The New York herald., 1876-07-25
THE COAL COMBINATIONS.
MEETING YKsrERDAY OF THE BOARD OF con-
TRoL-vIEws OF MANAGERS AND OPERATORS.

TnoL-vIxws OF MANAGERS AND OPERATORS.
Las, week at meeting at Mount Carbon. in Penn
sylvania the question considered Of the Lehigh
Valley Railroads excess of shipments to tide water
tha, agreed upon last spring their proportion
OF the stipulated tonnage This meeting, II was re-
ported, a stormy one ana threatened to break up
the famous coal combination which, bv united action,
has kept up the price Of COAL regulated its production
and fixed the price at which this necessary Of life
should be furnished to consumers Not only the
manufacturers in almost every city in tho Union in
terested in the result OF this between the
high contracting parties. but also every family using
ton OF coal for domestic purposes II was, therefore,
with xety the awaited the result OF
the conference yesterday which would either conso-
date the power Of the giant monopoly Of anthracite
coal or leave to individual operators and fair compc-
ton with the several roads perfect freedom to the
TO b, carried to market and the prices 10 be
charged for the same
In order that tho strength of the combination may
he fully appreciated II is only necessary that the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company-repre-
scnted by the Philadelphia and Reading Goa. and Iron
ompanycontroling the greatest area OF choice coal
lands IN the Schuyiki region leads the combination,
and is supplemented in power by such wealthy corpora
tions as the Delaware. Lackawanna and Western Rail
road New Jersey central, the Delaware and Hudson
Canal Company. the Leheh Valley Coal Company, the
Pennsy vania Coal Company and tho hundreds OF in
dvdua operators in both regions who either find 1t 10
their interest TO cooperate with the combination or are
powerlcss to struggle against IT, Every month meet
ing is held by the Board Of Control aud the price OF
coal arbitrarily fixed for the ensuing month aud at
the last business meeting The price was raised on all
kinds OF coal hfteen cents per ton commencing On
August l.
Before the meeting held yesterday to settle the
differences between the companies IN the combination,
HERALD renorter waited ON some OF the representa-
tives the different organizations to learn
their views on the situation. Mr. George b. Newton
Is tlc agent OF tho Lenign Valley Coal Company,
Sfn ntcit t,ntt thc nj
OF the Journals was incorrect The Lehigh Valley Rail-
road Company, as corporation, never was a member
OF the coal comUination but number OF individual
operators, whose mines we've situated on the Inc, or
we're jacent TO the road, had representative IN the
no right TO refuse freight whenever II offered had
done and It was likely would never 40 So As
to the meeting about To be held hc knew nothing, and
could forecast the result OF It, That there were
differences to be adjusted true but he could haz
ard no op mon on he result.
Mr.. Rodman G. Moulton, the sales agent OF the coal
of the Delaware and Hudson Company, IN the same
bulding said tha: the meeting TO take place would be
private but he had no doubt all hc differences
between the companies in the combination would be
amicably settled
Mr. L. A. Packer OF the most extensive shippers
in tbs Lehgn re non, whose Office Is IN Trinity Build
ing No III Broadway, said THE Lehgh Valley
ilroad Company Is virtually in the combination, al
though not as II company ihey agreed at meeting
some time nee only work three weeks July, but
it is believed this Will be modified So as to make the
work only two weeks IN July and two weeks IN August
because the shipments tGe water about So 900
tons in excess OF tie proportion agreed Now there
is this difference between the L. high Valley Railroad
and other corporations ~ the continuation The min
ing operators about hreequartcrs OF the coal that
the railroad, while the other great railroads
themselves own about ihreequart ers OF The coal on or
their roads. A TACT not generally known
also Is ths:-The coal combination has really
been operation four or i've years, but
until last gained but little OF the consolidated
strepgi h possesses; tue Pcnnsyvana Coal Com
pany is q member Ol the body as well as others
hat for some time refused TO JON it. his of course
makes II stronger. Dealers and consumers held of
from making their purchases thinking the combina-
ton would break up and that prices would TALL but his
does seem likely There has been fair demand
during the last month Tor large sizes, but there Is still
glut oi domestic COAL such as stove and smaller sizes
cannot say, although may express my opinion that
the combination started with their prices fifty cents
ton hIghn'
Mr. f. A. Qunard, manager of the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal aad Iron Company, Stated to the writer
hat there diLculties TO be adjusted at meeting
Of the combination. and that II was the toss oil penny
VIII her they would bc harmoniZei or not
Mr. Samuel Sloan, President o. the Delaware, Lacka
wanna and Western Railroad gave the writer the re-
suit OF the ing which WAS held at one O'Clock He
said, in ciect-"The combination continues Tor the
present unbroken There were many differences, but
It was finally settled that the Lehlsh Valley Railroad
should stop carrying two weeks next month, and that
this way their proportion OF tonnage should DO
regulated want to state that II has been suggested
that could decrease the gut OF coal in this market
aud stimulate consumption by putting down our
prices. Now. il the combination believed this they
would put down the prices at once, but we are con-
viEc-d tue idea Is fallaclons"
1t will thus be what the real situation Is, but II
bei we'd 10y many hat the condition rs such IN trade
IN the iamily and at the mines that decrease In the
price of coal is ain, that the comunation Will
lease to exist after the month OF August