New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21
AGAINST TIE BIG DEAL|
A. J. CASSATT THINKS TIE READING COMB
NATION ILLEGAL
A LETTER TO GOVERNOR PATTIsoN ALLEGING
VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
PROVISION.

Harrisburg. Penn, Feb. cO.-The following cofIe-
spondence made public at the Executive DcP"i"
mcnt this afternoon
Harrisburg, February 20, io02.
The Hon. William L. Hense Attorney General ii'ii'
burg, Penn
Dear SIR The inclosed communications from Mr.
A. j. Cassat of Philadelphia, and Mr.. T. " Powdcry'
Of scranton, referred your department 70 'a"'
such action will enforce the Constitution ana orl"e
oil who have violated it within it, control yer! IT.
specially, ROBERT +. PAiIl>0N'
Philadelphia, Feb. 49, 1892.
Sir: You have learned through the public press tht
The Philadelphia and leading Railroad '0n,IEa n and
acquired the control Of the lchgh valley ha'Oa J ~
Of the Central RAILROAD OF New-Jersey Inc co'. ,,r
the Lehieh Valley Railroad effect d by lease dlrec
the Reading Karoad Company Inc conro y, t"o
through "a lease TO a New-Jersey corporation con
irOllcd 10y the Reading Railroad IL !, 80 wcIi c,,
that these thee companies are active compcuo.S ,a ~
with the Others in the mining and transportation oi m
thracitc coal and in the transportation Oh
chandi,c and passengers that IL hardly seems d.
10 call your attention to tc iaet mere, Dc ~, and IN,
To snow the extent u which they compete anu , nn
magnitude OF the trafnc competed or Lee - '' '0'
flrst-An outline of Central and Eastern Fem
owned and controlled By the thee companies nau"'
The several coal basins Of the anthracite coal rtors
IL viii he seen that the Reading Railroad tonrnS,
the Lehgh Valley Railroad Company and the osh, d
both the Schuylkl aud Lchgh regions, Wlil. thc heN
Of the Lehich Valley Railroad COMPANY ana me o aih
trail Railroad Of New Jersey ran parallel WIN earh
other through the whole length Of the valley ol i
Lehigh and into the wyoming region. Whcly Two t "a
the companies have lines In any icsioh, anu ~ me
map shows three Of thnm are in Two of the reeio.S
aid the thrd they arc In active C b%,
lion transportation Of coal general Ihcrch'
have Shown the connections of these roads with
the three subdisriCts Of the anthracite co1 ISs.pI'.
because counsel for the combination has adHlcn .na,
II two roads compete in the same district one o"h'o
the 'I Ic III Valley Railroad ard the Philadelphia
and Reading Railroad are parallel or confirms 10 tbe
e.. ,I, ~ from
various markets OF the country. then the company 'n'
one Sg vb fs9 R 2 and the Reading Rail
road are competing lines both In the Lehlgl ana Sn
xiii regions bit tho anthracite coal fields constitute,
Goals similar In character tnnt ior rs'S ,Ird
carving coal from different parts Of the region 10 INC
same markets ara competing lines For p1Tpo,Fis VI
field cca basin the lines OF the PENNSYLVANIA lailroah
system connecting with IT and the Beech CreeA p ho
ing Lehigh Valley and New Jersey Central COMPANIES
much more directly in competition ~ IN h Iy
own and control. whereas the Beech Creek Railroad
fSe mot 5 lay arhf sn c%y through o the medium
Of connecting lines n which It M, no conrol or III
Rairond to any greater extent than those combined
sDcond-I also inciosc tariff sheets Of the Reading
Ra,road Company ana Lchgh Valley Railroad Com
ibat they quote rates the transportation Of coal
general merchandise and passengers between the same
Thiri-In order show the magnitude Of the trnnlc
competed for, inclo-e statement ~ The ahthracue
coal carried by the three companies from the different
coal districts. II will BE- seen that during the year
lsai the Iehgh VALLEY Railroad irnpoT,sd IN round
the Central Railroad Of New-IeI,ey 5:o1o,rIo ton,
F0% the 700 S a tone he ~. cn F ra h II New
Jersey 100. 100 tors. and the heading 5000 .9ns.
rS9m the Sf hs Sh S vncy "f tS tom AMI ne
Central Railroad Of NcwJc~ey 10000. The greater
10 cali Your attention to the Incloed clippings fom
several newspaper nom which appears that In nddl-
NoS..Jersey Genital and the Reading under ono man.
agement the control OF the Delaware. InckGwannn and
Western Railr,nd Company has been occurred b' p9Hlcs
acting With and Interested In The combination. with q
view 10 preventing competition Let"een That company
FourI sg2 iPcls;; and cdteTia GPpi"s fa
This newspaper may be assumed 10 >trlh With q:
authority ~ the gentlemen who have brought about
That II IS practically admitted that tie power hx
Tho Price OF anthracite coal ~ Philadelphia ana else
certainly l. expressed that This power viii le ever
clscd in a bcnehcent way. nav" ih"isht II rlgt
10 collect together and submit - y,u the a've facts
which all derived from public sourr", "lulaly nc
ccSsibc 10 you. that you may have inc situation
may deem proper and nsht II the consolidation OF
these competing lines, under on" control WIN, inc
nyowed pirp,>e Of removing competition. and ~ -
curing tho power 70 regulate The pr dncl'n ana tH
the price Of anthlnct" coal, .honh ION 10 You You 70
tla' provision Of he Constitution which prohibits
any transportation G mpany from aciuiF"s' III any
way the control Of n competing llH". A..
have the hOnOr to Ie. sir, Your mot ob Del
scrvaIf a - - ,,,N''.''',r
r. the Hon. Robert f. Pattlson. Governor Of Pennyi
vanilla
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania. % 40,
Executive Department. Harrisburg, f'u ~ ''-'
4. J. CasSctt. esq. Philadelphia -,... "a
Nv Dear sir: Your communication of f"niu.ip ~;
settling ont statements alleging the cOnSoldaihh :"
COM betting railway lines under one coniol 10 w.
avOwcd purpose Of removing competition ana Sro'.nt
Tho power to regulate the production ana hNliIE We
nice Of anthracite coal 10 De contrary - pupmn
policy and In violation Of the prvionS o lc , II,
road article nf the Constitution has been receiver anu
rfcrrcd 10 The Attorney General to take sucn n,'D'
az u1iI enforce the Constitution and protect every III
,cca, of The commonwealth Very rsspccituly'
'''S' " ROBERT + PATrISON.
Mr. Povdcry's letter Is q brefer statement Oh SIM
liar purpor. calling attention cspcTa'y ID "r'''c
- ~ tbe Pennsylvania Constitution. concerning iail
road constellation Governor PaiusOuS reply y
simar to the one sent to Mr.. Cassltt.