, 1873-01-25

upon the part OF the people OF Wyoming to shake
Off this monopoly, which is hanging like an in
cubus upon. tho growth and prosperity Of the
Territory. The contract runs for fifteen years.
and its terms are substantially as followH: The
Railroad Company agrees to purchase Of the
Coal Company al1 coal mined along: the
limo Of it's road at the rate OF six
dollars Per ton for two years; at five dollars pez
ton for the next three years; at four dollars per
ton for the next four years; md for the ak
years remaining at tho rate Of three dollars per
/ ton. The Railroad Company furthermore agrees
to facilitate the business OF the Coal Company in
every possible way; to put in switches and side
tracks; to pay the cost OF improvements neces-
/ eary to be made by the Company to give it
the right to transport coal over the road for gen.
ernl consumption at the same rates Of freight
charged to others. with q drawback of Is per
cent on all aums charged for transportation !;
and to lease the coal lands owned by the Railroad
Company to the Coal Company for fifteen
years, the Inter paying for the first
nino years d royalty Of twenty-five
cents per ton for each ton OF coai taken from
their lands, the royalty for the last six years Of
the lease being free, provided the price Of coal
to the Railroad Company ia reduced to three
dollars per ton.
By the operation OF this contract, both the
Union Pacidc Railroad Company and the Terri
tory Of Wyoming are suffering under 3 constant
! and heavy e1action, which is not only robbing
the Treasury Of the Company, but serious1y re-
tarding tho growth Of this young Territory,
which il one Of the great. coal re-
gions Of the world. By the article OF the
contract, the Union Pacific Railroad Company
is now paying IS per ton for coal, delivered on
Company. The cost Of mining coal does not
exceed Sits per ton, and q responsible Com
pany has offered to ofurnish the railroad 400 tons
daily at $3.50 per ton, which at this rato would
save tho Company $1,000 per day. Aside from
this loss BY overcharge, the road loses an aver
age Of IS per ton for the transportation Of 900
tons daily, which this one Company might dis
pose Of, did not the monopoly Of the Wyoming
Coal Company prevent the shipment, making a
daily losa Of $4,000. The Leader adds:.:
wo would go farther, and calculate tho total loss
the Railroad Company suffers On account Of this
nopoly, would be able to count up millions enough
to astontah Congress, the people, and the d.
rsctors Of the Railroad Company themselves For does
not the term Of the 1ease prevent capitalists from
opening mines On Government or uusprveyed ands
for ditean years7 Doea not this monopoly prevent
the erection Of smelling works in Terrtozy7 Does
1t not prevent shipments Of coal to adjacent saea and
Territories, which deficient in fuel either above
below tho surfaee7 And doea not this monopoly pre-
vent the Ratlroad Company from earning thou aands Of
dollars daily for transportation Of this oYer their
thousand miles Of road7 -
Besides the exactions OF this Eaonopoly upon
the Railroad Company, it's exsctionsreault in the
virtual suppression Of great material induatry,
upon which the growth a1d prosperity OF the Ter
ritory largely depend The Leader furnishes some
interesting statistics concerning the coal capac->
ity OF Wyoming which illustrate this point. It
says:
We ask members Of Congress to consider the fact
that third Of Wyoming is vast coal bed, embracing
over 10000 square miles. This IL at present only
accessible along the line Of the Union Pacific Railroad,
from Rock Greek to EGansso, distance Of 334 uilee
The coal from OUT mines is in demand In Hehraxka
Colorado, Utah, Se;ada, and California; and If pri
vate coal companies had tho facites md privi
legca extended to them IS this Wyoming CosCompany
has enjoyed for several years, should be able to
port thousands Of tona OF coal daily.
There is now but one Company in Wyoming
which las been able to. exist in the face OF this
monopoly, and this Company cannot fill it's or
dera from Utah and Colorado, tho demand e1-
ceeding the supply about 100 tons daily. It is
furthermore represented that tho manager Of this
mine cannot even supply tho demands Of the
people Of Wyoming in the vicinity Of this mine,
owing to the powerful influence Of the Goal
Company which is exerted against them, and the
people Of Laramie, within fifty miles Of the
largest coal-bed in the world, hare been COM
pelled to resort to wood for fuel.
The facts published by the Leader, the editor
Of which is the Territorial Secretary, furnish =
sufficient basis for an immediate Investigation Of
this monopoly Of the Wyoming Coal company's
Ring of offlcers. Of tho Union Pacific Railroad.
As long as the Government has commenced tho
investigation Of the affairs Of this road, Let the
investigation be thorough. Let it be known now
whether there is a Credit 4Iobilier in coal as
well as in construction, and who are
the parties operating it. The facts
as they are exhibited shove, ahow
an outrag geous awindle, which should baexposed
at once. It is due to the Government, to the
Union Pacific Road, and to the people Of Wy
om1ng, who are suffering alike at the hands Of
this grinding monopoly, that it should be
10 binding force.
TIE COAL COMBINATION.
The: proposed combination OF railroad and |
coal companies in Pennsylvania, to increaso tho |
price of coal, threatens to become very serious.
There is alreadg m adyance in each cargo Of SO |