The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-05-05

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oplnlotl tnat you were no more author
ized to inquire as to whether murders.
arson, or other crimes had been com.
mitted In the mining regions than Won
were TO investigate the sanitary condi.
ti0n OF the Piegan Indians, or The allep.
ed outrages committed by tho "Ku.
kiux'klan." If crimes are prevalent in
Schuylkill, tho courts there are open.
ana the offenders can be properly tried;
htS body has no power to try and pun.
ish the criminals. 1t has power and
control over the corporations created by
1t. Even If lawlessncss was rife i'm the
mining regions, it would be no justif-
cation Tor these overgrown corporations
to charge exorbitant or illegal rates of
height. Ono wrong does not Justify
another; two wrongs cannot make one
| right.
The attempt, then, of these CORPORA.
tions to shield themselves by alleging
that certain coal operators and their
employers do not work harmoniOu5ly
is weak evasion-and the old cry of
stop Thief" While ii has prolonged
| this investigation for weeks, it has not
diverted public attention from the real
question at issue.
have prepared a synopis of the char
tcrS and their supplements of the var.
ious rail roads in question. ] begin
with the Philadelphia & Reading H. r..
| Co., which was incorporated iii 1888,
| (see p. Il. 15l,); and the rate of tolls
| were not to exceed an average OF four
cents per ton per mile, the Legislature
reserving to itself the right TO resume
| the grant if the company ut any time
should abuse or misuse its privileges.
In addition to the main road the Phiia.
do !, 4. inf lnx ,t 4
control, by purchase, lease, or merger,
of a canal, and about twenty-five other
rail roads. l have not the time to give
you synopsis of all these charters, but
may state that they all do not give the
| right to charge four cents per ton per
mile for tolls, The Mount Carbon aud
Port Carbon II. II. Co., for instance, in
corporated by an act approved April 9th
1911, (P. l.. 200), limits the tolls on coal
to two cents per ton per mile.
The origen of tho Lehigh Coal and
| Navigation Co-sometimes called the
Lehigh d Susquehanna--was under an
act passed March 9th l77l, for the i'm
proVement of the navigation of the lie.
high River, under commissioners there.
in named. BY an act passed February
9th l70S, proceedings were to be insti-
tuted to procure charter under the
name of "The President and Managers
of the Lehigh Navigation Company"
which charter was obtained in 1911. In
| 1878, the Legislature granted to Josiah
White and Others, certain rights for the
| improvement of the Lehigh, who asso-
ciated together under the name of "The
| Lehigh Coal Company, and subse-
quently as "The Lehigh Coal and Navi-
cation Company" which in 1922 was de-
| clared to be their corporate name. Un-
der the Goth section of the act passed
| February Goth 1918, it was provided
| that "if they shall at any time hereaf-
| ter misuse or abuse any Of the privilcg, $
granted by this act, then or in either of
| these cases the Legislature may resume
all and singular the rights, liberties and
| privileges herby granted"
BY an Act approved March 18th 1887,
| (P. l.. 52) they were authorized to con-
struct rail road from the Lehigh
River, to Wilkcsbarre. By section 5,
of the same act, the tolls were not to
exceed one and a half cents per ton per
mile.
BY an act approved April 9th 1911,
| the same powers rs to transportation
| over the road were granted to them as
enjoyed by the charter of the Philadel-
phia & Reading r.. II. under their char
| ter of 1888.
BY an act approved March ith 1868,
| they were authorized to construct q
rail road from Whites Haven TO Mauch
Chunk and by section five of the same
act they were placed under the 10th,
llth, 18th, 18th, 1ith, 18th, 10th, and
| 18Th of Che general railroad act approx
ed February l9th 1919. As all the rail
roads in question except the Phiadel,
phia & Reading II. II. Co., are under
this section. | will now read it:
"That upon the completion of any
railroad authorized rs aforesaid, the
same shall be esteemed public high
way, for the conveyance of passengers
and the transportation of freight, sub.
ject to such rules and regulations in re
lation to the same, and to the size and
construction of wheels, cars and car.
riages, the weight of loads and all other
matters and things connected with the
use Of said railroad, As the president and
directors may prescribe and elect: Pro-
ui}ed, That the said company shall have
exclusive control of the motive power,
and may from time to time establish,
demand and receive such rates of toll
or other compensation for the use of such
road ana of said motive power, and for
the conveyance Of passengers, the trans
pOrtation of merchandise and commOdi-
| ties, and the cars or other vehicles con
| tanning the same. or otherwise passing
over or on the said railroad, rs to the
president or directors shall seem rpas-
enable: PrOcided hOwerer, nevertheless
That said rates of toll and motive power
charges SO to be established, demanded
or received, when the cars used for such
conveyance or transportation are owned
or furnished by Others, shall not exceed
two and One-half cents per mi!c for each
ton Of two thousand pounds Of freight,
three ccnts per mile tor each passenger
or baggage car, and two cents per mile
for each burden or freight car, every
four wheels being computed IA car; and
in the transportation of passengers, nc
charge shall be made to exceed three
cents per mile for through passengers,
and three and half cents per mile fol
way passengers"
BY AN act approved July 9th 1867
the Wilkesbarre ~ Scranton II. II. Co.
Incorporated by act approved February
10, 1901, under the provisions o ithe gene
raj railroad law of 1919, was merged into
the Lehigh Coal q Navigation Co.
by nn act approved July, 10th 1867
the Lehigh d Delaware Water Gap II, II
Co., incorporated under the provisions
of the general railroad law of 1919, wa
also merged into the Leghigh Coal anC
Navigation Co.
The Lchigh Valley r. r.. Co.. wa
incorporated by an act approved Apri
Dist 1916, and the charter is to be founC
in the Pamphlet Laws of 1913, page 57j
under the name of the Delaware, Lehigh
Shuylkill Il Susquehanna r.. II. Co. B,
section twehty-ilrst Of the act the toll
, were fixed at one and half cents pc
ton per mile, and at the same amour
for transportation. BY section twenty
two it was provided that if the ne
profits on the capital stock exceeded tel
per cent. the tolls were to be reduced s.
AS to keep the percentage below tina
amount.
In 1888 the name was changed to Tn
n Lehigh Valley II. II. Co. In 1896 Il
l.. 96) the company was placed undt
the general railroad law of 1919, and tn
charter of 1916 was repealed.
: This road also owns and operates IL
y ia. N. Y. Canal d II. II. Co, incorpt
rated IN 1865 under the general railroa
y law Of 1919.