Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-02-13
THE COMBINE: IN DANGER
1t Is Asserted That the Great
Coal Road Deal Is Illegal.
CONGRESS ASKED TO INVESTIGATE.

And II u Reported That Attorney Gem
eral Hensel, o. Pennsylvania. Intends TO
60 Into Court and Try to Prevent the
Contamination Of the scheme.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 18.-It was reported
in financial circles that Attorney General
Hensel intends % 60 into court and attempt
20 prevent the oonsummation OF the great
anthracite coal combinations This report
was the absorbing topic Of conversation in
financial circles. The opinion was generally
expressed, however, that no legal obstacles
could BE- placed IN the way Of the combina-
ton President Mcleod Of the Reading
railroad was not in the city Another Off
eial Of the Reading said "You can rest as
sured that all the legal points were care
fully considered before negotiations were
begun. We had the best legal advice OBJ
tainable and there is not a single point that
can be brought against the company
Said to Be In Defiance of Law.
A. J. cassatt, one Of the directors Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad company, declared
the Reading leases to be a clear violation Of
the constitution Of the state.
u think, he said, that this is the most
nndacious and most impudent defiance Of
the law and the constitution Of the state
that has ever been attempted in pennsyl-
vania. It is not possible that the people who
have made this gigantic combination can
have forgotten the result Of the litigation
growing out of the purchase by the Penn
sylvania railroad COMPANY Of the South
Penn road and the Beech Greek road some
years ago.
.in this case the Bedford and Bridgeport
railroad, a corporation controlled by tho
Pennsylvania road, was used as medium
for the purchase; but as soon as the inten-
ton became known the attorney general Of
the state under the direction Of the gov
ernor, interposed and applied to the courts
for an injunction restraining the Bedford
and Bridgeport railroad and the pennsyl-
vania railroad from oonsummating the pur-
chase, setting up that provision Of the cen
stitution Of the state which prohibits any
railroad corporation from leasing purchas-
ing On IN any way acquiring control Of a
competing line.
"a lot Of litigation ensued, with the re.
suit that the state won at every point, and
the Bedford and Bridgeport and the Penn
/ sylvania railroad were enjoined from di-
! rectiy on indirectly or in amy way carrying
out the intended purchase on control.
Governor Pattison May lie Called on.
lin the reports Of the Readings trans
actions we are informed, first that the Lee
high Valley Railrond company, a company
that competes at a hundred different points
ana in a Thousand different ways with the
Reading, is leased 70 that company second,
that the Central Railroad Of New Jersey,
whose lines run parallel with and in sightoi
the Lehigh Valley from Phillipsburg to
( Wilkesbarre. is leased TO a little New
I Jersey corporation created by the Reading
Railroad company, and now owned and con-
] troled by that company, unless the control
has been constructiyely parted with for the
purpose OF giving some color Of legality to
I the lease.
*Here is an attempt to create a monopoly
Of almost the entire anthracite output Of
the state, which amounts TO 10000, 900 tons
per annnm, and puts it in the power Of one
man 10 fix the price Of the fuel used by ev-
cry household in the staten
When asked whether the Pennsylvania
Railroad company would institute legal
proceedings to preventive deal being carried
out Mr. Cassett said he knew nothing
about that, but he added. 1T happens for
tunately that tho governor Of tho state is
the same governor who SO promptly took
action against tho Pennsylvania railroad in
the case referred to-"
To suppose the governor would not now
act would be TO suspect that Governor Pat
tison would fail in his plain duty, and he
lCassattl was not willing to suppose any
thing Of the kind.