The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-26
COAL KINGS ARE UP
LEx0W COMMITTEE CONTINUES ITS
RESEARCHES,
President of the Delaware and Lackawanna
Opens for the Defense by Knowing SER
prisinsly Little About His Own Busi-
ness-President Thomas of the Erie Ad-
mits That Once the Raising of Prices
Was Discussed-St. Louis Grocer Tells
About the Sugar Trusts Factors Agree
ment-Lexow Wants More Time.
ment-Lexow Wants More Time.

ABOUT the sugar actors n gree
ment-Lexow Wants More Time.
New York, Feb. 25.-The alleged Goa
combine was the special object Of in,
quiry today by the joint legislative com
mittee on trusts. President Sam Sloan
of the Delaware and Lackawanna Rail
way company, was on hand, having
been served with a subpoena, and was
the first witness.
In reply to a question by Senator
Lexow, Mr.. Sloan said that conference
of coal road men was held in this city
In 1856. The Philadelphia and Reading
the Lenigh Valley, the New York Cen
t-aI, the Delaware and Hudson, the
Pennsylvania, the New York, Lake Erie
and Western, the Ontario and Western
and other railroads were represented.
Witness said that the conference lasted
several hours and that il was undersOod
that every man in the conference had
pledged his honor to maintain the allot-
ments apporlicned them in the coal
carrying trade.
Witness was questioned at length re-
garding the price of coal and its fluctua
tions but failed to throw any light on
the subject. He said, however, that he
thought the combine had a right 10 fix
the price Of lis own commodity"
President Thomas Of the Erie road
was the neXt witness. He said his road
had received a 4 per cent allotment Of
the coal TO be carried by the combine.
L-r1 hot Ia pr1s1t OF
coal 10 be produced had never been dis
cusssC at any meeting that he had at
tended. and he denied that the purpose of
the conference in 1896 was to raise the
price Of Goa. He admitted, however,
that the question had been discussed.
Edward r. Holden, vice president of
the Delaware Lacka wanna and Western
Railroad company, who said ne fixed the
price at which his company sold coal,
was asked how it was that after the con-
ference of presidents, in 1896, the price of
coal went up q cents a ton.
Prior 10 thaf time the price Of coal
was abnoInally ANONYMOUSLY low"
The witness said his company had in
sisted on producing all the coal it could
sell, and had Always done so.
MORE SUGAR TRUST.
The coal matter was dropped temper
arily while the committee listened to the
testimony OF Francis II. Krennlng,
wholesale grocer of st. Louis, who test;-
fled that ne had refused to accept the
factors agreement in vogue by the
American Sugar Refining company, and
that in consequence he could not secure
that company's product except upon pay
ing an extra charge of so cents per bar
rel. He testified that without entering
into the factors agreement no retailer of
sugar in St Louis can possibly continue
In The sugar business.
Witness identified copies of kilograms
sent to brokers and factors in ST Louis
asking that no orders be given, as they
would not be accepted uptil the factors
agreement was complied with.
During the grinding season IN the
south the American Sugar Refining COM
pany lowered the price Of sugar in St.
Louis by &c per pound below the price
at which it is sod in the east Immedi-
ately after the close Of the grinding sea
son they caused the price of the product
10 be increased in ST. Louis.
In reply to a question by Senator Me
Carren, witness said that the factors had
10 choose between selling the product of
the American Sugar Refining company
and foreign sugars.
"Do you consider yourself at disad- |
vantage because you cannot secure the
sugar of the American Sugar Refining
company"
Il do. yes; because the southern sugar
can only be had for few months in the |
year"
Can You get any sugar from the Amer |
lean Sugar Refining company outside Of |
the grinding sesson?'
mo, sir" |
AND COFFEE AND TOBACCO.
Witness said he was confronted with |
a similar state of affairs with the coffee |
kings and the American Tobacco com
pany. IL he did not sign the factors |
agreement with these concerns ne could |
not continue in business, he said.
The witness added that il there was a |
larger tariff put on foreign sugar his firm I
would have TO so out Of business or take |
the alternative and sign a factors agree
ment.
COAL AGAIN.
Several witnesses were questioned as 10
che workings Of the combinations Of coal /
companies. the greater portion Of the tes-
hmony being refGtation of any agree
alent 10 influence prices.
With the. last witness the committee
concluded the taking OF testimony for
The present Under the terms Of the reso-
hutton creating the committee its report
should be ready 10 .ay before the legisla-
ture on March l. but Chairman Lexow
announced that he would ask for an ex-
tension until March 9.
FLINT GLASS COMBINE
F.ttsburg. Pa. Feb. 25.-An import
an; meeting Of flint glass manufacturers
Of Pitssburg and the west was in sez-
son here today. Trade Is reported good
but prices are low, \ number Of sug.
gestions were under consideration
smorg them being tl;e temporary clos
Ing of some factories The propositions
TO reorganize the Western Flint Bottle
association. which was dissolved last
year, was also under consideration bur
nothing definite has Yet been done. \
number Of those present at the meeting
favored the reorganization and belisy,
toa- better prices could be made and
maintained.
LABOR'S BORDER WARFARE.
Niagara Falls, y. y. Feb. 2a.-The az
ton OF the Windsor town council in 20
taiaing against the United States alien
labor law by refusing 10 allow contrac-
tors TO employ aliens on public works
has been very freely discussed here. and
the outcome viii probably be q similar
law by tire Niagara Falls town council. /