Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-29
AN ALLEGED COMBINE
Complaint Against the Coal
Carrying Roads.
THE HEARING RESUMED
TAKING TESTIMONY IN REGARD
TO SHIPMENTS.
Representatives Of Eastern Companies
Appear Before Interstate Com
merce Commission.
THE HEARING RESUMED

merce commission in the matter Of the COM
plant of William r. Hearst. against the
coal-carrying roads, was begun at tho
rooms of the commission this morning. Mr..
Hearst was represented by C. J. Shearn Of
New York, while the following appeared
for the defendants: w. w. Ross fer the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western;
George F. Brownell and AdeIbert Moot,
Erie railroad; John B. Kerr. Ontario and
Western; Francis I. Gowen. Lehigh Valley;
Lewis z. Carr, Delaware and Hudson; ].
D. Campbell, Philadelphia and Reading.
Commissioners Knapp, Clements, Yeo-
mans and Prouty were present, Commits
sioner Fifer being the one member of the
Commission absent.
The hearing Is for the purpose of taking
the closing testimony in the coal road cases,
which were begun last February, but were
delayed by the refusal Of the defendant
companies to produce copies of the con-
tracts between the coal companies and the
railroad or to answer questions concerning
them. The United States Supreme Court
decided against this contention and early
In the fall the commission took testimony
in New York on the subject. After the evil
dence is all in arguments of counsel will be
heard, probably early in December, and the
commission will then take the case under
advisement.
Statistics as to Shipments.
The first witness was w. W. Ruley Of
Philadelphia, chief of the bureau of anthra-
cite coal statistics, who identified certain
tables prepared by him. The figures, he
said, were obtained directly from the COM
panies involved Replying to Mr.. Brownell,
witness said these figures showed that the
percentage of increase in the shipment Of
coal smaller than buckwheat, from the
mines to tidewater for the last eleven years
was 59S3S; of buckwheat No. /. 1O6.01,
whereas the increase in the prepared or
domestic sizes In the same period of time
was but 1912 per cent. There was, he
declared. constantly increasing tendency
to use greater quantities of small coal. In
New York city and other places, he assert
ed, small-sized coal was being used for
steamship and manufacturing plants in
competition with bituninous coal
The statistics were offered In evidence,
and Mr.. .Brownell explained that by them
It was intended to show that on account
Of the constantly increasing consumption
Of the smaller-sized coal, which is produced
at greater cost than the prepared Sizes the
rate charged is an average one between the
two and in his opinion Is not unreasonable.
Mr.. Shearn objected to admitting the sta
tistics because they were not complete. in
that figures from the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western railroad were omitted
from the calculations.
The objection was overruled and the
paper was admitted.
The witness then submitted other figures
showing the geographical distribution of
coal, and said that If a proportionate part
of the coal purchased under contract went
to New York city 1t would not represent
one-sixth of the total shipments to New
York harbor.
Percentages Of Shipments.
Another table was offered having a par
ticular bearing on the complaint, showing
the yearly percentages of shipments of an
thra cite by the coal-carrying roads. This
was intended to rebut the charge of Mr..
Hearst that the presidents percentages
were arranged" President Baer had given
testimony that in 1896 the roads arrived at
the percentage carried by each for that
year. The table offered today showed wide
differences from these percentages, in some
instances amounting to millions of tons.
for the years preceding and following 1886
Cross-examination by Mr.. Shearn brought
out the fact that the percentages since 1885
had adhered more closely to those of that
year than they did previously except in the
years of strikes, when the conditions were
abnormal.
Mr.. Blauvelt on the Stand.
NJ. p Blauvelt, controller Of the Erie
railroad, took the stand and in response to
questions by Mr.. Brownell, pointed out In
complainaGt's tables features favorable to
the defendant roads.
Mr. Blauvelt was still on the stand when
a recess was taken for luncheon.