New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-26
THE CONFERENCE IN 1896
ROADS REPRESENTED AND PERCENTAGES
OF COAL TO BE CARRIED BY VARI-


OIS COMPANIES OTHER DETAILS
In pursuance Of the committees purpose to de-
vote its last day to investigating the socalled Coal
Trust Samuel Sloan president of the Delaware.
Lackawanna and Western Railroad. called as
witness TO testify to the circumstances attending
the conference OF the coal-carrying roads, which
held I'm 1895 10 decide upon various matters
concerning the handling Of the coal business. At
that meeting Mr. Sloan said the following were
represented Philadelphia and Reading Lehigh
Valley Central Railroad of New-Jersey. Delaware
and Hudson, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Coal
Company. New-York Lake Erie and Western,
New-York. Ontario and Western. Delaware Sus-
quehanna and Schuylkill and New-York. Susque-
hanna and Western.
WAS there agreement made at that meeting
to the percentage of coal TO be carried by each
company"
Yes"
Can you tell us the percentages agreed upon"
NO sir. only know our percentage was fixed
at 1875"
There were some disagreements about the allot-
ments. were there not?"
yes sir: there always are"
WAS not the meeting held in January 1862
Il am not sure OF the date 1t might have been
that time"
President Sloan said that the agreement I'M
willingly signed by some OF the companies. After
ward 1t had been violated by some of the signers.
You tried to live up to the allotments?"
yes sir. In some months we lived up TO the
agreements and in other months could not be-
cause of the demands made upon rs"
why were not the agreements carried out?'
Some of the companies could not live up to
them and others thought they would not prove n
public benefit"
Did the price Of coal increase after the
ference?"
II think II did, for a time"
WAS it not increased on four different occa-
sions?"
81 cannot tell you that. Our agent f. r. Holden
No 2s Exchange Place. give you than infor
nation"
.Was the price Of coal discussed at your confer
ence?"
OBJECT OF THE CONFERENCE.
Eyes. sir. in general way. The object OF the
conference was to get better price
President Sloan said he could not tell whether
the sales agents of the various companies sub
seqIently held conferences or not. He remembered
Mr. Holden saying that he (Mr Holden had at
tended one conference.
us il a fact that monthly, after the conference
the sales agents met and fixed the prices of coal?"
Il know that salesman did not attend such
monthly conferences If such were held
Were not the allotments 70 the various COM
panies made on the basis Of an output Of 100000
tons a year?'
THAT might be about the figure.
Did the demand for coal that year exceed the
estimated output
Il think it did Mr.. Holden tell you all about
that however.
What was the necessity for increasing the price
of coal on February l. 1862
We'll coal was very low at the time, and the
price was Increased in consequence of the loss sus
tanned by the companies
F. B. Thomas president Of the Erie Railroad,
who was also present at the conference referred TO
by Mr. Sloan took the stand, and replying 10
he remembered,
allotment of the percentages OF coal be carried
4a..l oorananu uns annrnx lmaf ely s folloMs: