Q. They were dissatisfied with the reduction of wages. There had been one the previous year or so, and this one coming in that time, made them very much dissatisfied. Q. How long before was the other reduction? A. I think in 1874 or 1875. By Senator Yutzy: Q. Is it not a habit for the men, when their wages are reduced, to complain? A. Oh, yes. By Mr. Lindsey: Q. Was it deemed necessary on the part of the company to make that reduction? A. The board of directors thought so. By Senator Reyburn: Q. Had there been a falling off in business? A. The business was very irregular and spurty. Sometimes we were running all the trains we could, and then they would drop off. And rates were not so good as they had been. Q. From your position, you should judge that was the reason why the reduction was made? A. I should judge it was a necessity on the part of the management to do it, on account of the condition of the trade of the country. Q. There had been strikes in other parts of the country before this trouble occurred here--for instance, at Martinsburg? A. I believe so--from newspaper reports. Q. Did you have any consultation with the railroad authorities when this occurred--or did you take any measures to avert this? A. So far as we were concerned, we did not anticipate it. Q. You had no anticipation of any trouble on your road? A. There had been some talk in regard to the train men's union, that it was for the purpose of getting up a strike. But many of our men, I understood, were withdrawing from it, and would not lend themselves to anything of the kind. For that reason I did not anticipate any trouble among our men. Q. Do you know whether there was any aid asked of or any consultation held with the authorities before the strike came about? A. I cannot answer that. I was not in the city that day. By Mr. Lindsey: Q. How did the business that the road was doing for three months prior to June 1st, when the reduction was made in wages, compare with the same three months of the year before? A. My recollection is that our average may have been a little heavier, but I am not positive about that. Q. In the three months preceding June, 1877. A. Yes; our business is spasmodic. It is the oil business. A part of the year they are doing a good business, and then it drops off to nothing. Q. How did the prices for the carrying of freight compare in 1877 with those in 1876? A. I cannot answer that. I did not make the rates. Q. Had there been any change in rates, so far as you know?