The Indianapolis journal., 1903-05-20
THINKS OUTLOOK BRIGHT
PRESIDENT RAMsEY'S VIEWS OF
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.
Vice President Caldwell, of Lackn-
Notes Defects Of Roads i'm Europe.

Joseph Ramsey, jr., president of the Wa
bash, speaking of the prospects for rail-
roads. said: Things are looking prosper
Gus for the Wabash and other Central
Traffic Association lines and If the crops
growing are harvested without accident
and are sold at fair price there will be
no trouble about prosperity. The demands
of labor furnish the only drawback TO the
progress being made throughout the coun-
try. l do not look upon the stock
markets as a true barometer of business.
Just now. as we see it, it does not reflect
the prosperity of the general trade and
business OF the country. Railroad earnings
and the iron and steel business are the
truest barometers of prosperity; there is
something tangible about them. There Is
business expansion when iron and steel are
in the market OF course, big crops add to
railroad earnings. but they come only once
a year. When iron and steel is required
all the year around so are all other mater
ials. and the carriage of them is the back
bone of railroad receipts. Railway busi-
ness is good and its earnings are good, and
the iron and steel business is good and will
stay so unless labor unions continue their
mistake. There has, however. been a vital
Novel Case Against the Pennsylvania.
The complaint of Charles A. Thompson.
Of Irwin, Pa, against the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. involving the alleged
failure of the railroad to furnish cars for
coal shipments when other shippers were
receiving cars, was taken UP by Judson
G. Clement, Of the Interstate-commerce
Commission, in the United States Court
rooms, at Pittsburg. on Tuesday. The COM
plainant is engaged in mining coal at Ir-
win and Penn station, and ships to various
States. 1t is alleged that the complainant
desiring to make interstate shipments of
coal from mines at Irwin Johnstown, jean
cite and Marchand at divers times notified
the railroad company to furnish the cars
needed, but that the cars were not pro-
vided, but at the same time cars were be-
ing furnished to competitors. In its an
swer the Pennsylvania alleges that the
plaintiff is not regularly engaged in mining
coal, but Is a druggist. During the anthra-
cite coal strike last year, 1t alleges, the
plaintiff and others purchased the right
from farmers to dig coal and after hauling
it to some siding of the company. loaded
1t by hand from the wagons into the cars.
AT first. it is claimed. the railroad granted
alizing that II this plan became more gen.
eral injury would follow not only to the
railroad but to the public the railroad de-
termined to refuse to furnish cars for such
loading. 1t denies, however, that 1t fur
nished cars to competitors of the plaintiff
similarly situated.
The case is the first to bring up the point
of a railroads right to stipulate just how
material shall be loaded Reparation
amounting to several thousands of dol
lars is asked for by the plaintiff. The rail-
road company has been requested to pro-
duce the books and papers showing the
distribution of cars among the various coal
mining companies.