Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-29
A pASGlROus DOMINATION.

TnE citizens u Pennsylvania, New
Jersey ami New York, are consider
ably agitatod over the developments
taking place In the recently consum'
mated combination, among the prin-
cipal railroad corporations engaged In
the carrying OF coal. A few weeks
ago the Philadelphia anu Reading rail.
road, the Lehigh Valley, and the Cen.
trail OF New Jersey entered into form
Of consolidation by n system Of leasing,
which though technically not trust,
yet is con.idered such by the people OF
the Atlantic seab1ard. IL Is claimed
that this combination eau now control
Is per cent. OF the total anthracite
output In the United States, and with
IT, allies the Del. Lackawanna and
Western, the Del. and Hudson, and the
Lehlgh and Hudson, can control %
Per cent. Of the entire product Of an.
thraciie coal. The region embraced
by these railroad systems comprises
tho whole country from Buffalo to
Lake Chsmplaln and along the At
lantlc to the borders OF Virginia. At
Buffalo and Oswego they have Dis.
tFibuting points for the lake States, and
central lines Of steamers for the trans.
portation Of coal. The magnitude Of
the interests involved In this deal
naturally make 1t one Of the great
issues Of the hour In the Eastern
states. The fact that the domestic
supply Of the wage.worker'- store As
well ~ the operating fuel OF tho large
manufacturer may DO at the mercy oil
one management rs to the settlement
Of prices, occasions much alarm.
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New
York have already taken official cog
nizance Of the matter. a commltte,
Of the New York Senate was author
ICED TO investigate. Before this body
several railroad officials testified. On'
Of these, the President Of the trust
WIS asked, would not his company
control the price sof coal? lie said
"well. we might 10 some extent; yes
to considerable extent" The court
In Pennsylvania have the matter II
hand, but II 10 feared that In,
Attorney General favors the Goa
combine, and that II will
triumph there. In New Jer
sey the situation has assumed an
entirely different phase. The legisla
ture passed bill legalislng the com
bine, aud the little commonwealth
which Is said to be outside the Unite,
States is seriously agitated. Piteou
appeals are made to Governor Abbot
not TO sign the bill, while charges o
the mos. fragrant corruption are mad
against members OF the assembly.
h said that u corruption fund Of $500,
900 was expended at the State capita
during the progress OF the bill.
one Of the Appeals to the GOyorno
says:
"a trust in coal il almost, II not quito
rs mean as trust In bread, Already III
effects Of tue combination are being foli
Last wednesday Chestnut coal was I'D
vuncol Ia price In New York p cents
ton. Three colliorles operated by N,
Reading Railroad were closed Thursdn.
and 1000 men Were thrown ont Of worl,
The New York and Lake Erie Railroa
has, % il believed, Joined Issue with IA
cons pirators and thus another sourco q
relief and hope has been abscindol."
There is probability that thi
movement will lead to the question @
State ownership and operation OF rail
roads. Several very able maRagin
articles nave been recently written OIL
this topic by men Of acknowledge,
ability. Tho Reading combine viii
bring the issue directly before the pub
lie, and people win ask whether Ia
state Is IN manage the railroads, or tn
railroads mnnoge the Slater