The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-09

Another Resolution VIII Ask Inves-
tieation Of All the ChargesMr.
Stanley Upbraids Republicans and
Has Words Of Praise for Bryan.
Washington, February 6.-Having
fixed the end of the general debate
on the rate bill 1T 4:30 o'clock ton3or-
row, the recognition Of the chair was
passed around at a lively rate in the
House today. Seventeen speeches were
made, all Of them for the measure.
amount of criticism.
Mr.. Gillespie CTexas), author of the
resolution regarding the alleged Penn
sylvania railroad commission answered
yesterday by the President, declared
today hat that answer was an in
suit; that with the great machinery
at hand a complete Investigation of
actual condition should have been
made. He said such an investigation
would show that the railroads carry
ing bituminOus coal to the Atlantic
ports are the Pennsylvania, New York
Central, Baltimore and Ohio, Chesa-
peake and Ohio, Norfolk and Western
and the Reading. He recited the facts
developed concerning the relations of
four of these railroads which were
named in his first resolution in regard
to their having the same stockholders
and directors Hn QCcQrfo6 that an in
Vestigation would show that there had
been al allotment to each coal carry
ing road OF a certain territory, to pre-
vent competition in markets by means
of rate adjustments, agreements and
combinations. Also that the Pennsyl-
vania and New York Central, by means
of their stock ownership arrangements,
have prevented coal from the terri
tory of the Norfolk and Western and
Chesapeake and Ohio being offered
anywhere above the Virginia capes..
also that the Pennsylvania Company
has the power to curtail shipments
from territory served by the Baltimore
and Ohio and Chesapeake and Ohio
and Norfolk and Western, also that
the Baltimore and Ohio declines to
allOt a fair proportion of cars to indie
pendent shippers, or to allow indie
pendent companies to open up new
mines and become shippers on the line
of the Baltimore and Ohio; also that
an investigation would show that the
Pennsylvania Railroad and its officers
were interested in coal companies
shipping over it's lines.
MI. Gillespie has prepared a resolu-
ton, which he will introduce, request
ing the President to direct the inter-
state commerce commission to make
an immediate investigation of all
these charges.
That a commission controlled by the
Pennsylvania Railroad existed to con-
troll the coal output of West Virginia,
was stated by Mr.. Gaines (Republi-
CAM Of that state. In the spring OF
1904, he introduced a resolution in
the House on that point. 1t was o
pressed, but Mr.. Gaines said he was
furnished with the information he had
asked for the interstate commerce
commission some time later. This
information showed, ne continued,
that the Pennsylvania Company n
its affiliated lines, controlled the Ches-
apeake and Ohio, the Baltimore and
Ohio, and the Norfolk and Western
roads,. and exercised this control for
the purpose of limiting the coal prod
uct of West Virginia and preventing 1t
from entering into competition with
the coal from the Pennsylvania mines
in both eastern and western markets.
Mr.. Gaines read two sections from
the Southern Railway and Steamship
Association agreement, dividing up the
territory as follows:
That a line from Buffalo, through
Salamanca, Pittsburg, Wheeling and
Parkersburg to Huntington, w. Va,
be made the dividing line between
eastern and western lines for h ter
ritory hereinafter CItlined. That the
western lines shall not make joint
rates from points east OF that line lot
n ointS east of a line drawn from
CHATTANOOGA through Birmingham,
Selma and Montgomery to Pensacola.
The eastern lines including the
Richmond and Danville railroad via
StraSburg, or points east OF Strasburg
and the East Tennessee, Virginia aud
Georgia Railway via Bristol shall not
make joint rates on traffic from points
west Of that line buffalo, etc. to any
points on or west of a line drawn
from Chattanooga, through Athens
Augusta and Macon TO Live Oak. Flor
ida. The traffic from Buffalo, Augusta,
and Macon to Live Oak, Florida. The
traffic from Buffalo through Salarcan-
ca. Pfttsburg. Wheeling and Parkers-
burg to Huntington, w. Va, and
points on that line to and east or
Chattanooga, Callers and Salem shall
be carried by either the eastern or
western lines only at such rates as
may be agreed upon"
This agreement, he said, was signed
by the proper officers of 20 railroad
and steamship companies. II was