New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-04
READINGS COAL TARIFF.
TRAFFIC AGREEMENT WITH THE PENNsYL
VANIA ENDED.
, REFUSAL TO ADVANCE RATES THE cAUsE-IN'
rERyIEws WITH THE OFFICIALS.

A REFUSAL TO ADVANCE RATES THE cAUsE-IN'
TERyIEws WITH THE OFFICIALS.
PHILADELPHIA Sept 3.-The officials OF the PehnSyt
vania Railroad Company were seen this morning anu
asked whether they had received notice from the Neau
ing Railroad Company withdrawing the Joiht "',i'
for the transportation OF anthracite coh over inc wv
lines In answer TO the inquiry II was s'aOeu Una
notice had been received and 1t WAS presumed o'a'
tho notice had been sent because the Pennsyi'ahhI
had declined ut the request Of the Reading ha'iou
(ompany TO Increase the rate on anthracite eo'i F"
PHILADELPHIA The Pennsylvania Railroad omc""' si'e
o. n reason for declining ut this ume 10 i''e"n '
rate that 1t believed, In the present uep'e w.
dition of railroad rates other comnodiues' WIZ
NOT be wise to advance the rate on a speoia' "''.
having AS good rates as anthracite coal now paSs III
compar,son with other commodities. Moreover they
did not desire to have the advance OIL tleir ran'o"
rates used as reason for advance III Tie P''o' VI
coal ..,
The circulars formally informing agents OF the WIN
drawal Of the coal traffic agreement Win .he Ic"''
vou,a Railroad were issued from the Reading hnllroao
Company's ONCE here to-day. The Readihg Ut pi'''
delivers anthracite coal to the Pennsylvania NJ fos
ellie Junction. Schuylkill Haven, New Boston juno
,,on East Penn Junction, Belmont and klchinohu
Junction in Pennsylvania, and Metuchan ana fiiihpS-
burg In New-Jersey. ,
This coal NIL comes from the Reading mines, ana II
destined fro the commerce on the main lines vi ,"'
pennsy lvanIa and its branches. The Reading RiFoao
before It's deal with the Lehigh Valley, Jersey o"'
md Delaware Lackawanna and Western railroads. car
r,ed q COL l2l tons OF anthracite coal or oO.o4 per
cent OF the total output Of anthracite OF 4o44o,ooo
TONS The PENNSYLVANIA Railroad carried soneIhn'e
over one half the amount OF coal hahded by he n'
Ing, nearly 100000 tons. When the Keadihs hiaue
the deal Il gave the system control OF nearly - P'
OF the anthracite coal output, as based on inc
ures Of 1891. IA.
During 1891 the Reading increased their anthracite
coal tonnage 1O73.475 tons, about "a per cent
over their business OF 1890 The Pennsylvania spo"e"
larger increase than any other road In The ahthree
cnrry,ng business 1t amounted TO over 81 per cent
over the business OF 1890, or 976,s55 tons
The declaration by the Reading officials IS the re-
suit Of failure after long conferences with Acting
President Thomson General Freight Agent joyce
and other officials OF the Pennsylvania, to get ue
ponnsv,vanlos consent to raise their coal tolls AFTER
September II.
Everv railroad which carries anthracite coal has
Joined with Reading IN the advance but the pehisSi-
yania, and the Reading officials say mat tney arc
compelled to issue the circular withdra"ihe from
any agreement with the Pennsylvania, as far as 1t
related To the carrying OF anthracite COAL Inc
coal trade will, naturally be the centre OF any
s,ruor,e between the rival companies but II was sid
that tho war II such were declared, would, In all prop
ability extend to other classes OF ireiSht trane' Ut
nresent interchangeable between the companies
A prominent official Of the Reading Railroad said
In an interview to-day we do not want the pnDne
to misunderstood our position in this matter. Inc
Reading Railroad system Is managed for revenue ana
for what we believe Is for the best interests Oh our
stockholders without being unfair to the pubic we
cannot understand why another railroad company de-
clnes IN talcr revenue on 100000 or oOOOOoo IONS
Of freight when it does not out OF the consumer
hut out OF the producer
"Ths action Of the Reading Railroad prncucaiy
makes no difference the distribution or coal III
general way since the Reading made us leases aho
contracts for coal the Pennsylvania itairoau mas u
hxed Tonnage The Reading and It's allies also nave
nxed tonnage. The routing Of this tonnage cannot
he changed by cut rates, for the contracts aIreauy
entered into clearly define which line snail carry tho
coal Therefore, the practical result OF TINS chapge'
brought about through the Issuing OF the rev tailis
will be- % take large tonnage oil the Pehls!
Railroad that has been formerly given to II by the
Readings allied lines. ,, n, -
"This tonnage the Pennsylvania Railroad VIII now
have 10 replace with It's own tonnage to supply thc
local demand for the commodity on II, own lines. ana
they will have less anthracite coal to 60 into comPet
non with the Readings coal In the compe'iiye markets.
This advance In coal tariffs has greatly benefited mo
miners by causing an advance In their wages By
which they nrc now making more money In wages
than for any time In the last three years