The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-02
BADGERING mr.. TRUESDALE.
1T FANS TO DISCLOSE AN OCTOPUS
WHJCH KEEPS COAL Mon.

int erstste Commerce Communicates Quits.
the Persistent shesrn HsvinS Tsssd u
a Dtt--To Resume the search Meath
Hencc-Ilears Little Thats New
After hearing President W. H. Truos-
dale OF the Delaware. Lackawanna ana
Western Railroad the Interstate Commerce
Commission adjourned yesterday until
May 20 the inquiry into the allegation that
the railroads combine to keep up the price
Of GOAL. The commissioners departed Tor
Cincinnati last night. They have case
there which viii last week, and then they
will 90 to Chicago for another week
In the meantime Lawyer Shearn will
submit to the United States Circuit Court
the questions involved In the refusal OF
the railroad companies to produce the con-
tracts between them and the mining COM
panies and the books Of the coal companies
which show the freight rates charged and
paid. Mr.. Shearn expects TO present these
matters to the court next Friday.
Mr.. Truesdale testified that his company
had charter granted In 1882 empowering
it to dea! in coal. He told Of the average
rate per ton per mile on coal and on other
merchandise. and Lawyer Shearn pored
through the annual reports OF the company
and sought light on almost every figure
given there. w. W. Ross, as attorney for
Mr.. Truesdale. directed him not to answer
any questions about the mining OF coal.
maintaining that the commission has no
power to 60 outside the question OF trans
portation.
which Is the moro profitable branch Of
your business. mining or transportation!-
W. Intvn
dale thought that transportation was. He
thought railroad ought to earn more
than 4 per cent on the investment. Mr..
Shearn made much ado about the ciroum-
stance that coal advanced from $3.50 to
$3.50 ton yesterday, it being May 1.
Mr.. Truesdale said that the Lackawanna
charged up the same rates for transportation
against its own coal as 1t charged against
the coal mined by independent operators.
Ex-Gov. Budd Of California, who is ASSOC
ciated with Mr. Shearn in the division Of
the notoriety coming from the inquiry.
2. ked a eetion to which Adelbert
&sst isa the s Then % Il tA sudd
wanted to change his qles ton in form.
Il thought you wouldn't stand pat on
that" said Mr.. Moot.
. We do stand pat. yelled Mr. w.. Bu i'd
After the noon recess MIR. Truesdale
testified that he fixed the price on the coal
sold by his company, but had no no agree
coal roads. He had not. conferred with
Messrs. Baer or Thomas on how much should
be charged for coal this year.
The price list sent out does not neces.
sariy. show the price charged for coal.
business there is discount from the price
list-sometimes two discounts. I have
known prices to be badly demoralized when
the price lists Of all sellers appeared to b
the same.
Mr. Shearn asked the same questions 80
many times that finally Mr.. Moot objected
to the monotony.
-oh, l understood it, but didn't think
Commissioner Yeomans did. said MIR.
Shearn.
Il understood it three different times at
least" said Commissioner Yeomans
Mr. Truesdale explained that some OF the
things OH which the coal road men con.
the number Of sizes of COAL Mr.. Shearn
was called down by the commission for US
ing suoh language to Mr.. Truesdnle az
you preying on the people Of New York.
This is no time or place for such charao-
terizations." said Chairman Knapp
Explaining tho advance OF ten cents
a month from April onward for five months,
Mr.. Truesdale said the idea was to prevent
ter months Of the year, Dealers knew
what the prices were to be IL there was no
interruption of trade and could buy at the
lowest price.
Mr. Truesdale testified that competition
did exist to-day and he looked for keener
competition when the business had returned
to normal conditions. Mr.. Shearn read
from Mr.. Truesdale's annual reports in
which he spoke of the harmonious spirit
in tho trade and tried to get him TO admit
that he referred to q combination.
Il guess you just wanted to jolly your
stockholders a little. eh?' said Commits
sioner Yeomans.
Then Mr.. Shearn went at the contracts
in which the carrier agrees to pay the miner
65 per cent OF the tidewater price for his
coal taking the rest for transportation.
He wanted to show that at IS a ton the road
got sl.75 wnen the tariff rate Was 81 90.
But he brought out that the company sold
coal back to the producers AT tidewater for
IS a ton during the famine months in New
York because it would not undertake to settle
on the basis OF $40 or Sl2 q ton or become
involved in lawsuits over the terms. The
road could not suspend its contracts.
II have never seen the counsel 30 ami
mated as when fighting the cause OF the
independents who made New York pay
SO and Sl2 a ton for coal, said Mr.. Moot.
Samuel T. Peters OF Williams d Peters,
sales agents, didn't testify to please Mr..
Shearn. Halt him. he cried to the COM
mission.
"Haker him. cried his associate. Gov.
Budd.
After some futile questioning Of Peters
Mr. Shearn said he wanted him again on