Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-28
The coal HEARINGS.
Congressional Committee at Bostor
and National at Philadelphia.

I Boston, Jan. 27.-The congressional
| inquiry into the coal situation in New
England i'll general and in Boston par
ticularly was not concluded, today, as
had been anticipated, the committee
having the matter in hand. adjourn
ing at 5 O'Clock to meet again at $50
| tomorrow morning. The. committee
We're guests at dinner, tonight, of the
| Legislative coal committee. when the
| testimony thus far received by both
committees was informally discussed.
The hearing in all probability will
/ be closed, tomorrow. when a few re-
/ naming witnesses will be heard That
| the committee are already satisfied
1 in their own minds, was Indicated, this
afternoon, when one of the members,
1 who has done considerable Of the ques-
tioning remarked: Many man has
! been hanged for murder on less conclu-
sfve evidence"
| When questioned as to what could be
done ABOUT it, in case q combination
| 10 keep up prices should be proven to
exist he admitted that practically
nothing could be done and the bene-
fetal effects of the investigation if
there was any must develope in SUISSE
qaent legislation by Congress
The evidence which has been submit
ted to the committee During the two
DAYS hearing has shown that there ars,
abundant shipping facilities for carry
ing coal to New England, that the rates
fhaye advanced but little but that in
|dividual operators broke away from,
the coal roads from whom they had
Dppn l-pcpiI-ifor a.
water price at So and marketed their
OWL coal at the best price obtainable
Today. the committee continued its
efforts to get from witnesses a salts
factory explanation of how it was pos
slbie for these same independent oper-
ators. who heretofore have cut an lii.
significant figure in the local market
FtS this winter apparently control this
market and dictate the-Drices.
A dozen witnesses were examined
the two most important taking radicai-
~ different views of the situation
Herbert A. Dean of the Staple Coal
Co, Taunton. who has been an extern
.sive dealer for % years. told of the
dli1lctllty in getting his baIges loaded
anil the losses entailed by delays until
il was suggested to him that if he could
put up with carSoes that were half
company and half independent coal
matters might be expedited He ac-
cepted the proposition and filled half
his barSes with company coal at s. ana
the other half With independent coal a.,
So He was given to understand very
plainly that despatch, could be assured
in no other way. The conclusion he
drew was evident.
Z On the other hand, Edward Sherwin,
New England representative Of the
philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron
Co, stout1y maintained that his people
We're absolutely unable to supply New
England without rebating the section
nearer home. He believed that Presi-
dent Baer was perfectly sincere when
he said that the public should have s.
coal at tide water and that Eastern
ports would be favored, provided the
eompany's supply was adequate to
reach beyond tide water. He said that
the half and half cargo plan was the
only feasible one to in any way relieve.
the demand. The companies were SIM
ply attempting to divide the small sup
ply that could be shipped to New Eng,
land as equitably as possible, guided
only by the necessity of the occasion.
Other dealers testified along the same
line. much of the testimony being of a
cumulative character.