New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-14
WOULD CHEAPEN COAL, THEY SAY.
ARGUMENTS IN BEHALF OF PROPOSED NEW
DELAWARE AND KINGSTON RAILWAY.

The hearing on the application of the Delaware
Valley and Kingston Railway Company for per-
mission to construct a railroad from Lackawaxen
to tdewater Kingston along the line of the old
Delaware and Hudson Canal, was continued yester-
day before the State Railroad Commissioners in the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Edward Coykendall, general
superintendent of the Ulster and Delaware Rail-
road, the first witness. He held that the con-
struction of the road would reduce the price of
coal at least 90 per cent a ton In Kingston and
nearly much In all sections of Ulster and Sull-
van counties. ]. Graham Rose, superintendent Of
the Delaware and Hudson Canal, testified that for
the last year the only remuneratve traffic on the
canal has been for the twenty-eight miles between
Kingston and Ellenve. That section includes the
cement making district At Rondout Eddyville
and EIlenvlle. important canal stations, Mr.. Rose
SAID dozens Of stores that formerly depended the
canalers for business are now closed. The con-
struction and operation of the proposed railroad
from Lackawaxen would resurrect those villages
and give employment to every laborer in the sec
ton.
George Christians, a sawmiIl and bluestone quarry
owner, of Barryvile, the next witness. He
testified that lack of transport facilities made Il i'm
possible TO carry on business at a profit The con-
struction of railroad along the line of the canal
the witness said, would put into the market the
product Of twelve square miles of lumber country
and Of large section of bluestone quarries. With
out railroads and with the canals closed Mr. Chris
tians said all the nearby and villages in Sui
Ivan County must be abandoned David w. Bogart
that
buestone belt in the State of NewYork lies in the
Barryvle section. and it could be developed if
a railroad tapped the district. The big hagstone
that lies in front of the Vanderbilt house. in Fifth
ave. was quarried Barryville. Mr. Bogart pre-
scented TO the Commission petition, signed by
every resident Of his section, asking that a permit
to build be granted to the Delaware Valley and
Kingston Railway Company. Andrew Pave, a lum-
ber brick and cement dealer, OF Pond Eady, Sulli-
van County, testified along the lines and the
adjourned
The February letter of the Anthracite Coal Oper-
ators' Association says in part:
y, In the hearing for charter for the Delaware
before the Railroad Commission of New-York is
whether the proposed railroad is really necessary
pie of the State Of New-York, and whether its con
sttruction would be public benefit in assisting in
through which IT would pass
is clearly and beyond question simply following the
nlarch or modern improvements. For seventy-two
years the canal has been important means of
transp0rtation from which freight traffic has been
sequently the construction of railroad over this
route is but change in motive power to meet this
4 direct and inestimable benefit the result of
Wnlch VIII De Tar reaching, will be that of reducing
ucts-coal This will equally affect both the supply
accomplish this result the proposed railroad has al
aGaSy entered INTO contracts for the shipment of
at $4,000 tons, at freight rates which, assuming
12h per cent under the rates hitherto charged
Further these contracts provide for an even
grcaIer reduction in the freight charge on the
smaller sizes of anthracite used for steam making
purposes The total difference is estimated at as
much as 80 cents per ton on the average prod
S SCt anG besides there VIII be the reduction in the
known laws Of commerce, must always result from
open competition.
This proposed road can afford grant this ma
tera reduction In freight charges, not only because
the rates charged by existing railroads are ex-
oroianty high. but owing to the relatively low cost
Of its construction and the comparatively small
price already paid for the right of way on a line
which Is practically graded and ready for the rails
ana with the further advantage that because over
almost the entire route the grades level or in
freight at a low operating cost