JAMES P. BARR, _Pittsburgh_:
I have just received your message, and fully appreciate the grave
importance of the matters transpiring in your community. You will
speedily discover that the strike of a few of our railway employés
is simply being used by the mob violence, which some of your people
are permitting or encouraging, to effect other purposes, which, if
successful, will destroy many of your leading local interests. The
strike on our road at Pittsburgh was inaugurated without any notice
to or conference with the officers of our company as to the
existence of a grievance. The reductions in the compensation to the
people in the service of this company are to-day less than in any
other branch of business in the country, and were made only because
of the great depression in trade interests, to enable us to aid the
various communities in carrying on business at all. When violent
possession was taken of our property, and the business obstructed,
there was no recourse left us but to call upon the authorities of
the city, county, and State to take charge of the matter, and
vindicate the laws by the restoration of order in such form as to
them should seem best. If I could be of any possible service in
Pittsburgh, I would go out, but at present I think it would be most
unwise to interfere in any manner with the State authorities in
their enforcement of law and order.
Thomas A. Scott.
On Sunday he telegraphs: