Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-27
COAL AND SUGAR.
Lexow Committee investigates These Trusts
and Close It's Siitings.

New York. Feb. 26.-The Leeisiativ,
committee investigating trusts. etc. re
stunned its sessions. Thursday. The al
legged coai trus; WAS taken up. Presuen
Siaon of The Delaware. Lacawanna 4
Western Railroad. was the first witness
He said meeting of the presidents o
the various coal roads was held. las
year. for the purpose of deciding tn,
question OF handling coal. and an agree
rncnt was made as to the percentage o.
coal the roads represented were TO carry
out. and the agreement was subsequent,
Violated by some of the roads. He be
iieved the agreement was not carried out
because some companies could not live u,
to 1t. and others thought it would no.
prove a public benefit. Witness coult
not tell how much the price of coal wa:
Increased after the conference.
What was The necessity for increasing
the price of coal Feb. /. 1899
Wen. coal was very low at the time
and II was increased in consequence OF
the loss to the companies
President Thomas of the Erie Railroad
Was next sworn He said the object OF
the conference of the presidents OF coal
companies. was TO get Il fair price for
coal. lie was not aware that the price
OF coal WAS increased 81 per ton since the
conferences.
Il. II, Williams sales agent of the Erie
Raiircad. said the price of coal was in
creased after last years conference of
sales agents. because ii was so low in 1886
that there was no money in it, TIE total
increase was 81 per ton. 1t cost from 81 80
10 slso a ton to mine coal.
Vice President Holden of the Delawa re
Lackawanna & Western Railroad. said
ne fixed the price of coal for his COM
pany. The price of coal during 1895 was
about normally low. He believed in ag-
SreSate only a Is per cent advance was
RELAXED in 1876 over 1926.
Francis I'll. krenning of ST. Louis {;
wholesale grocer. testified that he refused
TO sign factors agreement with the
a faAf Gu, L p.xf.. ,.... {,
70 consequently pay more for sugar than
those who had Il factors agreement He
found IL difficult to get any sugar at all,
as not only did the American Sugar Re-
hning 20. refuse to sell him sugar, but
both the Mollenhauer Sugar Co. and
Howell National Sugar Co. In 1896, those
VINO heid factSr's agreements with the
American Sug0 Refining Co. were pro-
nipited from handling Louisiana planters
sugar but in 1897 they were allowed to
handle 1t under certain restrictions.
me witness stated that the American
sugar Refining Co.. during the grinding
country is being produced. lowered the
price of sugar in st. Louis and imr1edi-
ately after the grinding season increas ed
the price. The witness believed that for
eign refineries sold sugar lower than the
American Sugar Refining Co.. because
profits.
Clinton W. Wisner of Walden N
vice president of the Stevens Coal Co
testified that his company sold coal to the
Lehigh Valley Railroad Co. and received
60 per cent. of what the, product brought
at tide water. The remainder was paid
to the railroad company. The price OF
coal to the consumer was fixed by the
carrying company. after contract had
been signed with it by the coal company.
John b. Dickinson Of Morristown. n.
j.. sales agent for the New York, On
tario 4 Western Railroad Co.. said that
sales agents had nothing to do with fix
Ing the price of coal. and declared that
the law Of supply and demand alone fixed
II. II the price of coal had not been In
creased in 1896. some companies would
have gone into bankruptcy. Other Wit
neses gave unimportant testimony
Mr.. Lexow announced that the commit
Tee had concluded its investigation unless
II was found necessary to again meet.