The Washington times., 1906-02-14
CAR DISTRIBUTION
ANOTHER PROBLEM
Means for Hauling Coal I'm,
pOrtant Question.
METHODS OF RAILROADS
Alleged Discrimination Against hide
pendent Companies Before Inter
state Commerce Commission

Tho e.uitabIe distribution of cars and
Tho ersntiner IF suitable facilities for
handling coal are regarded by the
members OF the Interstate commerce
Commission as probably more perpieX-
ing questions for them to answer than
the others in the Tillman resolution
passed Monday by the Senate
Several railroads have acknowledged
and defended their right TO own and
operate coal mines, and facts about the
officers OF the railroads being the Of
ficers of the coal companies will be a
matter easily determined The big prom
lem before the commission viii be that
involving charges OF GlscF1hl1LaNloti
against the independent owners or coal
mines by the coal-mining railroads.
Looking for Reforms.
Several cases have already been be-
fore the commission in which the at
ritude of the attorney OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company toward IN
dependent operators and wouid,be Or
orators in the bitumtnOuS coal dlSiLlCtS
has been called into question: Inc
commission has said some stern things
about the railroad II VIII nc" tTy 10
ascertain il these rebukeS nave uLos-
somed into reforms. -,
In the case of the Red Rock Fuel
Company against the Baltimore anu
Ohio, the commission said;
Careful consideration or the eNf-
dence conviuces us. and We ma th4t
chief reason Why defendant decunes 70
grant the connection which VIII result
o. in complainant being equipped with 5los-
track facilities, and thus enaoieu 70
make interstate shipments or coaI over
. defendants railway, Is Jnal II ueslI g
Ia protect coal companies in which II
is interested against the competition
of those who wish to make shipments
of coal from coal mines wF'"h are as
vet undeveloped and not provided WITH
shipping facilities Defendants inter
, est in coal companies, such as the Con
oscillation, the Somerset, and the Fair-
. mont is very large, and the tempta-
tton to protect that interest Is CORE
spondingly great. 1t owns more than
S9.Wop0 OF the Cdplldl sloSN VI Inv
3 Consolidation Coal Company
Lessons of the Strike.
During the strike in the anthracite
regions. the margin of profit in mining
. l,ituminous coal was so large that it be-
came feasible to operate country mines
from which the coal was hauled to sid
inps and loaded from wagons into the
cars The large operators found that
the few cars obtainable had TO be
shared with these new operators. Ihey
kicked to the railroad. and the Baltl-
more and Ohio sympathized with them
and favored them, the Interstate COM
merce Commission found The commls-
sion also ascertained that the Baltimore
and Ohio was interested in the larger
companies
a discrimination Ike the one referred
10 might be a benefit temporarily TO the
carrier, and in some instances 70 con-
Sumers," was the finding of the com
mission. but it would be an injury to
small shippers. and, as il would tend TO
create a monopoly in the latter. might
also affect iniuriOusly the interests of
the general public
Since that case the railroads have be
come bolde-. and the commission more
determined, as shown in the Red Rock
case
a complaint has been lodged with the
commission, bat not yet heard in which
the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company is
accused OF discrimination in favor Of
companies directed by the railroad 5
officers.