Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-04
PERNICIOUS MONOPOLY.
Governor PatfsOn Deals the Anthracite Coal
Pool q Blow.

Pool q BLOW.
HARRISBURG, PA.-GovernOr PattiSon
has addressed letter to Attorney Gener-
al Cassidy on the action of the Anthracite
Pool and requesting him to move against
it. In the course of his letter the Govern
or says:l"My attention has .beendirected to
the fact within the last FORTNIGHT that
certain corporations chartered by the COM
wealth of Pennsylvania, acting in concert
have ordered two advances in the prices OF
Anthracite coal.
'It has been ascertained upOs inquiry
that these corporations comprise what is
known as the Anthracite Coal Combine
ton, which was created in its present form
at a meeting held in New lSSrk city,
December 31st, 1886, whehs there
were present representatives of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad Company, Lehigh Vale. Railroad
Company, Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
road Company, New York, Lake Erie and
Western Railroad Company, Delaware and
Hudson Canal Company, Pennsylvania
Coal Company, Lehigh Coal and Navigation
Company, and the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. At that meeting an agreement
was entered into by which six of sdese cor
porations were in effect pledged il writing
To RESTRICT AND REGULATE 19IE PRO
DUcrroN /
of coal and to maintain and Advance It's
price. An appOrtiOnment of tine total
production was then allotted ito each
company for the year 1885, and oh July l,
1886 new allotment went into opera
ton, based on an annual production OF
SO, 500, 900 tons"
After referring to the advance Of thirty
cents per ton in the price of coal since
July =, 1886, the Governor says: "Re-
Gently through the officers Of a syndicate
of capitalists there has been n strengthen
inc of the anthracite coal combination and
the claim is now made by some of its
members, that they can make up coal
prices to any figure they please, thereby
sURJECTING THE PUBLIC TO THEIR MERCY
injuriously and unwarrantably taxing
every fireside, and imposing upon coal con-
sumers, the financial burden which the
speculatiOns of some of these companies
have engendered. Although the state
constitution declares that mo cOrpOrated
company doing the business of a common
carrier, shall directly or indirectly prose
cute, or engage in mining or manufacturing
articles for transportation over it works
Yet all, or nearly all, of the common Carri-
ers represented in the anthracite
coal combination are engaged
directly or indirectly in the mining
of coal. The anthracite regions of the
State are practically 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 workers on what amounted to
three-uuarter pay. BY hindering cOmpe
tition 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
line and to city trade ut figures ranging
more than one dollar per ton over and
above the price at which it sold the same ar
ticle To consumers located further from the
mines, but in territory that did not come
within the terms of agreement. 1t has
advanced the charges for transportation in
face of the fact that the net earnings Otthe
carrying companies belonging to the COM
bination amounted about 10 per cent per
annum OF the cost of the roads and their
equipment, and of the further fact that
charges are
HIGHER THAN THEY WERE
twenty-six years ago, though the cost of
Il ton of freight does not to-
day amount to more than Oue-third of its |
cost at that time. By restricting produc-
tiOn and by advancing prices, it has Grip /
pied vaStirOn interests, decreasing the de /
uand 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 |
of the managers of these companies
The Governor also called attention to |
the trunk line pool, which, he says, by its |
arbitrary power holds
A PERPETUAL MENACE
over the material interests Ofthe country. !
In closing the Governor says: Against !
such combinations the individual is help |
less. The commonwealth of Pennsylvania !
in creating corporations that are members
of the anthracite coal combination, and of
the trunk line pool vested them with the
right of eminent domain and other fran
chiScs of public nature. They owe GER
tain duties to the creator, and one of these
is to avoid an infringement upon the
rights of individuals or the general we'll
being Of the State. Their interference
with the natural current and conditions
of trade has been in violation Of what is
believed to he sound public policy, and.
AGAINST THE BEST INTERESTS
of the State. Itprejudices the public and
Expresses individuals, 1t is perverSiOn of
the purpose for which they were created.
These facts. which have been reported to me
and measurably authenticated, deem of
sufficient importance to refer to you for your
consideration, and such action rs the cir
cumstanceS may warrant
1t is understood that Attorney General
Cassidy will al once proceed against the
coal pool, but in what manner he has not
vet decided. This is considered one of the
most important steps taken by the State
Administration, and was not decided upon
until after very careful consideration.
THE ALLEGED MASSACRE.