The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-08
Dan Johnson,s commIttec u, Pairkers.

Col, Dan johasop,s Investigating COM
mittee heida session ID Parkersburg, last
saturday atd elisied good deal Of in
tfcr,uatiSn which, in Fesrtetto what had
been giving, was merely cumulative, but
which also will have a tendency to stir up
a little excitement in oil matters We judge.
Only q few witnesses we're examined, but
some ofthem gave some unpleasant tcsti-
tmoneysof arast the railroad discrimination
is concerned, while Others didn't give any
testimony at MI.
Mr., Isaac Prager testified that his bust
ness led him to inquire into the matter
some time ago, and he learned that the
Baltimore & Ohio r, l., was then charg-
ing % cents per hundred pounds on dry
goods from Baltimore to Cincinnati, and
50 cents per hundred pounds on the same
class otgoods from Baltimore TO Parkers-
burg. !.
c. S. Despard said that on account OF
the discrimination in freight by tho b. 4
o. Il. X. he was unable 10 compete with
Ohio manufactures; that stove inanutac-
turers could ship from GAINESVILLE, Ohio,
to Clarksburg, w. Va, for { cents u hund:
rcd pounds less than stoves can be shipped
from Parkersburg &c the same point. AL.
though from GAINESVILLE they go through
Bellair TO Grafton and then back TO within
so miles of Parkersburg. He also said
the. freight on coal was so eXhorbitant
thattit drove the coal men OF Harrison
and other counties entirely out OF the
field.
Mr.. Steen, OF Marietta, testified that he
used to be an oil merchant and had ship
ped n good deal OF oil, but after the con
solidation" he had quit the business. Be-
fore that time, he said he paid % cents u
barrel from Volcano to Petroleum, and al
forwards go cents u barrel. The latter
price was charged to all except those in
terested who received large advantages in
drawbacks or rebates.
n, l.. Epson, oil dealer, gave some
damaging testimony. He said that they
were almost forced out OF business and
were compelled to quit exporting nj
together on account ofthe determinations
made against them. He saidthe rate was
constantly huctuating and it was danger
oils TO make n contract TO deliver oil be.
calse It wAs impossible TO tell to day what
the rate on oil would be tomorrow. AS
nm instance he stated that sono time ago
he INQUIRED the rate to Baltimore and was
told by the company sol cents per barrel,
and unOn that basis made n contract Tor
the delivery Of several thousand barrels.
Before his firm had shipped 800 barrels on
The contract, the tariff was advanced to
l.35 per barrel, and soon afterwards Sl.Io,
The consequence was that his company
were forced to annul their contract and
cease exporting oil altogether, as it was
impossible to get their oil to the seaboard
nj rates that would let them compete with
|, companies that had some inside" arrange
ment. ,,,
j. N. Jackson, jr., Of the Novelty Mill
Co., testified that the rates on flour were
!, subject to frequent and unexpected
changes, and that there was some discrim,
%ination against Parkersburg in favor o.
foreign places. Freight from Parkersburg
to Clarksburg and Keyser Is 50 conts q bar.
rel to Piedmont and Cumberland ~ cents
barrel Six cents more, per hundred IA
C~larksburg than to Baltimore. The rHtC
from here to Cumberland on sack hour
is 81 cents per hundred, and on the same
article from GAINESVILLE, Ohio, to Cumber,
land the rate is 45 cents per hundred
pounds. In regard to the changes IN the
tariff he stated that not long ago he got
the rate to Baltimore nj 80 cents and VIXEN
he sold, shortly afterward the rate was Al
cents.
Moses swectser, oil dealer, said that he
was compelled to quit his business, be-
cause the nilroad would not furnish him
cars in which to ship his oil. That once
he asked for cars in November and got
them the succeeding January.
John +. Vinal testified TINT the railroad
Disseminated against NIL persons not in
the ring. He said also that the West N;r'
; ginia Transportation Company, 'oppres'
sed" dealers by determinations.
L J.. n. Camden testified to the tariff rate
on oil, but when questioned to know j.
his company received extra rebates, Of
drawbacks, he declined to answer.
90 o. ..