Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-10-09
AGAINST TIE COALPOOL.
Gov. Pattison Calls Attention to Vic.
1ations of the Constitution.


Coy. Pattison has addressed letter to At
torney> General Cassidy on tie action Of the
anthraci pool and requesting him to move
against it. Referring to the fact that the
anthracite coal combination, composed Of
SIX State corporations, have entered into ar
agreement to restrict and regulate the pro
uuction of coal and maintain and advance
says
Although the State constitution declare.
That No corporated company doing the
business of a common carrier shall Ill. ectly
or indirectly prosecute or engage in mining
or manufacturing articles for transportation
over its works. yet all or nearly all Of the
common carriers represented in the anthra-
cite coal combination are engaged directly or
indirectly in the mining of coal. The anth-
racite regions of the State are prac'
tlc1lly under the control of this
combination. For long periods it has kept the
mines running on three quarter time, thus
putting nearly one hundred thousand work.
ers on what amounted to three quarter pay.
| By hindering competition it has restricted
the development of our mineral wealth. 1t
has advanced or depressed the price Of coal
as best suited its purpose. 1t has maintained
The prices of coal supplied to lines and to city
| Trade at figures ranging mere than 81 per
| ton over and above the price at which it sod
the same article to consumers located further
| from the mines, but in territory that did not
come within the terms OF agreement. 1t has
advanced the charges of transportation in the
| face Of the fact that the net earnings of the
carrying companies belonging to tue combi-
nation amounted to about 10 par cent. per
| annuG of tine cost Of the roads aud their
equipment, and of the further fact that
charges are higher than they were twenty
! SIX years ago, though the cosj of ira 1sporting
ton of freight does not to-day amount to
| more than one>thrd of its cos at that time
By restricting pro luction, and by advancing
prices, it has crippled vast iron interests de,
creasing the demand for anthracite coal in the
reduction of iron ores. forcing iron furnaces
out of blast and placing nearly all the indus
tries of Eastern Pennsylvania at the mercy
CT the managers of these companies"
THE TRUNK LINE POOL.
The Governor speaks in like m inner of the
trunkline pool Against such combinations,
he says, the individual is helpless. The Com.
mo1wealth is creating corporations that are
members of the anthracite coal combinations,
and Of the Trunk line pool vestel them with
the right of eminent domain AMI other fran
chises Of public nature They owe certain
duties to their creator, and one of these is co
avoid an infringement upon thu rights Of in
dividuals or the general well being of the
State. Their interference with the natural
current and condition of ira le has been in
violation of what is believed to b. soun pub
lie policy, AMI again t the b,st interests of
the State. 1t preju Ices the public AMI OPP
presses individuals. 1t is a perversion Of the
purpose for which they were created, These
facts, which have been reported to me AMI
measurably authenticated, deem of sutii-
cent Importance to refer to you for your
consideration and such action as the circnm-
stances may warrant.
1t is understood that Attorney General
Cassidy will at once proc,ei aginst the coal
pool but in what m amer he has not yet de-
cided This is considered one CT the most
important steps taken by the State Admin
istration, and was not decided upon until
after very careful consideration. lie Attor>
ney-General may proceed against the com-
plnies constituting the anthracite combination
by criminal or civil action, or by both. The
civil processes are by bill in equity restrain
ing the companies from continuing the pool'
ing business or by writ of quo ,carranto,
citing them into court to show cause why
their charters should not be forfeited. II
guilty of any criminal action it is conspiracy.