Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
FIGHTING FOR COAL,
PASSENGER s. POWER COMPANY
NEGoTIATEs WITH THE At
LAST1C-coAsr LINE.
GREAT INTERESTS AFFECTED.
Coast Line Denies That 1t Proposes
to Confscate Fuel.
SIMPLY "HELD UPv THE CARS.
Superintendent Riddle Has Gone to
Wilmington to Confer with Head
Ofcin1s-Rev. DR.. J. b. Hawthorne
Advocates Governmental Seizure
of the Aines-What Local Coal
Dealers Have to Say of Situation.
Coast Line Denies That 1t Proposes
to Confscate Fuel.
"HELD UP'' THE CARS.
Riddle Has Gone to
Dealers Have to Say of Situation.

The reported confiscation of ten carloads
terday, that had been consigned to the
agents of the Virginia Passenger and
Power Company, in this city, was the
topic of widespread gossip here last night.
Out Of the apparently not unusual strike
in the anthracite coal regions in Pennsyl-
vania last May, has developed a situation
that promises to affect every Individual
in the city of Richmond. who is SO I'M
fortunate as to have a coal stove. Out
of the reported confiscation of the coal
Yesterday by the Atlantic-C Coast Line, de-
veloped arguments including the sover-
eign right of the State and delegated right
of the Federal government to interfere in
the dispute between the operators and the
striking miners, and the possibility OF
tapping the gas mains Of the city to fur
nish vapor for the influx Of gas stoves
to take the place of the prospective idle
coal stoves this winter
The fact that the coal was to be used
by the electric company that furnishes
light to the people of the city and power
for the use of the street railways, and the
large manufacturing plants, brought the
situation straight home to the citizens
of Richmond, and afforded a topic for
serious consideration in every home.
AS to Right of Seizure.
The paramount question that was dis
cussed on the streets was the right of the
railroad to contiscate coal, or. to put it
more politely, to refuse to deliver coal to
the consignees that had been shipped to
them from the mines.
On this point one OF the most promi-
nent lawyers in the city said last night:
.They have as much right to confiscat:
coal as I have to take the coat off your
back l am not familiar with the facts
concerning the alleged confiscation, but
know of no law in this State that gives
railroad such right. They may acquire
right of way by condemnation proceedings
through the proper channels of the law.
but it is safe to say that there is no law
in this State by which they can seize coal
consigned to any individual or corpora
ton. What fate do you think a
measure giving such a right to a railroad
would meet if offered in the Virginia Leg
iSlatrue?"
Five cars of the "held-up' coal were re-
leased by the railroad authorities ana
turned over to the Passenger and Power
Companys purchasing agents. Consider
ing the large consumption Of coal by that
company every day, and the absolute de-
pendence of business interests here upon
the power company, the shortage in the
coal supply, and the possibility of future
hold-ups on the part of the railroads, as
sumes an alarming q aspect. That every le-
gal step will be taken, and that. too. i'm
mcdiately, to restrain the railroads from
any such action, is beyond doubt. Super
intendent Riddle, of the Atlantic-Coast
Line, acted under orders from headquar-
tiers in Wilmington, in his refusal to let
the Passenger and Power Company have
the coal, and when the seriousness OF the
situation was made known, he left for
Wilmington to confer with the higher
officials in that city.
lPreciOus Stoncs5
The relief will doubtless be forthcoming
Monday, but coal viii continue to be one
of the precious stones for some time to
come.
IF normal conditions are restored IN the
anthracite regions within the next week,
there will not be an ounce OF anthracite
coal sent to Richmond before January LIST,
1903" Such was the cheerful report sent
from a large operator in the North to
local agent yesterday. Within the short
space of twelve hours, a local agent for
soft coal raised the quotations on his pro-
duct yesterday $3.50 per ton. Here's the
situation. If send order to our oper-
ators this morning for coal at $3.50 per
ton for a customer IN this city, and the
operators put it on the cars, a wire order
may come from Cincinnati, offering So
per ton, and the cars will be shunted Off
to that point. The operators are simply
in the business of auctioning coal to the
highest bidder.
The concensuS of opinion all over the
city yesterday was that something should
be done either by State governments or
Federal government toward relieving the
situation that will be felt with dire dis
tress when the first touch of frost comes,
but nobody could say where the relief
should originate, or in what manner it
should come.