Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13
sArs 1r.s ILLEGAL.


tbs Rsodlng.
Ar. a. J. Cassa$t, one Of the dirsetoss Of the
Peunsyfvauia company, aid to . reporter In
Phiiadclphis regarding the Reading railroad
deal: II think this Il the most audacious and
most impudent defiance Of the Law and the con-
| stitution OF the state that has ever been at
tempted in Pennsylvaaia II 10 not possible
that the people who have made this gigantic
combination can have forgotten the result Of
the litigation growing out OF the proposed pur-
chase by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
OF the South Pennsyivania road and the
Beech Greek road some years ago. In
this case the Bedford and Bridgeport
railroad. = corporation controlled BY the
Pennsylvania railroad. wss used a. the
medium for the purchase, but as soon as the
intention became known the attorney general
OF the state. under the direction of the gov
erpor. interposed and applied to the courts for
an injunction restraining the Bedford and
Bridgeport Railroad Company and the Penn
sylsauia railroad from COMMUNICATING the pur-
chase, setting up thst provision Of the consti-
tuition of the state which prohibits any railroad
corporation from leasing. purchasing or in any
way acquiring the control Of competing line.
A lot OF litigation ensued, with the result that
the state won at every point, aud tho Bedford
and Bridgeport and the Pennsylvania railroads
were enjoined from directly or Indirectly or in
any way carrying out the intended purchase or
control
Now, what do we see here. according to the
Layers account Of the transaction. Why,
hrst that the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany. . company that completes at hundred
Inherent points and in thousand different
ways with the Reading, is leased to that COM
pany; second, that tile Central railroad Of New
jersey, whose lines run parallel with and in
SIGHT OF the Lehigh Valley from Phillipsburg
10 "hhesbarre, Is leased 10 n little New }, rsey
corporation, created by the Reading Railroad
company, and now owned and controlled by
tnat company, unless the control has been con-
strucuxely parted with for the purpose Of
giving some color of legality to the lease.
With this plain statement of the case. can
any moro fragrant violation of the law Of the
state be conceived? Here 10 an ATTEMPT to
create monopoly of almost the entire antllra-
cite coal output OF the state, and the entire
output, IN fact, excepting the very small part
which is controlled by the Pennsylvania rail
road. The magnitude of this enormous COM
Dihaton Will be understood when tell you
tnat the anthracite coal production amounts to
about ~, OOO, 600 tons per annum, representing
money value at the markets Of over $780,
oJ0.C annually.
1t is astonishing that the press and the pub
lie have looked upon the formation Of this gi-
Hantlc monopoly with apparent indifference
ana In many cases with approval Why, see
by TINS mornings paper that Mr.. LcLeod the
president OF the heading Railroad Company.
received conSratulatory letters from various
sources, and among others, from the Philadel-
phia produce exchange aud the commercial
exchange.
do think that any steps will be taken to
prevent the deal from being carried out? Yes.
most certainly do. Will the PENNSYLVANIA
haiifoad Company take any legal proceedings?
don know anything about that, but do not
mink 1t Will be necessary for any corporation
or individual to take any action either"
Who do you think will?'
why. the executive Of the state, Of course
1t happens fortunately that the governor Of
the state is the same governor who promptly
took action against the Pennsylvania rail-
road IN the case referred to. He did not
walt then for any individual or corporation to
take the initiative: he acted on his own motion,
ana ne acted ~ once. Gov. Pattison has an
enviabe reputation as an able. honest and con-
sistent pnblc officer. who has never yet failed
Ia doing bis duty, and feel perfectly confident
he won't fail to do it in this CASE