The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-04-07
BLOOMSBURY, COLUMBIA COUNTY
The Coal Investigation.

The Judiciary Committee of the State
Senate has for some time past been in
vestigatng the Coal troubles. On the
Goth ult., the argument of the attornies
of the Railroad companies, the Gal OPP
orators and the Miners commenced.
Mr.. G. b. BRocKwAY, of this place,
opened the argument on behalf of the
Miners. His speech is highly commen-
ded by the Harrisburg press and by all
who heard 1t. The Telegraph gives the
following account of the discussion, to
witt
"The lrst speaker was Mr.. Brockway,
attorney for the miners, who opened
the case, as we thought, t, very properly,
by reference to the original resolution
under which the subject now before
them was referred to them. He stated
in plain language that the resolution as
adopted by the Senate, called simply
upon the Governor and Attorney Gen
eral for information in regard to the
action of certain railroads, and whether
they had not violated their chartered
franchises by demanding exorbitant
rates of freight on coal transported d
over tnclr respective rOau5.
The Governor and Attorney General
had very promptly answered the in
quiry, and their respective messages
had been referred to the Judiciary
Committee Of the Senate. The question
of the miners who might have refused
to work on certain terms dictated tC
them by their employers, had nothing
to do with the real question before
mi hxy no -
ty would not Justify the committal o.
another wrong by another party.
Mr.. b. then gave q historical outline
of the respective charters under which
some fifteen or twenty different rail
roads were brought into existence, ,most
of them now operated under various
large corporations and different names
From the facts presented it was plain
that a number of these roads have VIC
lated tho plainest provisions of the
charters under which they are operating
to-day. Another bold charge was alsC
made and sustained by evidence, thai
these railroads have defrauded the State
out of thousands of dollars annually BY
making false returns to the Auditor
General of their net profits upon which
an annual tax is assessed. The remarks
of Mr.. BrOckway were plain, and a
times eloquent and very damaging tt
the railroad companies, who, from his
standpoint, were placed in precarlou'
situation If the Attorney General shoult
proceed against them.
Mr.. Lamberton, of this city, opened
the case on behalf of the railroad com
panies, and justified their conduct by
the frequent strikes inaugurated ant
continued by the Miners Association
without attempting to argue the rea
question presented to the committee.
Mr.. Gowen, President Of the Reading
railroad company, spoke for nearly two
hours, eloquently, in behalf of the cor.
poration he represents. He attempted
to answer the damaging allegation o
Mr.. Brockway, as regards the violation
of the charters of some of the railroad:
mentioned, and maintained that thu
Reading railroad, having been char
tered prior to the year 1888, at which
time the amendments to the Constitu
tion were adopted, was not subject t.
it, and that the company was not limit
ed to any stipulated sum to be charged
as freight transported in their own car
but he admitted that the company coult
charge but four cents and a fraction pc
mile on coal Slipped in individual car
over this road"