The New York herald., 1877-02-10
KING COAL.


KING COAL.
WHAT THE RAILROAD COMPANIES ABE TRYING
TO Do-THE STORY or THE COAL CoMBINA-
rIoNs-IMPovERIsHED RAILROADS LOOKING
TO COAL FOR HELP.
Tho recent developments in the administration OF
the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the furry In
Reading in Philadelphia, show how nearly allied
In interest tho railway companies with the coal
mining organizations and that there Is much fire be-
meath the smoke Of presumed "compromse'' Is
conceded among those who familiar with the nis-
tory OF the coal trade and the influences which arc
exerted connection with this branch OF internal
industry.
Tne futile attempts made carly in January to get up
a combination, and with which view meeting at
that held at Mauch Chunk and at other places in
what is known .he Lehgh region, were quietly
hushed up and again hear that there has beon
meeting held in Philadelphia by the leading "coal
folks although there definite Information of the
procedures in which, however, II Is stated that tho
Philadelphia and Reading and tho Central Railroad OF
New Jersey have taken an active part.
Prices Of coal are lowso that ,hero is no margin
oil profit for the coal miner Tho public has At last
fully awakened to the truth that the vital interests of
tho manufacturer and domestic OF coal may
be fully protected against the monopolsts by steady
action and the excuse that used that tho sup
ply must be regulated and the production contracted
To this end already most OF the heavy operators
in tho Lchigh region have signed agreements
10 suspend work ut stated intervals, so
us to keep tho supply down, while the en-
gincering OF tho new combination concusvoly rcsts
with tho Lehigh Valley road as represented by Mr..
Asa Packer. and in the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western, In which road, it's President, Mr.. Samuel
Sloan holds tho key tho situation, and he may not
give 1t up by entering the combination.
The situation just is critical for at least of
the owning coal carrying roads. The Reading has
through ordeal of re since its accession to tho
list OF coal operators by of tho Phadclpha and
Reading Coal and Iron Company, and the Central Rail.
road OF New Jersey is identified with the wlkcsbarre
Coal and Iron Company, through which corporation
heavy indebtedness has been undertaken by the road
The regions Of Schuykill and Luzorne counties
embrace tho coal producing districts OF that
State, and tho gradual changes that have taken
place since 1860 are tho results of a cose
combination, In which the Individual opera
tors Of tho region have been crowded out OF the
business and have had but left-that.of
selling ont TO tho companies which controlled the
transportation to tho mines and tho means of bringing
the coal to shipping points.
RAILROAD OPPRESSION.
The development OF the coal business has been the
sinking fund to many Of the operators who mad In
work work in in bringing into service the anthacio
veins OF the district, with a headquarters
Ing at low prices, but labor was low and men were
plenty. The business oi coal mining was hazardous
and bs o wor aIss w.
great personal danger aud the county overrun with
men who finally banded themselves together under
tho organization known the "M0lly Maguires, nnd
which, until within year past, has had control Of the
region by reign Of terror and It's disregard Of law
The Reading Railroad, owned largely IN England, was
the great artery OF tho district with its tcrmini
Philadelphia and Potsvc, but with its miles of rails
tapping the regions at Tamaqua Ashland, Girardvie,
In the Lackawanna region OF Luzcrne county, with
Wkesbarre Scranton aud Pittston as It's commercial
centres, the Delaware, Lackawanna ana Western. tho
Leh,gh Valley aud tho Delaware and Hudson Canal
Companys railroads were the coal carrying corpora
tons extensively interested In mining, and In this
district as IN Schuylkill county the monopoliss TAX
ing advantage OF the ''war priccs'' enabled to
gradually the operations OF individual miners,
until they wcre the close Of the war; In possession
of all the means to create combination and control
the markets as they pleased.
THE COAL CARRYING ROADS.
The Central Railroad OF New Jersey had It's imn ense
coal trade from its connections with tho Delaware,
Lackawanua and Western aud the I.ehigh Valley,
which tapped the wkcsbarrc region and tho shipping
ut Ezabctnport was feature upon which depended a
large amount of the revenue OF the rond. The build
oil the Lehgh and susquehunna road In opposition
to the Lehsh Valley gave a new connection info the
upon the consolidation Of This road with the
| Delaware, I.ackawanna and Western the bust.
ness formerly centred at EsoG,hpT ~ TanoHsn d and
The struggle for the patronage began Later on, the
connections this trade between tho Central Railroad
tho building OF the "Packcr road' by Mr.. Asa Packer
President OF the Lehsh Valley, with Its terminal point
at South Amboy.
Meantime, however, tho coal interests OF Schuy-
kill county were being absorbed by the Reading Rail
road. Mr. Franklin b. Gowan, the new presidcnt OF
the road, a Schuykl county lnwyer, conceived the
idea OF making money for his road by tho crowding
out OF the individual miners Of Schuykill county He
had control Of the OF transportation to local
points, to Port Richmond. 10 PhiIadephia and to Fort
Carbon the shipping point for the schuyikill Navisa
tion Company.
RESULT THE POLICY.
Tho operation too wcighty oven for tho Phila-
dclpha and Reading Railroad. Tho Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron Company, an ofshoot from the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, ovcrrcachcd itself,
aud in the purchase OF coal lands, tie mining opera
tons and in the shipment and saIc OF coal tho result
has been to the American and English
owners, and the failure OF the attempt TO control
the coal successfully has placed the road in
embarrassed condition.
THE APPEALs NOW MADE.
Tho latest attempt, and which will about the ISL OF
March, cvcntuatc In partial success to restore tho
combination in COAL Is tho now IN progress among
the Lchigh operators and to which end and purpose
there have been conferences for similar action In
| Schuylkill county
| Among the prominent dealers IN Trinity Building
the idea that the sScranton people will como I'M s
| not entertained. The company is strong, so Il the
| Pennsylvania. ana the Delaware and Hudson. Thcr
coal commands a ready sale and they have found by
especial benefit to thcm.
| The wilKesbarre people and tho Lehigh interests,
largely represented by Mr. Asa Packer president OF
the Ichign Valley. Mr.. Pardcc and few Others arc
poraton tac,litIcs OF the Leheh Valley, and is to
these people that the Central Railroad Of Now Jersey
! has turned with view to help by new coal combna-
tion.
AN 1MPOSTOR.
|