The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-25
PERMISSION GIVEN
TO BUILD NEW ROAD
COAL OPERATORS HAVE WON
OUT IN THEIR FIGHT.
The Board Of Railroad Commission
ers of New York Yesterday Grant
ed the Certificate Asked for by
the Delaware Valley and Kingston
Railroad Company to Build Road
from Lackawaxen to the Hudson
River-New Road from This VAL
ley Is Now an Assured Fact.

The decision of the board of railroad
commissioners of 4Sew York, filed yes
terday at Albany, granting the certih-
cate asked for by the Delaware Valley
and Kingston Railroad company marks
the successful termination Of the long
struggle of the Coal Operators asso-
citation to escape from the domination
of the allied coal-carrying roads.
Appeals may be taken from this de-
cision and desultory efforts may be
continued to hamper and obstruct the
completion of the new line from the
anthracite coal fields to tide water;
but the citadel of the opposition has
been taken and the success of the
new enterprise is assured.
In view of the immense corporate
and political forces which were ar
rayed against the new line, it has for
weeks past been freely predicted that
the certificate would be refused; and it
has been recognized on all hands that
the point where the strongest fight
would be made with the best hope of
success was before the New York COM
mission. That they have given a fa-
vorable decision speaks volumes for
the irresistible strength of the case
which was made out by the applicants,
and refutes the insinuations that they
might be swayed by forces or consid-
erations outside the testimony adduced
before them. To those who have
watched the case closely, it has been
apparent that upon the facts presented
there could be but one result, and it is
cause for congSas ulation that that
result has been reached.
WILL BE BUILT.
An impression has prevailed that the
unfavorabe rulings of the Pennsylva-
mia courts might tend to obstruct the
new road. Such is not the case The
line from the mines to Hawley is con-
trolled by the Erie and Wyoming VAL
ley Railroad company. The commits
sioners' certificate assures the building
of the road from LacKawaxen to the
Hudson. The courts of last resort are
yet to decide whether the Erie and
Wyoming can build the intervening
fifteen miles between Hawley and
LackawaXen. If it can, ii will. If not,
it is certain that the Hawley and East
ern Railroad company can do so, and
thus the entire line is assured.
Great credit is due to the Opera tors
association for the determined and un-
faltering fight which it has made
against most powerful and strongly in
trenched opposition to secure what its
members deemed to be their rights
and especial praise should be accorded
to the chairman of the executive COM
mittee of the association, Edward l.
Fuller who has borne the brunt of the
battle, and has with superb confidence
and courage organized victory in the
face of defeat.
The results of this victory should be
of the greatest advantage to every
business interest in the anthracite re-
gion. The declared purpose of the oper-
! ators has been from the first to reduce
the freight rates upon anthracite coal
| to a reasonable basis as compared with
rates upon bituminous coal and other
commodities. That the rates have been
kept at an outrageously high point, and
that the result has been and is seri-
ously damaging to the business, is
hardly seriously denied by anyone.
RATES WILL GO DOWN.
The new road will certainly put the
rates down very materially. It's rate.
|
The effect of such reduction must b,
larger sales of coal, better time anC
wages at the mines, better profits tc
mine-owners. more money coming int
the anthracite region, and more anC
better business to everyone WHO doe
business here.
The operators do not pose as disin
terested public benefactors. They prob
ably would not have entered upon thi
struggle if they had not expected som
advantage to themselves as a result 0
success. Such advantage they are fair
ly entitled to.
1t is equally fair to recognize that il
helping themselves they have pave,
the way for great and permanent bene
fit to all classes of the community il
which they live; and, incidentally, b
the probable reduction of tide-wate
prices of coal to many distant com
munities.
Smoke The Popular Punch Cigar, 1Oc