The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-27

ways been cordial and they do not doubt
his earnest desire to double the present
coal tonnage Of the road. But connec.
ton with the great lakes cannot be
had without the sanction of the board
Of directors
The management of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Is not independent. Six of the
directors are directors and officers In the
Pennsylvania and the New York CEN
trail Railroads The operators do not.
blame the president of the Chesapeake
and Ohio. but these directors, who. tho
operators alege. are RESPONSIBLE for con-
ditions now existing In the West Virginia
coal fields
The whole situation will be gone over
at the coming meeting Of the board OF
directors to be held In Richmond In a
few days. A delegation Of the operators
OF the New River and Knnawha fields
will be In Richmond at that time, and
will probably appear before the board.
tits understood that a conference which
some OF the operators had with Presl.
dent Stevens last week was considerably
more satisfactory than Some of those
held heretofore.
What have said above means
stunned up. that at the beginning Of 1903
of the tonnage that the mines could
Offer It can now handle only about one
third. The coal people say this situation
Is ruinous to them. and that any fur
Their reduction Of the ratio OF cars to
mine capacity will mean actual ruin
That the operators are determined there
can be no sort OF doubt. They say they
will exhaust all legal remedies to secure
an adequate number of cars. and, II
need be, will then petition the legislature
to enact laws to enable them to obtain
the end sought. Among the additional
laws suggested ore a direct statutory
proceeding by nnandamus to compel a
common carrier to furnish carsa legisla-
tive Investigation, and state railroad
commission. such as Virginia has had
since tho adoption of the new consttu-
ton.
Legal Opinion Invoked.
/ am in position to know that the
attention of the attorney general OF the
State has been called to the situation.
and the claim made to him that the
railroad company Is occupying new ter
ritory In West Virginia., not for the pur-
pose Of Developing 1t, but for the p,lr-
pose OF preventing such development.
And the attorney general has been re-
quested to soy whether In his opinion
the State should not move TO ma out
why so much territory has been built
into by a railroad, which, it,is claimed,
for. even territory which It penetrated
before tho new lines were acquired or
built. 8
You may talk to anybody. YOU please
in this coal section. and he will be found
to entertain the osinion. more or less
clearly, that the Chesapeake and Ohio
and the New York Central are holding
and controlling the Chesapeake and Ohio
road. not for the purpose OF building u
Zip and making It a profitable property.
but for the purpose Of keeping It small
carrier, and In that way. saving the
operators In the fields controlled by
tho hands OF West Virginia producers.
However, relief may be in sight These
Is strong hope that there may be a
peaceful solution ct the trouble after all.
After the recent conference In Rich
mond, to which allusion has been made,
the operators and their representative
returned home with the hope that the
railroad directors themselves might, in
the near future. see that the situation
has grown so intolerable that only two
results are possible voluntary relief,
| ,orswar, 1t is now hoped and believed that
voluntary relief may be the outcome
There are rumors OF an agreement be.
tween the manag cement OF the road anc
tho operator by which enough cars tc
handle the business OF the coal fields
1 NAV he had. Whatever the end may be
two things are certain
First The coal operators are deter,
mined to have relief
Second They are now looking for 1t a.
! the hands Of the board Of directors al
the coming meeting in Richmond and
without war 8
WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
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