The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-10
LOCAL COAL MEN TALK.
Fail to Shed Much Light On Coal
Famine.

The legislative coal investigation COM
mittee met this morning and took the
testimony of local dealers who were ex-
pected to know something about the
coal famine, if there is such thing in
existence. The first witness to face the
chairman was Peter Monaghan, assist
ant treasurer and a StOckhOlder in the
Southwestern Fuel company. After the
usual preliminary Mr.. Monaghan was
asked:
Have you experienced any shortage
in coal2"
A. Not to any great extent
@. TO what extent have your
A. Possibly 30 per cent as compared
with other years.
@. Can you give any reason for the
present shortage2"
A. I don't know that there is
shortage in production. 1 charge the
present conditions to an increase in the
demand q shortage in anthracite and
unusual requirements of the railroads.
Mr. Monaghan further stated that the
Southwestern Fuel company owned no
mines, but was d jobber, and purchased
most of its coal from the Mt. Carmel
Coal company controlling the Santa F'e
mines, which were operated under
lease by c. j. Devlin. Mr.. Monaghan
said that DeVlin had no interest in the
Southwestern Fuel company. That the
company had not experienced any diff
Guilty in getting coal shipped, that coal
cost from SO to rs cents a ton more than
it had at the same time in the preceding
year, and that the price had been rails
ed on consumers to correspond.
When asked if his company was the
member of any association of coal
dealers Monaghan said that it was
not and he knew of no such associa-
ton except one of a social nature in
Kansas City.
Mr.. Monaghan spoke of the Mount
Carmel mines as our mines There
has been an increase in output of our
he said in answer to a question
The second witness was F. H. Web
ster. of the Webster -Tulioch company
of 116 West Eighth avenue. Mr. web
ster was asked: Has there been
shortage in the coal supply2"
Yes"
ITO what do you attribute this short
age?''
1.-The increased railroad consumption,
the increased consumption in practical
~ all of our industries, increased de-
mand on account of a little scare, the
strike in Pennsylvania, the shortage of
locomotive cars, caused by cars being
mishandled and making one trip where
/ they should make three, and-iots of
other things"
Senator Mcmillan then took charge
of the witness and began to hunt for
real information. He asked Mr.. Web
ster If he was a stockholder in any
railroad, and had a personal knowl-
edge of facts as he had stated in refer
ence to railroads.
Mr. Webster said that he had not,
but had secured his information from
Rock Island and Santa Fe officials who
were in a position to know. This was
the opening Senator Mcmillan had been
wanting, and he came back with a re-
quest for the names of the Santa Fe
officials who had furnished the informa-
ton, and got his pencil ready to take
the names. There was a deadly silence
for a moment. and then Mr. Webster
cd ~ ~ n rfer fr,..
him to divulge the name of the official
who had told him. as it was told in
strict confidence during a visit at his
home Senator Mcmillan was obdurate
and insisted on knowing but the other
members of the investigating COMMITTEES
finally induced him to withdraw the
question. which he did on condition that
Mr.. Webster should name the Rock Is
land official who had made statements
about the rolling stock condition.
1t was Mr. W. 0. Nevill,' said Mr.
Webster.
Senator Mcmillan wrote the name
down.
Is your company a member of any
local association"
A. Yes. We belong to the Wholesale
Mr.. Webster could think of only one
other local dealer who belonged to the
What is the object of your assocfa-
tion?" asked Senator Mcmillan.
A. Our main object is to prevent the
dire CT
rs there any pressure brought to bear
on the wholesaler to this end p
A. mo: if he joins the association he
does so voluntarily. and thereby makes the
/ agreement
Does a man who belongs TO this asso-
citation have any advantage in the coal
business7''
A mo In fact it is detriment in
some locations, wnere a lack Of knowledge
of the intent Of the association causes
prejudice
At this juncture the Investigation was
/ adjourned because the examiners wished
to attend the joint meeting of the house
and sencte-
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