Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-01
COAL MEN FAIL TO AGREE.
LEHlGH VALLEY PEOPLE OBJECT TO
THE PRESIDENTS PLAN.
The New York Meeting Was About t"
Settle the Differences in the Coal Trade.
but the Valley Thought 1t Was Being
Unjustly Dealt With.

but the Valley Thought 1t Was Being
Unjustly Dealt With.
The meeting of the presidents an .
representatives of the anthracite coal
companies, which was held at New
York last Thursday, failed to accom-.
plish its object. AT previous meeting
subcommittee of five had been APP
pointed to formulate plan to regulate
the question of percentage and produc-
tion and to submit report. This com
mittee had nothing to suggest. All the
companies interested, with the eXcep
tion of the Ontario and Western and
Coke Bros, were represented at the
meeting. An adjournment was agreed
to without coming to any understand
Ing, and the matter of arranging the
output and percentages was referred
back to the subcommittee. The repre-
sentatives expect to be called together
again this week.
Such was the report of the meeting as
given out to the press after the adjourn
ment, but it has since been learned that
the presidents did try their hand at fix
ing up the differences and arranged a
plan which was satisfactory to all except
one company. This company absolute
ly refused to agree to the percentage
given it, as the following statement from
one who was there goes to show. He
said: 1.-The whole feeling OF the meet
ing was that the anthracite trouble
would have been settled if the Lehigh
Valley Railroad Company had consented
to the plan"
He said that when the subcommittee
announced their failure to prepare a
plan that the presidents took the matter
up and from data at hand formulated
one. A resolution was then presented,
asking for the approval of the presi-
dents plan. The New York, Susque-
hanna and Western Company objected
to the percentage given to it and asked
for 37-100 more. AS this was such
small amount it was practically agreed
to and 1t was understood that the adj
vance would be granted.
Then the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Company's representatives objected to
the plan and wanted further examina-
tions made into number of conditions.
As nothing further could be done, the
matter was referred to the sub-commit-
tee, which will hold another meeting
either tomorrow or ON Wednesday. The
official above referred to said that the
request Of the Lehigh Valley for further
examinations would take considerable
time.
At the Office of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company in Philadelphia a
prominent official was seen by a Press
reporter and said that the construction
put upon its representatives action was
wrong, and it put the company in a
wrong light. He further said:
"The position of the Lehigh Valley is |
said to be that the mines on its road
worked shorter time in 1894 than any
other interest, only LAG days against an
average by all the anthracite mines of
1893 days. The mines tributary to the
Pennsylvania, on the other hand, aver
aged 211.2 days, the highest Of ALL
"This was due to the Lehigh Valley |
restricting production, in concert with |
others, whenever it was thought neces-
sary to avoid overstocking and conse- |
quent unremunerative prices, while the |
Pennsylvania worked steadily and took |
advantage of the improved resulting |
prices.
"About half of the coal on the Lehigh |
Valley is produced by individual opera
tors, and these protest against being |
compelled to shorten time to benefit the |
market when others are allowed to run |
at pleasure. Their cost is increased,
and they lose the most skillful miners to |
other regions promising more steady
work"
1.-THE Lehigh Valley Railroad Com
pany, therefore, insists that its record |
of 1894 is not a fair basis for distrbu-
ton, but offers to accept any plan which |
will insure to operators on its line equal |
work with their competitors"
This will virtually upset the calcula-
tions of the coal presidents and delay |
the agreement for some time. The |
individual operators of the Lehigh region |
are suspected of being responsible for
the firm stand taken by the Lehigh |
Valley Company.
The sales agents decided on Friday to |
restrict the output for the month of |
April to so per cent, which would make |
1t between $500, 600 and 2,750,0 tons. |
The question of prices was considered,
but it was thought best to defer action
until after the presidents meeting. The
production in April, 1894, was 2,757, ,3o6 |
tons, and in April, 1898, 3,2S4,65 tons.
On account of the unsettled condition of |
the trade the production will probably |
reach 3,000,OO0 tons or more.