The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-04-07
HARD BLOW FOR
COAL MAGNATES
SUPREME COURTS DECISION IN
ANTHRACITE CASE.
REVERSES A LOWER COURT
Contracts with Mining Companies
Should Have Been Produced
Chicago Wins Her Fight
for 75-Cept Gas.

Washington, April 5.-The case OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission
VS.. Baird. commonly known as me
anthracite coal case, was decided ny
the supreme court Of the United States
Monday in favor of the contentious
Of the commission. the decision OF the
United States circuit court for the
Southern district Of New York being
reversed. This is the case Instituted
before the commission by w a.
Hearst, of New York, who alleged dis
elimination by the railroad companies
which reached the anthracite coal
mines in Pennsylvania During the
hearing some Of the witnesses refused
to produce certain contracts bearing
upon the business Of the railroad COM
panies and the coal mines, which &C
ton was upheld by the circuit court
Of New York The United States SUI
preme court held that the contracts
ehould have been supplied. The opin-
ion was handed down by Justice Day
Origin Of the Case.
In handing down the opinion Of the
court Justice Day said that the case
had grown out Of a complaint Of VIII
liam Randolph Hearst filed in 1902
with the interstate commerce commits
sion against the Philadelphia & Read
ing, the Lehigh Valley. the Delaware
b Lackawanna. the Central Railroad
Company Of Sew jersey and other
railroad companies. ana that II came
to this court on an appeal from an
order made in the circuit court Of the
United States for the Southern dis
trict Of New York In the matter of
the petition Of the commi sioners for
orders requiring the testimony Of wit
nesses and the production Of certain
books and papers IN pursuance of the
requirements OF the interstate com
merce law
The frs: point decided was that Of
Jurisdiction. which the court decided
1t had under the law Of 1903. regulat-
Ing Interstate commerce and therefore
refused 10 entertain the motion TO dla-
miss, which was made by the rail
road companies The court also held
as irrelevant and inap-llcahe the
point made in behalf Of the railroad
companies that Mr. Hearst. the com
planaht. had sustained no damage In
the case. saying that under the man
datory provision Of the law tho com
mission could not do Otherwise than
investigate
Coming TO the specific items OF
testimony which the circuit court In
Diminishing the petition considered ir-
relevant the court FIRST considered tho
coal purchase contracts These con
tracts were made with coal companies
owned principally by the railroad com
panies, and fixed the price Of anthrn-
cite coal. shipments TO be made as
called for by the purchasers While
the contracts were produced for In.
spection the witnesses refused TO per-
nit them 10 b. given in evidence
Chicago Wins Case.
The supreme court also affirmed the
decision OF the lower court I'm the case
Of the Peoples Gas company Tho
case Is that Of the Peoples Gas Com
pany vs.. the City Of Chicago The de-
ciSlon II In favor Of The city The case
involved the validity OF the ordinance
Of Chicago lXiuE "A rate of r. cents per
thousand feet for gas Tho case was
dismissed by the United States cir
cult court for the Northern district Of
Illinois. and that decision wa affirmed
by the opinion The cfrcci is 10 sus-
~ tfuIftltft pI