Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-27
VERY NEAR HOME.
Boston Dealers Tell Why They
Can't Get Coal.
Operators Charge too Much and
Transportation Is Exorbitant.
Plain Talk Before Congressional In
vestisating Committee.

! lost no time in beginning their work
Tin this city, today. The members did
not reach here until today and some
Of them did not arrive until after 10
O'Clock, but by 1880 they were ready
! to receive testimony at a sitting in the
Chamber of Commerce. 1t was noted
that the delay to the members OF the
| committee who came from Washing
| ton, was due to poor coal.
The investigating body includes
Representatives VIM. S. Greene of
Massachusetts: Charles e. Little
| field of Maine; Robert w. Davis of
| Florida; Allen l.. McDermott of New
| Jersey; and Edward S. Minor of Wis
| consin. They comprise q sub-com-
| mittee appointed by Chairman Gros-
venor of the House committee on mer-
| chant marine and fisheries. They are
| to inquire particularly into the opera
! ton of coal transportation. Con-
gresham Littlefield is chairman OF
| the committee.
| When he formally opened the fore
noon proceedings by reading the reso-
| luton of the House appointing the
| committee and outlining its general
| purposes and plans, about half IL hun
| bred persons were present. Chairman
| Littlefield having concluded his re-
marks invited any one who had any
| information which he wished to place
| before the committee to appear and
| be heard
| Henry T. Shaffer was the first to re-
| spond. He asked to be sworn, and
having taken the oath, stated that he
| was salesman for the Sterling Coal
| Co, shipping over the Pennsylvania
| road. He said that he knew that the
cost of coal at the mines was nominal
and the cost of tidewaters was nomi-
| nal The increased cost to the, con-
sumner, he. said. was due to the ex-
| orbitant profit taken by those who
controlled the transportation. This
| was an opinion he admitted, and he
| had no had no positive knowledge that
! his presumption was correct. The
| sufferers he ccntended were COM
panies like his own, who had contracts
20 fill at prices and could not get coal,
| while spectators without contracts
| We're able to make money. lie said he
believed that the operators We're taxi
ing advantage OF the situation.
| lie testified that Charles Norton & Co.
of Philadelphia had offered recently to
sell him bituininous and anthracite coal
and asked him to make them q PROPOSE
| ton They did not make price, but he
| understood that it would be in the neigh
borhood IF $3.50 for bituminotIs and $3.50
| for anthracite. His company. he said,
| had found no trouble in getting shipping
| facilities but the freight rate was s. per
ton In the fall of 1902 it was about 81.
| Mr.. Shaffcr said he did not think that
many small vessels were carrying coal
at present which in former years had
| been driven out of business owing to the
low freight rates. He thought that the
Mccall resolution suspending for so days
the coastwise law might relieve the sit
| uation in a measure but could not see
that it would have great effect as most
foreign vessels are not adapted for carry
ing coal.
His specific complaint was this.
That while his company had 900 ears
waiting TO be loaded it could set them
neither loaded nor hauled.
30 you think the roads are doing their
best to relieve the situation or are they
for business purposes doing othcrwisc?"
was asked by Representative Davis.
|
they were doing all that they could. For
ei;sn coal, he thought, could be imported
at about $3.50 and the coal in quality
| would compare fayorably with the doines-
tie. He thought the removal Of the duty
on coal would result in that coming. ana
he thought that since the removal of the
du;y the market had weakened slightly.
Following Mr.. Shaffer, Il. b. Bowen,
representing the H. G.. Bowen Co, of
Chesire Mass, asked to be sworn. He
stated that his company had received
letters from -four coal bearing roads re-
lfusing to transport coal. lie agreed
to lay this correspondence before the
committee, tomorrow In former times
he had dealt with sthe Delaware &
Hudson, D., J.. & w. Ontario. West
etn & Reading and never had trouble
in getting coal until this season.
Whitfield Tucks of Winchester,
asked TO be heard and after saying that
he was a coal broker who had trouble
in getting coal, he askcu the commit
tee to request The presence as a wit
ness of III. A. Channel OF Stanstead,
Que. a dealer. he said. buying coal in
Pennsylvania, and selling in Canada
at $3.50 ton.
Chairman Littleficld agreed to COM
municate with the Canadian dealer.
Upon the resumption Of the hearing.
this afternoon e. G. Preston, secretary
OF the Boston Chamber OF Commerce,
submitted statement showing the
receipt of coal in Boston during the
past two years. According to the
statement. the anthracite receipts in
1901 We're l,SSo.3S0: 1902, S75,29f:
/ butun1inous. in 1901 1.s56.s36; in 1902.
3.s34,476. MIR. Preston will submit a
further statement later in the hear
/ ing in more detail. L. G. Hanllin. pres
iident OF the Metropolitan Coal Co.,
Zone OF the largest retail companies in
Boston. stated that the normal con-
sumption of anthracite in Boston per
day was 1900 tens, and the normal price
between Sc and 81. The present price
lis sl2. Mr.. Hamlin said MS company
had great difficulty INJECTING coal due.
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