Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-01
TILE COLL COMRINE.
President Oliphant OF the Delaware &
Hudson Tsstiiies Before the Congress
siunaI Committen.

President Oliphhnt OF the Delaware q
Hudson Testiiies Before the Congress
sipnal Committen.
NEW YnRK. Ney 28.-The Congressional
subcommittee which is investigating the
Reading coal combine resumed its hearing
at 1870 O'Clock this morning, The only
members OF the committee present were
Congressman Patterson If Ienncsscs, who
acted Us chairman, and Congressman Wise
Of Virginia Lawyer Charles +. Leach,
counsel Of the committee, was on hand
early.
President Il. NJ. Giphant Of the Della
ware 4 Hudson Canal Company, was called
to the stand. First MI. Oiiphant said the
principal business Ut the company is min
ing anthracite coal. The quantity pro-
duGed last year was about 4,UOOJO tons. A
large portion of this comes to tidcwater
over the Erie road.
MIR. Oliphant said he never had attended
any of the monthly meetings of the sales
agents, At which prices were discussed, as
well as the output. For the last 10 years.
lie said the price of coal was always lower
from january to Jnly than during the rest
OF the year.
From IuIy on to the beginning Of the
year prices always had an advancing
tendency. The witness thought the
advance during the present year in the
price Of coal had been about 30 cents per
ion He made some objection to furnish
ing the committee with table Of prices
for the year. and after some discussion re-
fused poirt blank to furnish the informa-
tion. Mr.. oliphant said he thought the
committee had no right to make him give
up the private business matters Of the
company.
We are opposed TO this combination
which the committee is investigating" he
said, land have nothing to do with il.
AM
our interests are opposed to those OF the
transportation companies which are in the
DEAL
Congressman Stoyer came in during the
examination of Mr. Oliphant and the COM
mittec consulted US to whether they should
make the witness answer the question
asked by Mr.. Beach or not. He had re-
fused to answer any further questions. in
siSting that lie had nothing to do with the
combine or coal deal
Mr.. Oliphant finally said he would ask
his sales agent to make any statement that
the committee might want.
Don't Won think that the coal com
panes and coal dealers of this city have
| been making excessive profits during the
past year? ?" asked Mr.. Beach,
II think that the coal business is about
| as poor 4 business as u man could 90 into
III this neighborhood, replied the witness
| liewas excused from further Investigation.
| Smith u. Mackev, a Jersey City retail
| dealer, was next called. He said he bought
his coal from the Pennsylvania railroad
| At some seasons of the year he would be
i obliged to pay dollar a ton more than at
| others The prices were always higher i'll
| the fall Last October he paid 60 or 40
cents a ton more than he had paid in the
spring.
excessive"' asked Mr.. Beach.
They are not. At least, they were not
last year. II was a hard season for every
body. ,..Our profits were larger the year
BEFORE
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Nov. 29,-'The con-
grcssinnal subcommittee which has been
inquiring into the coal combine trans
ferred its operations from New York to
Philadelphia to-day, and had several Wit
nesses before it, including President Nc
Leod and Traffic Manager Taylor Of the
of the l4ehigh Valley Company. Lawyer
Beach assisted the committee and Lawyers
johnson and Campbell were on hand fol-
the Reading Company.
Mr. Mcleod went first on the stand. He
was questioned at length with reference to
the monthly meeting Of coal sales agents
and their effect upon the price OF coal. Mr.
Mcleod said Tie price, fixed by the sales
agents were not binding upon his com
pany. However, their process were gener
ally agreed TO, because the agents were
men thoroughly posted in their business
and the state of the market and knew wha
the best and fairest prices should be.
In answer to question from Mr. John
son, Mr. Mcleod said that if there was nj
concert of action among the Goal pro
tluccrs, the market would quickly becomt
Quilted, and it would be question of only
4 short time when the large financa
operators would drive the weaker ones Il
the wall. The result would be the advance
of prices to higher rate than they art
now,
MIR. Mcleod said that many of the indi
vidual coal producers in the anthracite
companies were OH the verge of bank
ruptcy.
The next witness was Il. II. WILDER
president Of the lehigh Valley railroad
Mr.. Wilber's examination was short. HI
testified that the rates for Anthracite Goa
transportation were higher than for mis-
cellaneous traffic ard that there was mort
profit in moving the coal.
Like Mr.. Mcleod, Mr.. WILDER believe!
that the result of lack of concert Of actor
among coal producers would be disastrous
, to small SPECTATORS AT l245 the com
mttee took recess until 1.30
New YpRK, Nov. 3O.-The Subcommittee,
of the congressional interstate commerce
committee resumed its investigation of tht
iNihi WIS III vi
post-otifce building, Thomas Bradford wa
first called. The gist Of Mr.. bradford
testimony was that the prices Of coal arr
usually uniform and he believed this Il
be the effect of the coal combine.
Thomas Torreys, general sales agent o
/ the Delaware Il hudson Canal Company
said he attended nearly all the meetings .
: the sales agents and that at these meeting
, the prices TO be charged for coal during
, the ensuing month were frequently dis
cussed, No cast iron scale Of nrlces i
fixed, he said, but there is usuallya sort o
/ taCt consent given that the prices charged
, should be approximately uniform. Tn
output of coal was also often referred to
but no decisive action was taken. Chair
man C0ombs asked what the purpose o
these meetings was, if no agreement wa
reached and If no common interest wer
to be furthered ..' .-
! The witness said he did not think ther
/ was any difficulty in understanding wha
he had already said and he could not max
p himself any palmer.