Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-17
SAME LINE OF INQUIRY
The |. C. C. Resumed Investiga-
ton of Railroads
AT PHILADELPHIA TODAY
Into the Alleged Discrimination Over
Coal Cars.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY GIVEN
Telegraphic Orders Of tho General
superintendent Of eennsy1vania
Road Explained.
GP0RTANT TESTIMONY GIVEN
Telegraphic Orders Of tho General

nation tn the distribution of coal cars The
sensational testimony OF yesterday, in
which officials OF the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company connected with the car dis
tributfng department were shown to have
received gifts of stock and money from
coal companies. increased the attendance
at the morning session
The same line of inquiry was followed
with todays witnesses. The most import
ant witness at the early session of the
commission was Michael Trump, general
superintendent Of transportation. The pre-
vfous witnesses who had testified concern
ing the distribution of cars informed the
commission that they had acted under or
ders from Mr.. Trump The latter will be
required by the commission to explain the
Geographic orders sending special assign
ments OF cars to certain coal companies
This viii be especially so in the case Of the
Berwind White Company, special order
for 500 cars daily having been received by
Superintendent Creighton at Altoona for
that company.
William A. Patton, assistant to President
Cassatt, has been subpoenaed and will
probably be called during the day
Method Of Distribution.
Mr.. Trump was asked to explain the
method of distribution between 1900 and
1908. He stated that the rating of the
coal companies was fixed by taking the
tonnage of the various regions for sew
eral years and endeavoring to strike an
average.
The tonnage system he said, was used
until 1908 He was asked IL he could fur
nish the tonnage allotment for the period
named and said he would do so.
Mr.. Trump was closely questioned COW
ering individual cars. He was asked IL
the Berwind- White Company and the
Keystone Coal Company did not have
enough private or individual cars to carry
all their tonnage. He said that was the
case.
rs 1t a rule of the railroad company
that no coal company shall have less than
500 individual cars?" Attorney Glasgow
asked the witness.
That was the rule adopted by the COM
pany to discourage the use of individual
cars"
Discouraging Small Operators.
Don't you know" said Mr.. Glasgow,
that during the Pennsylvania railroads
most strenuous period of freight conges-
tion the company sold 1000 cars to Ber-
wind White and 500 to the keystone Coal
& Coke Company? You don't call that
discouragfng the use of individual cars,
do you? Isn't 1t a fact that the rule was
adopted for the purpose of discouraging
only small operators?"
I'VE thought 1t would discourage every
OOuys Mk. 4luiup Ecpicu
"Was the rule enforced?"
well exceptions were made. In some
cases we varied the rule. allowing 100 cars
In one year and 200 cars within three
years."
He was asked II he recalled the case of
was unable to secure individual cars. went
to the president OF the road, and on the
order Of the president secured 1000 cars.
Mr.. Trump said he knew Mr.. Ellsworth
| hn1 kEa k.ryA ~ o.
miliar with the circumstances.
Weekly Reports Of Allotment.
Asked what efforts were made to insure
the proper distribution of cars, Mr. Trump
said General Superintendent Creighton fur
nished him with weekly reports OF the
allotment. In reply to the question as to
whether he examined these reports to de-
termine whether each mine received Its full
rating, he said the general superintendent
probably did so.
Mr.. Glasgow wanted to know why the
company did not make public the number
Of cars to which each company was en-
titled, the number it received and the
number sent to a district.
Mr.. Trump said there was no substantial
objection, but he did not think 1t neces-
sary. Mr.. Glasgow inquired as to Mr..
Trumps holdings OF stock in coal compa-
MES. He said he had 300 shares in the At
lantic Crushed Coke Company, paying
per cent dividends, and 400 shares in the
keystone Coal and Coke Company. The
stock In the first-named company he said,
was given to him by J.. r. Patton, a super
intendent of the Pennsylvania railroad. He
held 100 shares of Clarion and Carbon Com
pany stock and when these companies
were absorbed by the Keystone Company
he received 200 shares of keystone stock
for his holdings in the Clarion and Carbon
Later, when the capital stock OF the Key
stone Coal and Coke Company was in
creased. his holdings were increased to 400
shares.
Alleged Scarcity Of Cars
At the request of Francis /. Gowen Mr..
Trump read statement Of the methods
OF car distribution as applied by the Penn
sylvania railroad. Regarding the tele-
graphic orders for special allotments of
cars, Mr.. Trump said they were made dur
ing 1902 and 1903, when there was q
scarcity of cars because of the congestion
Of traffic. He endeavored to furnish coal
to the Industrial and municipal plants
where tilese was danger OF distress, and for
this reason was compelled to favor the
companies which had contracts with es-
tablishments of the kind. At other tines
Mr.. Trump said. 1t was customary to issue
special orders for coal to tidewater in order
to furnnish vessels with necessary coal,
SITUATION IMPROVING.