New-York tribune., 1903-04-30
BAER TO RAISE PRICE.
HIGHER COAL ON MAY I
UvM Make Tide5cater Price S5 a Ton
IF Possible.

Commission in the investigation of the relations
or the coal carrying roads and the coal hliliiie
companies yesterday declared that on May he
was going 10 advance the tidewater price oi
coal now 81 30 a ton. to 81 CO. and try 10 "oiA
81 up to 50 He said he had not CON
suited any other coal men. but he dld not iea'
that If he asked 81 ton for the coal OF his COM
pany the other companies would ask any lese-
They would be foolish if they did. he asserted:
If he couldn't get 81 he would cocme down III
the market would take it at s. the price wouid
not be reduced
President Baer declared that he fixed the
price and compelled the other dealers TO do the
same in The following words;
7 have been careful as lawyer not TO cross
the line I have been very particular though1
we were the strongest people, and fixed the
rrice and compelled the other dealers TO do the
game They accused me of being arbitrary.
and 1 admit that perhaps I was arbitrary; but
felt that it was necessary Several OF the
ror1ranies complained that had fixed the price
II am speaking of the time after the strike
that they could get better price than had
fixed for the Reading company's coal They
asked me 10 raise the price. but refused, ana
they had TO come down TO our price
Previous 10 making these statements Presi-
sen+ Raer when ordered to do by the com
mission. had refused TO produce contracts be-
tween the Reading road and the Temple Iron
Company.
Ny. Baer first declined either to produce the
contracts unless ordered TO do so by the COM
mission. OF answer if he could produce them if
ne would When the court told him to produce
them each Of the lawyers arose and one by one
voiced objection
Has the Guarantee Trust Company paid the
Central Railway 125s cents ton for all coal
hauled from the Temple Iron Companys
.n1nes7" continued Mr.. Shearn-
Ex-Judge Campbell objected. but the commits
eion ordered an answer President Baer said
that the Central Railway had paid certain sums
70 the guarantee company required under the
contracts. buc he could not say what it
amounted 10 a ton.
Some Of the questions and answers ensuing
follow:
Iron Company? Alt is scattered far and wide
Guarantee Trust Company OF New-York under g
voting and they issued certificates which
are held by three hundred different persons.
Q.-Who votes the stock? A-The trust company.
Since have been the president they gave me the
oNDoes the board OF directors control the policy
direction needed. We employ competent mine man
ayers and the Instructions they get are TO mine all
Q-Are the different collieTies in the Temple 1rSn
Temple Iron Company directors2 A.-By the Temple
directors. No dispute about that
Referring to meetings of the railroad presi-
dents Mr. Baer declared ne never was present
at meeting where a discussion pointing to the
fixing Of the price of coal or the fixing Of the
output was held There has never been such
discussion during my administration Of the
Reading and the Jersey Central" he declared
s.There has been no pool and no combination to
regulate the price output Of coal between the
railroad presidents since have been president
of the Reading system
who fixes the price of coal sold by the Phiia-
delphia and Reading Coal Company" Mr.
sshearn asked. after Mr.. Baer had told at some
length that the coal purchased percentage
and the coal moved by the company were
handled together and sold company coal
Mr. Baer explained that the price was fixed
after q general consultation with the general
coal agents and the sales agent. The other COM
r2anies pursued like
You and General Thomas could raise the
e7rice OF coal If you desired?" Mr.. Shearn asked.
mo. not without reducing the consumption.
The price Of coal depends, like all other prod
nets on the demand for it.
But you have raised the price so cents a
kon?"
Yes. but the cost of production had in
creased. The Reading system is not earning
tair dividends for its stockholders because of the
bow price realized its coal"
Mr.. Baer referred TO the difficulty Of getting
snen tc work in the mines.
Ehearn.
They refuse to work unless give for seven
aaours' work the pay Of ten hours work. and we
are not going to do it," was the answer.
John Edmonds the sales agent here for the
12eading Coal and Iron Company, testified that
.the total sales average 100000 tons a year.
HE did not know how the price was fixed. All
hhe companies made the same market price.
land It was seldom that there any deviation
,from that price. The deviation has been even
Jess frequent since April, 1901, than it was in
7he three years preceding that date. About
100000 tons of anthracite were consumed
annually here the Reading Coal and Iron Com
lpany selling 10000 tons OF that amount He
thad no authority. when competing for business.
10 deviate from the circular price.
Witness had taken customers from the
was not allowed TO tell what inducements he
thad offered
Henry Z Meeker, local coal merchant. de-
lost money on a purchase if he had to pay full
freight rates. He paid full rate under protest.
Prior 10 the end OF the 1900 strike there was a
There none now. He protested on the
ground that the rates were exorbitant and ex-
icessive and more than the railroad charged to
,the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. The railroad
company denied that he had been Disseminated
against He had had similar experiences with
the Susquehanna Railroad
p B. HELLER, sales agent of the Lehigh Valley
and Wilkesbarre Coal Company, declared that
President Baer fixed the price Of the coal sold
hy his company. and that that price could not be
altered only by instruction from him