Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-28
MOUNTAIN
COAL TRADE TRUST.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE CON-
MISSION HEARS CHARGES
Union Pacific Agents Dynamite Rival
Prospeotors' Outfits, II Is Charged,
and officials Work in
Collision
Rv Associatod Press.

BY Associated Press.
SALT LAKE, Utah. Nov. 27.--Ed-
ward E. Clark. interstate commerce
commissioner, today resumed the gov
ernments investigation of the condi-
tions affecting tho coal trade in the
inter-mountain country and the man
ner in which coal lands have been ac-
quired in Utah and Wyoming
The legal departments of the Gould
and Hartman railroads were repre-
sented at the hearing and were per-
mitted to cross-examine witnesses.
E. NJ. Allison jr., attorney for the
Rio Grande system, i'm an argument
against permitting the investigation to
take the wide scope which Mr. Clark
proposes, admitted that there is u
monopoly of the coal trade in the in
ter-mountain country. He insisted,
however, that the interstate commerce
commission had no authority to enter
upon public investigation of the man.
ner in which the coal lands were ac-
quired. Testimony in relation to such
matters, he argued, should be taken
in secret and the facts brought out
should be submitted direct to the pres
dent in special report for such sub
sequent action as the president might
desire.
Dynamite Competitors
The principal witness at the forenoon
session was Robert S. Spence of Evan
ston, Wyo., an attorney, who told of
the methods of the Union Pacific Coal
company in acquiring coal lands in
Wyoming and in keeping out opposi-
tion companies. He testified that
used dynamite in their efforts to keep
men with oil drilling machinery out of
Uintah county, Wyo.
When prospectors attempted to take
in their machinery. he testified, d
trench was dug and filled with dyna-
mite and men placed there were in
structed to blow up the machinery if
an attempt should be made to take it
into Uintah county over land claimed
by the Union Pacific company under
grant by the government.
Mr.. Spence testified that the sheriff
of the county was called in and the
mine was exploded, but the earth was
heaVed up In such manner that ap-
proach to the oil prospect on the side
hill was impossible The witness ad-
mitted that he was one of the incor-
porators of the American Consolidated
Oil company which had attempted to
develop oil prospects in Wyoming.
Charges Collision
An affidavit of A. j. Smith of Den
yer in relation to the acquisition of
coal lands in Wyoming by the Union
PacifiU Coal company, in which charges
of eollusion between the coal company
and Officers of the United States land
office at Evanston are made, was in |
troduced as evidence. This is the affi- |
davit that was recently forwarded to
the secretary of the interior.
Attorney Williams. counsel for the
Union Pacific, denounced Smiths affi-
davit as "lurid literature" and protest.
ed against what he termed the be-
smirching of the names and characters
of the government officials at Evan
ston.
George Hare. special agent for the
land office. was questioned in regard
to Investigations he had made of en-
tries of certain coal lands now held
by the Utah Fuel company.
Attorney Allison entered his objec- |
ton to the taking of testimony of this |
character and asked what the commits
sion would do after taking such tes-
timony if the Utah Fuel company
brought In witnesses who would tes-
tify quite to the contrary
Commissioner Clark replied: "I have |
lived fifteen years in Utah and you
can't intimidate me with any threats"
After Mr.. Allison had stated that no
offense had been intended a recess