New-York tribune., 1901-02-19
GOAL AGREEMENT PROBED
,,prsTRIAL COMMISSION EXAMINES
WITNESSES
TIE EDITOR OF THE COAL TRADE JOUR
xAL." SAYS THERE is No TRUST.
But COMMUNITY OF INTER
EST is NECESSARY.

EST is NECESSARY.
-,. subcommittee on transportation Of the In
,.,,-,sI Commission held yesterday az the Cham
= =, Commerce the first In series of sessions
a, ,t,s CITY The commission was appointed by
-. President and Congress for the purpose of in
s,iga ting matters affecting the various Industries
:. the country and 10 gather information with
t.U 10 recommending reforms. There are nine
,.sp members. Five 81 them Senators. Ave
,ps,resentatives and nine men from unofficial life.
me sIb-ooamittee transportation consists Of
sx members, but OF these only the following were
,rssent yesterday: EN-Representative Thomas W
phillips. ~ Pennsylvania Charles ] Harris Of
Sor,h Carolina; John L. Kennedy. of New-Jersey.
,na Eugene ConFer editor of The Grand RAPIDS
Herald" Mr. Phillips presided. The absent mem
hers are Senator Mallory % Florida ana Represen-
tative William lsorimer. Professor William Ripley.
~ the institute OF Technology. Of Boston. fs re-
iained by the committee in the capacity of adviser
The first witness yesterday Was James f. Childs
general manager OF the New-York. Ontario and
western Railroad. His testimony occupied the en-
tire morning session, and the afternoon session
was filed with the evidence or Frederick r Saw
s-s editor of The Coal Trade Journal" The pur-
rnse ~ the subcommittee is 10 probe the recent
combinations between railroads entering ne an
,hraoite region OF Pennsylvania. Mr.. saward said
the annual consumption OF anthracite coal in this
city was about l0@,0oso tons. The coal was mostly
bought by railroad companies the colieries. hut
some OF the coal the market in this city was
furnished by independent operators
LITTLE TRADE FOR INDEPENDENTS
o.-Do YOU know how much Of the coal sold in
this city comes from independent dealers? Al
Q-It Is a very small proportion is II note A
propor5oH ~ When onefth of the coal propsrries
ere o~peo oy rsoSHs or the lsSJ f tnS Sssrs
operators 20 enter into successful competition with
ths sway OF the railroads is even more complete
Than N the anthracite reglons, ,,. -
IN price this is invitation 70 soft coal men %
sn,eT such mSrk AhaSray hnTIs m sol coal could
Q-But is = not true thar II was proposed 20 use
Il was used, and is used now, very large guam
tity of soft coal Is consumed IN this city. There
creating a smoke nuisance. The city ordinance IS
moi directed against the coal hut against the
tition between anthracite and hitumnous coal, their
o.-what is the production of anthracite coal?
A-About sixty million tons annually.
Indications OF the last three months the whole
put is consumed. There is no stock ~ anthracite
KNOWS OF No COAL TRUST.
o.-Is # not true that there is a combine between
the railroads running into the anthracite regions
on some Of the railroads are members OF the boards
~ directors of other roads also well as of the
S% yoS eas sHG% S G o sse ros Is
It not fact that The Lehigh the Erie. the Reading
closely connected than the others? A.-Yes, that
Q-Is it NOT q fact that what they tried to do in
1901 through purchaser A.-WeIl those interested
IN the attempt Of 1898 have increased their hold
ings ever since, until they are IN control. II one
practically owns H. That is plain.
The witness admitted agreements between the
ooal companies 20 limit production several times
during the last thirty years He was asked ~ the
Pennsrtes-ta Cosl Company had ever been party
10 such agreement said, NO"
o.-why? A.-Beoause the Pennsylvania Coal
"a free lance-against what? A-weu. against
nave been agreements 10 keep down production al
different times / don't know Of amy such agree
o-how do you account FOR the uniform price ~
mere Is no combine? A-(smilng) Well ] suppose
might he hypnotism. Sometimes the telephone
may be used Agreements by wireless methods
Q-Why,. A-Well. because there is no visible
o-Do YOU mean thai such an agreement would
he damaging agreement 10 those who made Fl?
Q-What would you call such an understanding
community of Interest or conspiracy 10 restrain
ways. There are good many LAWYERS in Congress.
IN E"uI u@llnloi @ Ar. so ara; ~ 10 such akree-
phatioally0 Let me tell you that Il would be the
,erests. the State Of Pennsylvania and the rail-
roads involved. You know the Reading road has
been IN a receivers hands i've or six times within
Q-Would YOU care 20 state whether the interests
community 81 interests? A.-You can pun me on
record as saying that the interests OF the public
would he better preserved with than without the
community.
Tho witness when questioned closely admitted
that agreements had been entered into by coal
companies 10 stop production for a time in order
10 advance thu price. but the agreements seldom
had been strictly lived up 10 by the contracting
parties. The hearing then adjourned until
to-day a. 1890 a. m. when independent operator
expected 10 be the hrst witness.
In the examination of AIR. Childs. IN the morning
session. the witness said that along his line about
% per cent of the coal shippers were independent
operators
e-ls II true that the prices Of anthracite coal
ave settled by agreement between the operators and
the railroads. A-There Il no such agreement.
Git Is not that the anthracite companies
are trying 10 get q controlling interest in the
luminous region? Al do rot know.
The recent combination ~ railroads entering
into the anthracite regions, which was engineered
hy J. Pierpont MorFan. is always referred 10 by
the members Of the committee the community
Interests"
UOOLS0N SPICE COmPaNT IN CONTEMPT.