Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-01
THE COAL HEARING,
MIR. Baer and MIR. Thomas of Reading
and Lehigh Valley on the Stand. $

New York, April 3O.-Pres. Baer of the
n T., d beading Railroad and the
| Thursday. before the Interstate Commerce
Commission at the hearing on the conf
plant of VIM. r. Hearst against the coal
| roads
| There has been a steady increase in
the consumption of coal since 1897" said
| Mr.. Baer in reply to a question whether
| the increased production of coal since 1898
| had not been enormous. The number Of
| GOLFERS, he said, was less now than in 1901,
but the capacity to produce was about tire
same Money was being spent on develop
| lnS new veins but it took a long while to
get ready to produce coal III a new place,
! usually from three to five years. ~. e.,
Mr.. Raer said: The Reading Coal and
Iron Co. has power to restrict the output
of its mines AS head of the corporation
| l have the power 10 close mines.
There Is no percentage agreement: that
| no man should mine more or less though
there was as to the distribution of cars in
summer" ;"
| Replying to further questions by various
| members of the commission, Mr.. Barr
said the average ROYALTY paid by his com;
pany in mining coal was OTTO 50 cents Il
| ton.
"'rhe cost of mining our coal" he sal |.
| has been running at $l9S a ton.
70 reduce the freight rate on hard coal
, to that of soft coal would destroy the
| Reading Railroad.
Mr.. Bacr took occasion to make a some
what extended statement in which he re-
| ierrcd to the impending strike which
threatens to lie UP the tugboat traffic il
| New York harbOr. Demands. he said had
been made by the harbOr men on his road
which amounted to an increase OF n per
cent in wages and shorter hours.
Mr.. Baer said the Reading Coal and Iron
Co was able to pay full freight rates from
| the mines to New York because most of
its coal was sold elsewhere in the. country
whore higher prices were maintained
enabling the company to realize sncS
profits as to meet the competition at New
y ork and still do generally profitable
business. Mr., Baer was then excused on
his plea that he was very busy with the
| trouble which had developed in this city
through the threatened designations Of
| tugboat and other harbor craft employed
y. y. Thomas. president of the Leiligh
Valley Road. said that the Erie, through
its control Of the Hillside Coal and Iron
| Co. and the Pennsylvania Coal Co., car
1tually. r sS+H {
Mr.. Thomas said that unrestrained and
unrestricted competition was ,one&of the
worst evils to which the country oouff ne
eNposed The witness was asked II he 50
conducted his road as to avoid competi-
ton of that sort. and he replied he had
not been successful in conducting his road
so as to avoid such competition.
| The witness was asked if he conducted
| the coal business over which he had con-
troll on the principle. he had anhounced;
that be was avfrsn. to, Unrestricted .antl 7up5
necessary competition. To this and to the
question as to who fixed the Lehgh Eaf-
ley coal rrices. counsel for the{Iehigh
| ~ Il
The commission overruled the objection
and diseeted the answer. but Under advice
OF cenhset the witness still declined to an
..He. 7defied that a proposition to make
thc Tsrnbfe iron Co Il general selling
ag encYs for the coal roads ever came be-
tore thatoeomraanN. $50. *s<
y. New regulations in regard to the adj
1missicns Of women students into STAN
/ fora University, Cal, have been an
lnounecd. The limit of 800 placed by. the
founders ST the university on the mum
her of women students has been reaeh.
cd To Keep the number down the
faculty committee on registration has
ruled That no more women shall be al-
lowed 70 register as special students.
The rule applies only to new appliea-
tions and win meet the. difficulty for the
coming year. After August, 1904, am
other regulation will go into effect to
prevent the registration of women. stais
dents on partial standing. 50 ) s.slisess