Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-09
DELAY IN UNLOADING
Many Full Cars Of Coal in
the City.
INCREASED RECEIPTS
AGENT CRAWFORD OF THE PENN
SYLVANIA HEARD.
Does Not Think Local Dealers Hold
UP the Product to Get
High Prices.
INCREASED RECEIPTS

The investigat ion into the coal situation
In the District of Columbia was resumed
today ut o'clock by the Senate committee
OH the District. The committee has ar
ranged to have a meeting tomorrow, begin
ming at 10 O'Clock am, when DR.. David Il.
Day Of the geological survey and others
will appear.
Senator Stewart Presses His Question.
1t is the intention Of Senator St wart to
get if possible. all the facts in this case.
Mr.. V. Baldwin Johnson, when before the
committee yesterday. declined to give the
names Of mine operators and others from
whom ne has purchased COAL and this
morning "A letter was read from him by the
committee. saying that in the opinion OF
his attorney he was not under Obligations
to do 50. Senator Stewart promptly sent
the following letter to Mr.. Johnson:
The clerk of the committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia, Mr.. Moore. has handed
me your letter to him. with the opinion of
Mr.. j. j. Darlington. coEtending that you
are not under obligation to answer the
questions inquired of you on yesterday by
tention to inquire into your private affairs.
or the private affairs of the persons from
whom you buy COAL An inquiry as to the
general business in which a person Is en-
gagged is not an inquiry into his private af-
fairs. Would you object to one of your Gus
toners stating that he bought coal Of you?
Would you think his answer to the queS-
ton would be an inquiry into your private
affairs? Is the fact that you are coal
dealer a private matter that your custom
ers are not allowed to disclose? If dealing
In coal were prohibited by law, gambling
and keeping disreputable houses are in most
of the states, there might be motive for
declining to disclose their names. Does not
the fact that you refuse to disclose the
names of the persons from whom you buy
coal necessarily imply that they are en-
gagged in something wrong or dishonorable
and that it would. prejudice their good
names to have the public know what they
Rre doing? If they are honorable men they
will hardly be grateful to you for putting
them into the position of concealing from
the public the fact that they are selling
coal at time when thousands are suffer-
Ing from both the scarcity and high price
of that commodity.
Please appear before the committee to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock and give the
names of the persons from whom you buy
eoal."
Pennsylvania's Agent Heard.
At = o'clock Mr.. Joseph Crawford, agent
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in
this city. appeared before the committee
with various statements relating to coal
shipments by the road into this city. These
statements covered all shipments Of coal.
not only for the present season, but also
for separate months
charge had been made before the COM
y
I'm order to put up the price of coal, had
paid demurrage on cars in order to keep
coal out of the market.
Mr.. Crawford said that nothing of that
Sort had been done on the Pennsylvania
road, though there had been delays of cars
He said that S. S. Daish & Son mad delays
OF cars, but he had no records of any
amounts charged against them for demur
rage. There had been delays in unloading
ears running back to the 18th of December
DR.. T. Henderson had delayed in unloading
MIR. Crawford said this coal was that which
Came ever the Pennsylvania railroad, and
II comes from all sources.
Some is Reading coal. some Lehigh valley
and some from the mines of the Pennsyl-
vania system. 1t includes btumnouS coal
coming over the c. & o. railroad.
Many Cars Unloaded.
Senator Stewart asked about the unload
Ing conditions today. Mr. Crawford said
that at o'clock this morning there were
of cans either full only part way unload
ell us cars OF anthracite and Al cars of
soft coal. He said that the average num-
Der Of cars unloaded daily in this city Is
o.. and If the dealers would put on more
Teams they could unload them more rapidly.
He said that the number that is being un-
loaded is about the number that is coming
over the Pennsylvania road, which indi-
Gates that the amount being held at the
t t., is not Increasing Perhaps p or
80 of the cars included in his list were part
~ unloaded at o'clock this morning. He
said he thought the unloading ought to pro-
coed more rapidly, as the amount of coal
Shipped TO the city depends upon the ability
OF the railroads to furnish cars. and any
Delay or cars to that extent restricts the
amount that the company can bring
he thought that the dealers had been
reasonably diligent. Under their rules they
give a dealer forty-eight hours to unload
cars ana the only remedy they would have
against the delay which is being expe-
rienced would be TO refuse cars to shippers
VINO 90 not unload them rarYidIy
May Be Forced to Refuse Cars.
We may be forced to do that" said Mr..
Crawford.
Il think you should not ship any more
Coal for dealers who cannot unload the
Cars promptly. said Senator Stewart
is there any delay for the purpose OF
pleveiiting coal from going on the market?''
asked MIR Moore
Mr.. Moore explained that It had been
Charged that coal dealers were delaying
ears and paying for demurrage in order
T. restrict the amount of coal coming into
the city, and in that way keep up the price
We do not know that and We do not
think SO" replied MIR. Crawford
Senator stewart said that ii seemed that
ne ".cependent coal companies had more
coai TO sell than the large companies of
The railroads. He asked whether the in
dependents had more facilities for shipping
coal than other people
Mr.. Crawford replied that thav had ,ot
Unit they had the same facilities.
Policy of the Company.
i presume he added, lin the distribu-
Ron of ears they are distributed equally
although II has been the policy OF the Penn
sylNania to give the preference to the in
NlNldual shippers and to suffer themselves
"nen there is shortage of cars"
senator Stewart said that he had received
ep"ut hundred letters this morning on the
SoaI question. and that a good MANY OF
Shthi mad suggested that the railroad com
pahles are furnishing independent mine
owners additional facilities and helping
theM 10 get their coal through ahead of
any body else. He said that that was all
euid ana was mere suspicion
MI Crawford said that he could not tes-
MY az IL what was being done in the coal
regions He said that so far as the shin
Inehts III this city were concerned he could
give The names OF all the shippers who re-
ce'f,d coal In November and December
Coal Receipts for Two Months.
Mr. Moore. reading from a statement Of
tered by Mr. Crawford. showed that there
was shipped into this city in November.
10o2. 80 per cent more than in November.
1ool, and in December 1902. 50 per cent
more than in December. 1901
That Is to say, that the Pennsylvania rail-
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