Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-16

COAL YARD, HkRk-A LETIkh fhuA uhAs wan
EER CO.
wILAnSGToS, DEL, July l6.
To the Editor Of The Commercial
We noticed in last evenings COMMERCIAL an
article headed more Moves by the Majestic
Monopoly" which refers SO directly to our firm
and is at the same time so exaggerated that we
consider your article unwarranted, particularly
after our interview with your reporter, and feel
some explanation is required Of US. In the first
place we have on several occasions requested
the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Co.,
to establish retail yard In this city az
nothing will add more 10 its Heah,
than the fact well established, that cheap
fuel is forever guaranteed u.s. In the second place
the threat" if such you choose to term 1t, was
of a character that should not have been made
public though made by All officer OF the Phlla-
adelphia 4 Reading r. Il. Co. it was imprompu,
we never considerable it authorised by the Com
pany, and it was made go long SINCE that we had
about forgotten it.. How it reached the ears OF
your reporter We cannot imagine. We are to-
day, retailing coal in this city below the Phila-
delphia & Reading Coal and Iron Co.'S retail
prices in Philadelphia and these are acknow-
ledged by that company to be as near cost, ar
the combined interests of your majestic mon
opoly" can make them
| To one more point IN your article we take ex-
| ception. You represent the Shawnee Lehigha
sert, (and challenge any dealer in this city to
/ open test, that the ''Shawnee Lehighn coal
which is mined near Wilkesbarre, ('Shawnee
/ Lehigh" being merely the name by which the
coal is known Is superior TO any other coal sold
| in this city, either for family, steam, or manu-
| featuring purposes. 1t contains less impurity,
| makes less ash. contains more carbon, Is sold a.
low as the inferior Goals Of schuylklll county,
and is consequently more economical.
Finally you say I'VE have every reason to be-
/ IL. IN he mn u
have every reason TO believe they do not enter
tain the most remote idea of establishing yards
here and regret notice the persistent effort OF
your paper to prejudice the citizens OF Whining
ton against the majestic monopoly Rest az
| sured that the course yon have pursued Will re-
suit more injuriouAly L. the Wilmington i Re I'd
ing than its competitor we know that similar
articee.have had q tendency 70 embltter the
Philadelphia Heading, and strengthen then
opposition to the ". ~ r
By the foregoing We do not desire to be
come the champions Of the P. 4. r., lour ind
yidual interests would be TO drive them from
this territory, but you are bound to admit h'
would be poor business man, who would no
avail himself Of every possible advantage III
held. 10 secure trade he had long enjoyed, o
Increase one that proved desirable. Has tn
Philadelphia 4 Reading Rail road done NOR
'''4'' ''''e caAs. wARxER Co.
Comments By l,e commercial.
: We are obliged TO our esteemed conespon
dents for their interesting letter, the statement
if not the logic-of which We are bound I
| credit We take occasion 10 remark. however
a. If olr correspondents are already retain
coal below the Monopoly's prices, why do the
advise the Monopoly. (phila. 4 Reading Goa ,
7 lion Coz to establish one Of lts retail yards
here, and how could the adoption Of the adyic
benefit the city'z interests! p Would tn
Monopolys yard forever guarantee us cheA
fuel. any more than our own private yard
which already underzel the Monopoly? Jsua
ly monopoAes raise prices, instead Of lowerln
them. - This last statement leads Us 10 it
=. illustration namely that before tile construC
I ton Of the Wilmington and Reading Railroad
our chef source Of coal supply wa
+; controlled by the Philadelphia and ReaC
ing Railroad Company, and Its price
{ did not fall. But the new road brought them dow
( and We have since been getting our coal at a
average reduction IN price estimated to be neal
i l. one dollar per ton-or say SIS, 900 year *
the whole city. In other wOrds. Monopoly rul
made high prices; competition brought thel
down. ca We Lad NO uniriendliness to til
: Philadelphia Reading r. X. Co.. until the ( a
! / appeared bevoud deui,s tles it aee~s4.a.i.a
u 10 crush out the Wilmington HeadIug, aud r
: sorted 10 every manguvTe. decent and indecen
I honorable and disAonOrable, for that purpos
Not 10 have then opposed these nefarlous c
3 fort-. and Lot 10 have charae eerzed their auth'
: a. a Monopoly would have been to compromi
n our duty to the public, and especially the city
4 Wilmington, whose interests, exclusive of Il
/ quarter Of million dollars or more. which Of
+ citizens have invested in it, are close
i, identified with the success of Il
il Wilmington Il Reading rail road and who wou
n Le rrepalably injured, if it, powerful and U
ID scrupuiau= competitor owned and directed
London cap.tal.-tsj we're to break It down s
. The quality of Shawnee I.ehigl coal we did II
mean TO luderate oar correspondents LETT
certainly puts forward its merits. go Our /
formation i that the ''threat" Of a retail va
g. by the AIougp4ly was recentnot remote, and Ii
.r been frequently made. q and lastly, we fl
"a to see waei sn our article was ''exaggerated
Of Our Information was from excellent autholi
q ard We are iLcluel To rely upon II.