween operators and carriers to incet now the issue | involved, and at Whatever cost, and to this end tuey | Glam te have the sympathy and aid o1 the large consumers, The lurnacemen proiess a wilinguess to blow out, and become 1.0u-Users Of Coal, as do others using it latyely a3 @ steam generator. ‘The onject ia this determimation, tt is claimed, is not to Testricé Goal production, for the carrying Companies desire large tonnage, nor to make mining less yemunerauve to the labor employed in producing it, bab by making production reliabie at tie ; jeast possible fuciuation m_ prices, to im- crease the use of coal, thas widening the fleld ot iapor in manuiacturing and in «ther pur- sully dependent on u steady supply of cheap luc, Anotaer meeting of representatives oi | the two interests in the trade mentioned, We understand, Will be held on ‘aursday of vais wees. Ji 18 hoped and beileved that the terms agreed upon wii be such (hat the miners will see that 1 is to their interest. to promptly join in em, | As an evidence of the earnestness of the carrying | compaimes Lo have a: tue coal regions, or none, at | ork af the same ilme, te Reading, the Leaigh | idley, Lehigh Navigation Kailroad, Delaware and { LackaWauna, and in iact uli Whe rairoud companies | connecting with the Bastern market have met the proposition to resume work ii Any Of the several re- gions by such an advance of toll charges as to ren- | der coal production or coal shipments iunpossivie, except the very limited shipments 01 coal westward by the Norther Central of Pennsylvania, This | movement necessarily biocks the trade and_ the | miners are left witi nothing to do, unless they Cou- | seut to work when and where those who employ | | | | | Ue services inay direcl, ‘he aim is to do away with ikes,” by which many mii- lions of dollars ~huve been already lost in | the anthracite coal regiens, with no appreciable geod to any, and with postiive injury to operators, to caxryig Companies and to millions of stimers of fuel ‘The evil that exists im tue an- ite coal trade is admitted by all to be most se- W LO Cure it is a que-tion of diMicult solution. *‘Strikes’’ so far have proved only agyra- vauions. ‘The remedy now attempted by the ope- rators and carrying companies is a boid, and we may say dangerous step; but desperate cases require des- perate.emedies, und in this light we can but view. cue step taken that virtually shuts out a further sup- ply of fuel. if the ‘associations’ accept the propu- sition as presented by the combination of the other two interests 4t will be all weil, and cheaper coal will speedily follow ; but if the miners determine to ‘tight it out on this line,” not ‘all summer,” bat lor even six weeks, there will be such pri of coal, and such a@ hue and- among con- sumers a8 bus not been known for years And who will bear the censure and the odium or tlisy Each interest will wry to put the cause oj scarcity and hugh prices upon the oth@r. ‘The carrying compa- nics Rave assurances from the miners, on which they think they can rely, that they will resume work on terms sausiactory to the other interests. tis earnestiy hoped 89; but the tone of their acknow!- edged organs, and the reports current that parties are already betore the Penusyivania and New Jer- sey Legisiatures soliciting restrictions in the matter of toll charges, do Bot accord with the fulfilment of this must desired promise. fhe alternative pre- sented to the miners and men, who are in no condi lion pecuniarily to stand out, 1s a irying one; and tue other interests to the tasue as presented feel its setilement just now @s 10 the last degree iunportant to them. [From the Philadelphia Record, Feb. 23.) The condition of the ce id tie supply Is one of absorbing interest to al classes of the com- munity. The conduct of the miners, the action of | the carrying companies and the decisions of the operaiors are all matters of deep and earnest dis- cussion, a8 all these parties are lavoring earnestly to enlist the public judgment in favor of their particu- lar policy, winie in the taterim of this lock-up the pubic aud cousumers are compelicd to pay a large advance for their coal, with secming prospect of 11s indefinite contiauance. Ali parties, however, admit the origin and cause of ts trouble is an overpro- duction and a detvermipation on the part of the miners to keep up Ww: and of transporters to keep up tolls. 1 1s & melancholy state of aff Uon and idietfess is more advantage: to miner operators and transporters than activity. It is alarming to refiect that an ardcle of such absolute necessity to ail classes of the community, and also to the developinent of many of our Wost rmportant @ dependent, not upon free and unrestrained competiiion, but upon perhaps the il- advised action of the miners, or the sinister combi- Beyond and outside Of the merits of the present controversy, there is @ great principle which might as weil be settied atonce. We mean the right of four or five corporations, enjoying @ moyopoly of the carrymg trade of the coal regions, to churge such toils as they may please, im order to repress production within such limits as their interests may dictate, and to stifle all competition that wonla give to con- sumers an article of such universal necessity at a reasonable price, . A muner senda the following report to the Phila- deiphia Zecorg:—“Ydou seem to understand the basis to be fixed at three dollars, with a sliding scale up- ward, but net downward, it is meorrect; for the miners of Schuylkul county, at their last executive meeting, Leld in Pottsville. February 14, agreed to resume Work om the §2 50 basis, bur no lower, which would leave miners twelve dollars per week, inside laborers ten doliars per week and outside laborers nine dollars per week. ‘ihe miners con- tend that the above wages are small enough, taking into consideration the risk to be run in their occu- pation. It is the gouiless corporations that are the cause of the nigh price of coal by demanding more of the profits of our production than all the inte resis concerned, It is euay for any sane man to see, by the present conduct of the Philadelpnia and Reading Railroad Company. as they have in contempla- tion by combining with the ether powerful coal car- rying companies of this State. Their preseot action is@ masterly stroke at ail the indyvidval enterprise | manda, | strike. | and the operation is repeated again and a | ber ton at Port Carbon. ) and in several instances went into the wit | but they may not Feld for some weeks. | may be advantageous in Schuylkill eounty and vicinity interertea in the | mining of coal, They wilt by continuing thelr present course for any length of time, drive every single in- dividual Miterested tn the mining of coal in Schuyl- | kill county or vicinity into bankruptcy or compet them to sell thelr interest at asacritiee. The pub- lic are not af present watching thetr action with as vigilant au eye as is necessary, ‘They are at present gaining more power to ther already ove strength. No later than last week the President of the vhilade|phia and Reading Ratiroad © mapa My resented, and had read in place in the Senate adv larrisburg, an act called the Franklin Coal Gom- pany act—an act giving them power to buy, sell, wanaler and mine coa to purchase or sub- seribe lor the stock of avy railroad, mining or incor- porated company in the State of Pennsylvania, Let ihe Franklin Coal Company dill pass through the Legislature, which | have no doubt tt will, then Pi deiphia and Reading Railroad Compaw have what they want, the privilege of mining © ‘That end consummated, goodny to tudividual eater. prise i the coal business in Schuylkill county and vicinity. La ant EW WAV Pirom the New Haven Resister, Feb, ! Coal is up to cleven dollars, with a pros of go. ing ligher, Consumers are not tn a very pleasant state OL mind, and there Is a disposition to find jauit vith everybody connected with the business. As the igin of the Coal famine, Which now threatens to become serious, does not seem to be generaily uu- derstood, We propose to give a brief history Oo: the difleuity. At tye start it should be understood that the capl- tal and iwachinery now employed in mining authra- cite coal, if worked to its full capacity, would pro- e nearly twice as much coal as the country de- At least, production ts greatly In excess of consumption. It therefore follows that whea the au | indues are 1a [uli eperation coal accumulates. it bs so buiky that {i requires a great oullay to store It. As the quantity On hand increases the price decreases, unUL it reaches & Point Where 1 18 unprotiiaoie to rine It. ‘Coen Wages ave cut down and the miners get up a Yue price of coal then advanees until it orbitaut price, When work reaches an €. AvOUE LWO Years ago Au esfore Was made by the A meetilg was called of coal and cartying companies, ta which 1 Was proposed that ed pro rata quanily of Coal sho be mined department of the antaraciie region aniag » bbe ag esulaute Lor tae consumption of the country during that period, This prudent measure wis deieated b mutual jeaiousies, Which ti Was found imMposatoie to allay; aid, alter several sessions, ie partic rected, to plunge lato an excessive and ¢ production, which inmedtately Knocked coal cowa below fhe cost of mining snd Transporting, {its en- orelug a reduction of wages ana v loug ail rumous strike, ‘hen the Workingmeu’s Benevolent Association | LTLOUS Counties. to propose to cecelve ve OF coal, With the understanding Chet when 0) the Wor nevolent but @ suspeusi all of sue county a eption, agreed to tx the Hmit at Schuylkill county ineiste: that the point of suspension siouid be tiree dolar thas is, that work ai the mines shoul be suspended When coal reached thee doitars, The meu Wiiling, it 18 said, to resume work on the $2 ot Work, uutil the mark were forced to stop Work tirough fear of 1 violence. A few sinall companies actu menced work last Luesiay ou We basis pr the utiners, At this point the carrying companies int pancd Oy riere, They have raised the tolls for transportation frou | $2 To to $7 10, to prevent the wages which mivht be paid by these couipanies fro reaching the iiwes. The advance is mexni to be probibitory, and, as tue price of coat g there Wil be @ stil \urther ad- Vance. These carrying compinies say Ubi they hiv been idle, owing to Sirikes aad suspensions, abou! hali of the past year, anu . sist Uaai some basis shall be reached wich wii ent both and give thei @ eleady business te year Pou ‘this 1s, aS We understand, tie explenation of the statement published on Saturd cat tolls from Wilkesbarre (0 Blzavevhport, over the Lehigh Valley and Lehigh and Susquenuuna Ratiroads, had been raised to $7 10 per ton. Reading Railroad has made a corresponding wivauce in its irelgnis, having more than doubled tiem. Tie Delaware and Huason Canal Company, tue Peatsyl | vama Coal Company and the Delayare, Lackawanna and Western Kuliroad companies have agreed, on their part, to not to resuime work even at tie duced prices for Jabor that they offered last Dece: ber untii the questions ab issue are settled. while the generai public are subjected to tie i rent risk Of a coal famine more terribie than any whica they have previousiy endured, Nothing but a speedy settiement of this war to the kniie betwee capital and /toor can prevent it. ROCHESTER. {From the Rochester Union, Feb. 21.) Every winter the monepolists vito eoutrol the coal production of the Pennsylvania mines ani its tans- portation to market manaye to consummate a coul- bination whereby tne surplus stock may be disposed of at greatly increased prices, Tins umocent litte stratagem Of tpe Coa: men is resorted to about the time that the supply m market has become redacea to daily wants, which Is ata time when the pour of the great cities are not only greater in num- bers, by reason of the duiness bat are also suffering from the rigors of winter, This annual coal conspirasy 4 now in full Operation, and the effect is severely felt in the Kastern eliies. A despatch this moin- ing states that the retail price or coal in New York and Brooklyo has been aivanced to filteen deilars perton! ‘The coal swindlers aave brought about tus state of affairs within two days by Increasing | the railroad toil, irom Wilkesbarre to Blizabeth- port, to $7 10 per ton. This is the boldest swindle yet attempted by th: unscrupaious men. It is | well known that coal can be delivered at any of the several shipping points on tie Reading or Lehigh Ratiroad tor less than two doilars per ton, and jay the miner not less than fifteen dollars per week for | the production, together with the exorbitant rents and lateral tolis charged. Anthracite coal ought not to cost more than $4 26 per tou in New York. ‘Tw dollars and twenty-live cents ver von for freight to New York would pay the transportation companies enormous preiiis. ‘The best auinorities teil us tnat there are mines in Schuylkill, Luver antnracite counties where coal can be mined and put up In cars at_a cos} of $i 20 per ton. Various rumors are afloat as to the means about to be adopted for breaking up this gigantic swindh Petitions are in cireulanon praying that the tran- chises of the carrying companies may be curtailed to such @ degree as to render an eifective combina tion like the present one impossible. Another ru- mor from ,Pennsyivania 1s to the effect that pro- ceedings are about to begin under the Conspira ; law of thai State, in order ‘to check Lhis imposition | before it becomes unbearable, Bat no sensible per- son indulges im the slightest confidence "hat there is any proapers ol reitef through tbe accomptsh- ment of either of these methous. ‘Lhe only vossivle remedy lies in the removal of all duties from coal. It is In the power of Congress to administer this. remedy: but, controlled by the rich owners of the coal fields, Who are ali high tari nen, o1 course, 11 has persistently refused. And so the people are swindiea through the inactivity or dupli of ther own representatives im © reas. We camuct be- lieye they wilt submic to this inach longer. BOS {From the Boston Travelier, Feb. 22.) The coal dealers in Boston heid a ineeing this | morping and. di ed to rulse une price of coal to | twelve dollars per ton. ‘This advance 13 made-neces- sary by the recentiaction of the great coal operators and Uansportation companies. ‘some weeks since the miners struck for ap advance of wages, aud work ceased in the miming regions. Finally a com. | promise Was effected veiween tue operat. i miners, by Which the latter were to have gone to | work on che 15th ef this month at rate of three , collars per ta The transportation cor nies were not satisied with this rate, and, tt 13 presumed, with | the approval of the operators, Ley rgised ihe price | ol freignt from the Lackawanna region to New York irom $2 26 to $7 20 per ton, while the freight on te Reading Ratiroad to Phijadeiphia was advanced irom two to four dollars per ton. ‘ihe effect of tus is absolately — prohipitory, ud no mining can be carried on. ‘The transportation com- panies say their purpose ts to break down the com- bination of miners, and that the rates will be kept up until they Will Work on the basis of $260 per ton. 1 1s thought that they Will noi be able to oid out long, | ‘The result | ousumers im the ena, but for the ent pure! ‘3S must pay a ingh price for their coal. Not only in Boston, but in New York, Philadeiphia and at the West, the stock on hand is | much less than usnal at this season. This operation | of the transportation companies could not have been made at a worse time than the present, and coal hus advanced in New York to $16 per ton, and may go higher if the present state of atfairs continue. Whenever the miners yield there will be a rapid de- cine, avd consumers sould Tor the present be eco- nomical in the use of coal, and if they mast pur- chase, buy only mn small quadtittes to meet inime- diate wants, In this way only do iwey avoid tne danger of a further advance. {From the Boston Herald, Feb. 22.) The coal market, which bas been fuctunting be- tween the extortions of the operators, the high rates demanded by the carrying companies, and the strikes of the miners, has now reached a crisis from wnich nothing can deliver it but the yleiding of tne weaker party. The Philadelphia Ledger explains that anthracite coal is pretty much included in three regions—the Schuyikill, the Lehigh and the Lacka- wanna—the production of auy two of which is equal to the market demand at the present nigh prices of coal; and if ail three are continuousiy worked through the entire year there is over- production, and necessarily: a deciine m prices of coal te consumers, and aiso a decline o: to the workmen, The trade is confined to a e 4 erwhelining | rs Of ® leading Company to check Lhe evil of | yegute to be ne more than au ample | upon the | socualions, WIL | the | ihe | of the season, | and otuer | | and the result will be lower and stendier prices of | Coal, aad & consequent increase of consamption, If | this 18 secured the bold measures of the car:ying com- | panies tn putting up their rates wll be ynst : bus | meanwhile Congress shouid take the duty off coal, which yields 4 Very Small amount of revenue and costs the manufacturing interest of the comtry very neavily. {From the Troy Whig, Feb. 22.) Coal was retailed on Monday in the cities of York and Brooklyn at the uaprecedent»| price fitwen doijar tolls ia ein price se dealers on hand per ton. As the advan five dollars, and the advan 4s tall, six doliar, tt will be seen that thy who are lucky eneugh to have a good stoc will make a good thing out of the action of the rail road companies. ‘Tue poorer classes in New York will fect this extortionate advance very severely, Large numbers of people buy their coal by the peck, paving for it in this stoall Way perhaps doable the rates askod by the ton, and i) reqa.res 60 stretch of fa ey to see that mech suffering must ensue. Only a few days ago we anaounced the rise in price of | one dolar per ton im bois elty aud vietmity. TROUBLE (N ALLIVOIS COA. MINES. A Shocking Crime Attempted. The troubles at the ceal mines in St. Clair county, Ill, between the miners and their em- ployers was marked by @ shocking occurrence on Beturday, which happity was unattended with loss of life. The Garisile mine No. 2, on the Belle- ville road, ts worked by @ number of miners In- depen. ent of the Miners’ Association, and who have been working recentiy at four ceais per bushel, or ove cent less juan tie rate demanded by the mem- bers of the ciation, and consequently some LL | feeling has existed. Oa Saturday an expioston oc- ed a6 this mine about hail-past cleveu o'clock which created a good deal of eXcitemeat but { serious damage. he matter was promptly | luvestigated, and iS was ascertained that the explo- ; ston had been caused by a kee of powder waen had | been placed under the furnace. The design was eviientiy to break up tue working gear of the mine, without regard to the leartul loss of life which might | lave been occasioned. 16 is 1 Uils atrocious attempt Was 1 ule miners, bat sou aite Mght will probably be ‘ivoWn Upon the maiter in w few days. i | | UDIZO.. WATSOR. Dr. | THE DE Ceronor’s Tnvestization~Testimony of er ond Harry Mill. Smee the death of Mr. James Watson, late County Audwor, from the ‘effects of a fractured skull, ree OOK a hand tn ue, Storied, ie + tooo trad Ta his game. | A Union was ore ay | celved im Harlem lane om the 24th ult., im conse- DS & REWSDA) of a co.tision while sieigiriding, Coroner | Herrmaun and Captein Wilson, of v “second have been actively engu ring | to secure the attonday of pe ed to have ‘seen the oceurre: bu und it @ | very dificult matter. Directly afer the col ; Wsion Captain Wilson arrested a man, vald ‘to have been = Charley Chiton, late a ; Suloon keeper at No, 57 Gree ich avenue, charged | With runatog lato the team and sigigh of Mr. Waison. ‘The latter requested the discharge of Clifton, who Was a) parenty sober, alleging that he was NoT 10 BLAME for the oceurr Chiton subsequently failed in | business, closed bis place, aad, It is sald, has gone to ugland, | Yesterday afternoon Coroner Herrman» had | two or three persons at his office in the City Hail who saw the collision, and took their evidence Fr » D., Of O2L West Thirty-tifth street, deposed that ou the twenty-fourth ultimo he | was standmg on the piazza of tue Club House, * | Kienth avenue, near Lsoch street, whea le noticed | Mr. Watson driving a team atiached to @ sleigh down the avenue; (als Was aoous five O'Clock P. M.; ubreast of Watson was ex-Sieri’ u'srien; both were driving pretty fast; did not notice the inan wo collided with Watson, but tne fist tie doctor recol- ects WAS Se*bg a horse rearlug up, and the next | Uneng he saw | BLOOD ON MR. WATSON'S FACE ran to him and had tun carried tuto the bar room, | where ue attended ini; he bad a wound over tne | rigat eye: there was « fracture and depression of | the frontal bone; leard deceased say he did not | Want anything Gone to the man who ran into hi do not remember seeiug the inaa; deceased was , driving near the carb on the west side; did not see the collision, but suw the horse rear up over the | dasher of Watson's siergi. | Barry Sui, of 26 Hast Houston street, testified that | atthe time of ine accident he Was gomy to tne | plagza of the Ciud House, 130th stredt and Bighih avenue, When he noticed a man las sieigh Wiel & Jemale by his side driving up oa &@ deat run; at the | Same Ume he noticed MF. Watson yomy down tic | avenne, Close to the curb on the West side; deceased | was driving ihe team: from the way the norse al- | tached to the sleigh was being managed L suppose the driver Was drimk, as be scewied to nave OL OVER THE ANTY j NO CON i and just beio: collision the drt | us though looking back for a friend; ine suaiis oF | the single sleigh struck Mr, Wateou’s lear horse by the right shoulder; the horas thea reared over t shait of Mr. Watson's sien, at which ume Mr. | Watson Was struck by the hoor of Lie horse on tae | jerehead; the uriver of the sleigh was thrown oul, | but the lady remaimed in the sieizh, und tie horse ran towards the Ginb House sled; as tae man ap- | proached she told him she would not ride with him any more, as he drove too recklessly: = 1 caught the horse and sioppei him just | before he reacied the shed, and thea ran to Mr. Watson’s assistance; detained the driver of the sielgh til am oiticer came, aithoagh pe made no resistance; ie appeared very much excited and intoxicated; le handed me a card bearnag the name, “Charles Clutton, Cittton Arbor, 57 Greea wich AL, r turned his head | avenue;” gave Clifton and bis card to an o:liver; Mr, Watson said HE DID NOT WANT THE MAN ARRESTED; should Know the man again if I saw lim. No further Witnesses were examined, and in consequence of the absence of some of the jurors the invesuguiom | Was postponed tll to-day, when it may be cu- cluded. THE REW SiEAMSHIP ASSYRIA. | Another Addition to the Anchor Line’s Glass gow Service—iler Dimensions, Chrracter of Construction, Accommodations aud List of Offers. The new steamship Assyria, the latest addition to the Anchor line, arrived at this port ou Wednesday from Glasgow, alter 4 very excellent trip, and is | now discharging her large and valuable cargo in | good condition at the company’s whari, No. 20 North | viver, In this ber initial voyage the Assyria has | proven herself a capiial sea boat, and more than ex- | ceeded the most sunguine expectations of tne build- | ers ot her machinery in the matter of speed. | THIS VESSEL WAS LAUNCHED | from the yard of Messrs. Robert Duucan & Sons, | port Glasgow, in the spring of last year. | She 1s 390 feet in length on deck, thirty-uhree fees breadth of beam, twenty-two feet six Inches depth | of hold; has two decks, a load draught ef twenty feet, 18 bark-rigged and of 1,700 tons burden. Her hail is of wrougit frou plates, one inch in thickness at the bottom and tiree-quarters of an inch at the | sides. These are doubie rivetted, and plate-stringers | of large dimensions on either deck add groatiy to | ler strengiu. Her tanks have a capuciiy for 6,0u0 gations of water, and the fresh water condenser will average sixty-iive gallons pe: 1. THE MOTIVE LOW of the Assyria conststs Of two ¥ oting engines of the compound primciple, at a working pressure of sixty pounds, constructed by the Finnis< ton Steamsinp Works Company. The cylinders are Unrty-egitand sixty-eight iackes 1a diameter, witha stroke of piston of tiree feet six inches. ‘The bovlers, two In humoer, are of the “doubie-ender” description, beibg tired at both ends, and the pro- peher, whichis of cast fron, is sixteen ieet in diame- and has @ piteh of twesty-ene feet. in all other articulars the department of imacwinery is welk provided—steutm holsting apparatus, doukey boiler aud independent steain fire and bige pumps being supplied in abandance, THE ACCOMMODATIONS for passengers ou board the Assyria are of the most comfortabie nature. The staterooms are fied in the neatest manner, and are very roomy. In the first and intermediace cabins nearly oue handred can Hud a pleasant home during a voyage, and in the, steerage there is space enougl for over live hundred. — The man saloon ts quite elegantly furnished, and upon entering it | comfort 1s sturzested by the luxarious solas that | are liberally provided; then there ave the ladies’ aad genullemen’s cabins on the main-deck, Liat oespeak the same case and picasure to the voyageur as noted in the other departments of the vessels. ‘Tie ven- Lilation of the vessel in every particular is excellent. THE OFFIUERS. ‘The following are tiie Assyria’s office: vapiatn— William Smith. First Oficer—Hugh Gordon. Second Oficer—Join 0. Groat. Third Oficer—Robert Kunis. Purser—James Brown. Doctor—Jjoin H. Arbuckle. Engineer's—-Chiet, Wim. Mine; Assistants, Daniet Rowen, Norman Mackay, Jona Wearyss. ‘A GAS FAMINE IN JERSEY. For more than a week past several families m the Fourth ward of Jersey City lave been deprived of gas, Complaints have been made at tie office of wages three immediate interests in eacu of those several regions—the ininefs, the operators and the carrying companies, Heretofore a minority of the miners, by means ef a thorough organization, have regulated the production, keeping at work in one or two of the regions and maimtaiuing a strike in the others. The feet movement 18 said to be a combination carrying companies the operators to pre- vent these Suctuaneus by doiag away with strl the company, but without any effect. It ts stated on their part that the frost prevents an tion of the supply pipe in which the defect lies. But when It 13 ray into Cg e i ms company to consumers thelr Dulate uge some efforts in ure 10" that body Tor this end vance ‘two