The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-26
Rates ON Coal transportation.

tdteS on Coal transportation.
E. B.. Stahlman, third vice-president OF the
Louisville g. Nashville road, in his recent argu-
ment before the interstate committee
of the United States House of Representatives
said if the committee would follow him he would
demonstrate the fallacy of the theory Of Judge
Reagan's bill on rates Of transportation. He
said: For instance, coal is coal and should pay
the same rate Of freight for the same distances,
regardless of quality. Let US take the questions
more to ourselves. Take indianapolis, the home
of Judge Bynum, who is of this committee. Prices
OF coal range there to-day: Block coal So per ton;
bituminous coal s.. 30 per ton. The block coal
mines are nearest to Indianapolis. About thirty
five miles further distant is a belt of bituminous
coal. Coal not SO good does not ommand as
good a price by so to rs cents per ton. 1t costs
just as much to mine it and just as much to trans
port 1t, therefore, under the provisions OF this
bill, not a ton of bituminous coal can 60 to In
dianapolis, and the coal trade of the city is put
into the hands Of a block coal ring. 1t will not
help the matter to reduce rates on block coal, so
here we are, with a field of bituminous coal
on the same railroad only a few miles further
distant undeveloped, because the railroad is
obliged to exact as high a rate of freight on the
one as the other. Is this to the interest of the
people of Indianapolis Is it in the interest of
the people on the line of roadq Isn't it an effect
ual restriction of trade and bottling MP of
the people OF Indianapolis, by placing its poor
people and great manufacturing enterprises at
the mercy of a single coal syndicate or ring? Do
the people of Indianapolis want this2 | ask
Judge Bynum, their immediate representative
on this committee, If he believes it to the inter
est Of his people2
"Mr. Bypum-Assuredly not
"Mr. Stahlman- / ask the gentleman if /
have misstated the situation, or exaggerated the
results likely to followa
Dr.. Bynum-I think not, sir.
Mr.. Stahlman-But, say the advocates of the
bill, bituminous coal can find its way to lndi-
annapolis from another district. Let us see about
that. The Indiana, Bloomington & Western
road, extending from indianapolis to Toledo, o.,
on Lake Erie. a distance of 246 miles, finds a To
ledo dealer in anthracite coal, a superior grade.
but Eot suited Cor manufacturing purposes, who
asks the rate of freight on anthracite coal from
Toledo. O., to indianapolis Ind. He is given one
doIlarNand fifty cents per ton. ''That's all right"
says the dealer. The indianapolis con-
sumner says it is all right. Both
recognize anthracite as q superior coal, on which
they can afford to pay a fair rate of transporta-
ton. About this time comes along a Toledo
dealer in bituminous coal He, too, asks the
rate OF freight, which, under the provisions of
this bill, is, also, 81. so per ton. This settles the
question as to the latte-. With Indiana block
and anthracite, both superior grades, he, too, is
shut out. And 80 it goes. I ask, in all fairness.
is there any justice in a measure which will
forts, yea. necessaries, of lifef Is there any just
reason why Indianapolis, which, with the aid Of
cheap fuel, has been made a great manufacturing
as well as railway center, should be thus Grip
pied and have its great industries paralyzed, il
not entirely Destroyed l ask the committee, I
ask the distinguished chairman. to say why2
What | say of Indianapolis may be said of Terre
Haute. St Louis, Chicago, Evansville and other
cities which receive large portions Of their sup
ply OF fuel from the same coal districts"