New-York tribune., 1900-03-14
KINGSTON RAIL WAY HEA RING
FRANK Fl. PLATT OPENS THE CASE FOR
THE OPPOSITION LINES.

Hearing on the application of the Delaware Val
ley and Kingston Railway Company for permission
construct railroad along the route of the old
Delaware and Hudson Canal from Lackawaxen to
KingEton tidewater resumed yesterday before
the State Railroad Commission sitting in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel
The applicant company represented BY
Thomas G. Shearma1 and John A Carver. Frank
II. Platt acted spokesman for the counsel ap-
pearing for the opposing railroads.&c. Ontario
and Western, the Erie the Port Jervs and Month
cello and the Kingston and Rondout Valley. Her
bert Kinney represented the Centra-FIudson Rail-
road, lessee Of the West Shore and Waikiki Valley
roads.
Colonel Cole said the Commissioners pre-
pared to sit continuously until Thursday of next
week, and be wanted the entire closed by
that time. Mr.. PIatt said he was afraid the evil
dence for the opposition would take three weeks ~
present but that he would do the best he could.
He called Mr.. Thorne, lager of the Pennsyl-
vania Coal Company. his first witness for cross
examination. Most of M Platt's questions
lated to the method. earnings and profits of that
company.
Counsel for the applicants objected to the line
of questioning and Mr. Platt argued that one OF
the advanced for the application was that
with the road the Pennsylvania Coal Company
could sell greater quantity of coal at less cost
TO the public and with greater profit to itself The
Commissioners sustained the objection. and also
the refusal of the witness produce the general
balance sheet of the company for the last five
years.
Mr. PIatt put in evidence contracts between the
coal company and the Erie and Pennsylvania rail-
road companies 10 contradict the contention that
there Is not sufficient outlet for the coal mined
in the anthracite regions. and to show that the
construction Of competing road the interests
of the coal company would be a breach of faith.
Mr. Thorne contradicted that Interpretation of
the contracts, and declared the right of the coal
company to ship its product by the road offering
the best terms.
Referring the agreement testified to by the
chairman of the Individual Coal Operators Asso
citation furnish 100000 tons of coal yearly to the
new road Mr. Thorne said he understood that the
association had contracted to give certain
amount of tonnage to other roads, but he expected
with the increased facilities furnished by the
road, larger quantity of coal would be mined;
the witness declined to produce it He declined to
give the names of any of the parties to the agree
ment.
Mr. Thorne said the carriage of 600 tons year
would give the road s2oO00O profit. and that
large He said the total cost of construction
and equipment would exceed $4,000 M e for
State The Cornell Steamboat Company, from
which his company had an Tne ad
assured him that the property was free and clear;
Mr. Platt declared that. there was 10000
mortgage on the company's property In Pennsyls
the Cornell Steamboat Company, interrupted to
Mr. Platt contradicted the statement, and ofered
In & Gopy g e the hat gee4Ted a TO the
Pennsylvania end of the property, and was OF no
The witness was excused while President George
r. Williams, of the Chemical Natioral Bank, and
director Of the Pennsylvania Coal Company ana
took the stand Mr. williams identified published
statement in which he said that the proposed road road
Coal Company. He meant, he said, only that the
Adjournment taken until 10 O'Clock this
morning.