New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-14
COAL ROADS FORM A POOL.
A BIG COMBINATION IN OHIO.
THE OUTPUT OF HOOKING VALLEY MINES TO BE
REGULATED BY A CENTRAL oRGANIzA-
T1oN-HIsTORY OF THE DEAL.

REGULATED BY A CENTRAL ORGAN1zA-
T1oN-HISTORY OF THE DEAL.
Columbus Ohio March ia powerful pool OF
all the coal railroad companies in Ohio and all tho
coal corporations in the State has been organized
here. Seven roads which tap the coal fields are In
the deal, which involves millions of dollars. The
output OF the State. amounting TO over IO1oO
tons OF coal per annum. will be controlled ana ~
coal agencies which formerly distributed the prod
uct of the mines will be done away with. all opera
tons being conducted from central office. Be
tween 5000 and 10000 men Will be employed ny
this trust in the mines. and the saving from tho
abolition of the agencies Il Is claimed will enable
the operators pay better wages than are received
elsewhere James W Ellsworth. the chicago
millionaire. originated the project. He Ia heaVy
operator in the Hooking Valley district, and began
by organizing the operators of that section ms
company began bear campaign on prices when
ACCOMPLISHED the object OF creating the present
combination and two railroads will be saved from
bankruptcy thereby. The lines in the trust are
the Baltimore and Ohio. Toledo and Ohio Central
Columbus Hooking Valley and Toledo. Wheeling
and Lake Erie. Cleveland 1orain and Wheeling
Columbus. Shawnee and Hooking, Ioiedo' wal
honding Valley and Ohio.
One OF the incidents of the deal was the purchase
Of a railroad which at the last moment c'slfne
troublesome threatening 10 break the agreement
and spoil the deal. There are ut least fortY-iiVe
distinct coalng companies IN the district all Tibu-
arv 10 the Columbus Hooking Valley and Toledo
Railroad operating about seventy big mines S~V-
eral months were required bring these operators
into the fold. At first many OF them stubpor1lly
held ont but pressure from the railway company
finally drove them in. All were finally brought INTO
a single organization. the General Hooking '"ai
COMPANY and after the agreement had been formed
the railroad became a party to II. James W. Els
worth became president of The company He chose
as his assistant Thomas johnson. Edmund A cole
became secretary and treasurer. A. Brehhoi's
auditor and G. II. Boarlman assistant secretary.
Coal was being sold at points along Lake Er1e AT
nr,ces never dreamed OF. The General Hooking
Company openly quoted prices from 80 20 ~ cents
a ton lower than they had ever fallen ana 'he
General Hooking Coal Company continued 10 pay
its miners 60 cents ION. and no complaints came
from them. The prices was declared at a
critical time. Just when railroads and other heavy
consumers were making the contracts for the year
the General Hooking Company was most argTe9
sive Becoming suspicious that a general reduction
OF miners wages had been ordered other operators
in the Ohio fields sent agents into the Hooking
Valley. only 20 learn that miners were being paid
the regular scale. The fight went on several weeks
until the opposition convinced that the General
Hooking Coal Company meant business and then,
one by one. the fighters surrendered
The gigantic deal has created much excitement
here and In labor circles IL highly commended.
owing 70 the fact that wages are to be at least
sustained. While all IN" coal companies were N''I's
operated on independent lines rat" wars were OF
frequent occurrence. and these generally lei 10
lower ages being paid the miners Al present Hook
ing Valley miners getting 50 cents ton. Last
fan agreement made between operators IN
the Ohio and Pennsylvania fields whereby miners
in the former were TO get 60 cents a ton and men IN
the latter 80 cents a Tn" difference IN price
due 10 the difference in the thickness Of the
vein The difference In price also based on the
distance OF the two fields from distributing points,
OHIO producers getting advance OF 2 cents
u ton for freight. Several months ago the Pennsyl-
wanna operators cut their to - cents ton.
and a general strike followed A. that rate Hook
ing Valley operators might be expected 10 pay NJ
least &C. cents a ton. but they have continued TO pay
their own price co cents a ton.