The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-02-26
OF
COAL BHRONS.
Before New YOrk's Trust Investigating
Committee.
WOFUL DISPLAY OF IGNORANCE
Men Who Are Powers in the Coal Business
Declare That They Do Not Know the
Present Price--The Committee
Concludes Taking Of
Testimony.

testimony.
New York, Feb 26.-Lhe alleged coal
combine was the special object of in
quiry yesterday by the joint legisla-
tive committee on trusts. President
Sam Sloan. of the Delaware Lacka-
wana and Western Railroad company
was the first witness called. In reply
to a question by Senator LeXow, Mr..
Sloan said that conference Of coal
road men was held in this city in 1895.
The Philadelphia and Reading Lehigh
va ey, New York Central, Delaware
anG Hudson, the Pennsylvania, the
New York, Lake Erie and Western, the
New York, Ontario and Western, and
other roads were represented at the
meeting. Witness said that the con-
ference lasted several hours, and that
it was understood that every man in
the conference had pledged his honor
to maintain the allotments apportion-
ed them in the coal carrying trade.
Mr.. Sloan could not remember the
price of lump coal at that time. When
asked what was the necessity for in
crcasing the price Of coal after Feb. l.,
1896, he responded: Coal at that time
was low in price. We thought we had
the right to fix the price on our com
modify"
President E. B. Thomas, Of the Erie
railroad, the next witness, declared
that the restriction Of output increases
the demand for coal among the con-
sumers, but asserted that the amount
to be produced was never discussed at
any meeting he attended. He did not
know. he said that the price of coal
had been increased after the confer
ence. In reply to the question What
is the price of coal now?" he responded:
81 do not know, but 1 think slight
increase in price had been made in
1885 over the price charged in 1895"
r. II. Gibbons, treasurer of the Del
aware, Lackawanna and Western rail-
road, testified that the price of coal
was higher by 40 cents a ton in 1896
than at the corresponding period of
1895. He too declared that he did not
know the present price.
Edwin r. Holder, vice president Of
the Delaware, Lackawanna and West
ern, testified that there were no stated
meetings of coal agents. He declared
that prior to the 1896 conference prices
were ruinously low.
Richard II. Williams, general sales
agent for the Erie railroad, testified
that it was customary for sales agents
to meet in conference and discuss the
output for the succeeding month. He
recalled three or four such conferences
and admitted selling directly to re-
tailers. Witness said that the Septem-
Der circular would show an increase of
81 ton had been made within the
year preceding the date Of the confer
] Of &c haI 10 NJ,
1896.
The subject Of combination in the
coal trade was dropped temporarily
while the committee listened to the
| testimony of Francis II. Krenning. a
| wholesale grocer doing business at St.
/ Louis, regarding his experiences with
the sugar reineries. Mr.. Krenning said
that he had refused to accept the fac
tors agreement in vogue by the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining company and in
consequence he could not procure that
company's product without paying an
extra charge. Witness said that the
factors had to choose between selling
the product of the American Sugar
Refining company and foreign sugars
Foreign refineries sell at a lesser. price
than the American company because
they are satisfied with a smaller mar
/ gin Of profit; owing to the cheapnes,
of labor in Europe compared with tha
in America. Witness said he was con
fronted with a similar state of affair.
with the coffee kings and the Ameri
can Tobacco company. If there was &
larger tariff put on foreign sugar hi,
firm would have to go out Of bushes.
or take the alternative and sign a fac
tors agreement.
Clinton w. Wisner, Of Walden. N. Y.
vice president of the Stevens Goa
company, and Joseph b. Dickinson
sales agent Of the New York, Ontari,
and Western railroad company. alsC
testified, The latter declared that i'm
medlataly after the conference Of pres
idrnts It was found that banlzruptcy
was staring the company iu the face
which necessitated the Increase I'm "a,
price Of coal which followed. p. B
Heller of the Le.igh Valley and WIKI
eshare Coal company, was the las
Z witness,
{ With this witness the committe,
closed the taking of testimony for tn,
present The report should he read,
TO lay before the legislature on Marcl
l, but after adjournment Chairman
LeXow announced that ne would asl
for an extension until March 9.