The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-12


statements made by HERALD correspondent, writing
IRON wlkesbarre under date of May in regard to tho
position OF President Packer, OF the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company, and his relations to the so-caed
coal combination. Your correspondent writes as fol-
lows
wrLKEsBAKRr, Pa, May 5 1876
The suspension affects all the collieres depending
upon the Lehigh Valley Railroad for and trans
pvrlation. and throws some twenty mines In the Wy
omng region into dleucss This state of things has
been brought about by the coal combination which has
tho power coerce gigantic corporation
the Lchisn Valley Railroad Company to draw in tho
traces without murnur. Last week II appeared II
together were 10 be broken and the whole arrange
ment go 10 pieces. The Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company seemed, too inclined to exercise some OF its
old tmc independence, and went carrying all the
coal shippers saw fiji TO send by it Its quota
established by the combination, greatly overrun,
and, when notified of the fact, President Packer init
mated that as his was a carrying rather than coal
producing corporation he did how he could
fuse to receive shipments and dsappont his custom
at the dciaon OF outside parties. He thought he
would be obliged 10 take all the coal offered unless
thirds Of tho shippers by the i.ehigh Valley route
should JOIN in petition for him to yield to temporary
suspension This ndicat on OF policy Mr.. Packers
part did not please the commandments and they inn
mediately took steps to force Mr. Packer to their
terms threat to make coal cheaper at tilcwater did
the business and the Lehigh Valley Railroad is quiet
as lamb within the fold OF the great combination,
aud quite impoten to against the wishes of the
coal nonopoiss any oil the Insignificant individual
operators IN this valley
In the nrst place. the Lehigh Valley Railroad CON-
pany did not does not telong to the coal combina
ton, would not be party any way toward rcgulat
ing the production the price Of coal and therefore
was not bound anywisc by its acts. In these re-
specs President Packer has decided ground and
his well known to both friends and coal
operators this locality. and all attempts to force him
into any action that he did not consider just and proper
have proved futhc.
In the second place, the Lchgh Valley Railroad CON-
I
combination Of the quota OF tonnage arranged
between operators and some OF the coal pro-
ducing and carrying companies Tins is patent from
the iact that in making up the quota he Ichigh Valley
Railroad Company was placed fourth on the list when
II IT had been represented it would have insisted on
beng placed second, since It's shipments Tor the past
Ave or six years have been next that of the Phila
dcipha anu Reading Railroad COMPANY. and that too
before regular trade north over tue Pennsylvania and
New York Railroad established, which amounted
TO 74s,o3 tons OF anthracite during the six months
worked last year. Therefore pledge the part Of
the Lchsh Valley Railroad Company has been violated
~ us shipments lave oyerrun hgurc Established by
parties win whom Il did not act nor gnzc
Their rsht 10 regulate the amount OF coal 10 be trans
ported
There is nothin, in the assertion tina, President
Packer the Lclgh Valley Railroad Company have
been forced yie TO the dictates OF the coal combina
iion by threat TO reduce the price OF goal tidc
points Tor /; is well known that tins corporation
stand Just as much OF n reduction penny
Tor penny, as the combination OF coal opcr
aiors can make IN the price OF coal and sun
1--we Ii mag not be generally known that
the Lcgh Valley Railroad Company has good and
growing trade toward the north and no continuation of
Will orcc that road 10 aud trans
pori coat that may be offered for that trade;
coal Is demand. and II Is to The interests
road 10 mine aud transport such coal, ~ will be done
there T. sucn thing ns the Eastern trade being du
and ~ demand, white that Of the North OF West may
lie brisk and iull.
Tue sitlon Of President Packer the Lehigh
viley Railroad Company Is now and has been tor the
past year, simply ihs,-lhat they viii not enter into
any combination % regulate the price oil cof or what
quantity any operator shall during Tie year or
any part o II that they viii continue 10 40 as iney
always have dom, furnish any open alor. all times
with al hc cars he may need and transport The
the regularly published Transportation IA.
ways resersug The right to curtal the supply cars
10 any shipper wnc may have OF cars stand
ing loaded At any pOlnt OF pOins that Whenever IL is
TO Their Interests t. work their they will DO
unle there " gcucrt suspension throughout tho
anthracite regions. aan, sd before vii he pre-.
pared all times 10 lurnlsh with cars any opcr,tor
Inn mac dam "A tlu