New-York tribune., 1906-06-13
BERWIND-W HITEFAVORS|
The Pennsylvania Paid Pier Fees
and Furnished Cars.

Philadelphia. June 12-The Berwfnd-white
Coal Mining Company was the issue before the
interstate Commerce Commission when II re-
snfned its investigation to-day into the relations
OF railroads TO coal and oil interests Probably
ihe most important fact brought out was that
the coal company receives seven cents ton
irom the railroad company for handling its cars
On the Harsimus Pier This allowance gives the
coai company about $1,000 a month for this
service The work is performed however by
pennsylvania Railroad crews with railroad loco
Aiotfes' Tor which the coal company makes
nhoh'hiy settlements with the railroad. the
amount of the monthly bill being something
over S700
Nharles Heebner, counsel for the Berwind-
"hi'e company. aroused the ire of the commits
ohefs "hen he told them coal loaded into the
DuiAhers OF steamships was paid for by estimated
"eight, and that there was no way of determin
i"s the quantity Of coal that remained in
barge when the steamship did not take the on
TIRE load. Commissioner Cockrell suepestad tho.
Nlr' Heebner was evasive which was Indignantly,
denied
we nave nothing to evade." he asserted; but
uo not know how you are going to find out
"o' you are trying TO learn because we have
no way OF knowing it ourselves"
wen we viii stagger along the best we can"
ONiiissioiler Clements
AZ developed through the testimony Of Fred
ieh Macowen treasurer of the company that
uufins period when cars were scarce E. J.
berwind made ARRANGEMENTS with tho r,ar,,s,,,
Ndnia Railroad by which his coronsn1 ob+aired
ohe thousand individual cars several bundrad
% winch hao been in the service of the railroad
MI MacOWen detailed the history of the Rer
VIM " Mite company, and explained the lease of
Harsimus Pier
n 7
~ 'fanhin' assistant freight agent of the
pennsylvania Railroad, was one OF the witnesses
as' through him II shown that out of
seven claims for coal lost in transit four made
py weston Dodson & Co. were not granted and
tHree naoe by the keystone Coal and Coke
company were allowed. The keystone COM
paHy claims were allowed for delay in transit
MT FTahkiin said. but while there might have
peeh oeiay in the of the other claims II
was hKeiy that they occurred at destination for
winch the consignee was proba bly, responsible
QUlBBLE OVER TRANSFER BOOKS
Mr.. Heeoner protested when Mr.. Glasgow re-
quested Mr. MacOwen to furnish the stock
transfer books of the Berwind- white company.
we VIII be very glad to let the commission
| and counsel the books" said Mr. Heebner
Out we want them TO be regarded as confden-
tial. There is nothing in them for publicity"
Il don't want the burden of condolences with
i
cannot place on the records what should go there
II is useless for US TO examine the books"
Both Commissioners Clements and Cockrell
1 then took part in the discussion. and it was
/ finally decided TO examine the books privately
| but that any portion of their contents which
! the commission might deem essential to its rec
| ords IS to be placed therein.
With the aid of Mr.. Heebner. the witness gave
a detailed account of the Berwind-white COM
pany. He said that In 1875 E. ]. Berwind went
TO New York TO develop the coal trade Of the
| Pennsylvania Railroad for steamship Up
10 that time the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad car
ried the bulk OF the soft coal. and the remainder
was divided among the other roads, with the ex-
| ception of the Pennsylvania, which had none Of
| the trade. In three years. the witness said, Mr..
Berwind had succeeded in obtaining a trade Of
about 10000 tons annually for the Pennsyl-
| vania lines. The coal came from the Eureka
Mine in the Clearfeld region, but later the Ber-
| wind-White company purchased 10000 additional
! acres IN the same region. which is called the
| Scalp Level. The company operates twelve
| miles there Mr. MacOwen said the pier facili-
! ties al South Amboy were insufficient. and the
| Berwind- White company leased wharfage from
| the railroad at Harsimus. The railroad built
| the pier and the coal company paid for IT,
! A diagram showing the relative increase of
| tonnage shipped by the Berwind-White COM
| pany and the total tonnage OF all companies was
| placed in evidence Ii showed that during the
| time that previous witnesses testified that the
Berwind- White company was favored in the
| distribution of cars the company's mines were
underrated and the supply OF cars was below
the rating In September. 1902, with a capacity
! of 100 cars daily, the mines We're rated at go
cars, and the supply was 400. of which s. were
/ private
In answer TO questions by Mr.. Glasgow Mr..
! MacOwen said the arrangement by which the
/ coal company received the 1000 private cars
! from the Pennsylvania Railroad was made by
! z ] Berwind with officials of the Pennsylvania
4 Railroad He unable TO name the officials.
About six hundred OF these cars We're not new.
| he said They had been in the service OF the
! railroad The price paid originally $1,000 a
| car but an adjustment was made reducing the
| price TO sl,1S7 car.
Mr. MacOwen explained that the scarcity OF
cars was likely TO prevent the company from
| filling its contracts. Mr.. Berwind endeavored to
obtain a supply of individual cars from the
| builders but they could not guarantee quick de-
livery He then appealed 10 the Pennsylvania
Railroad, and got the cars.
The Berwind- White company owns no coal
lands Its Scalp Level operations are upon land
verbally leased from the Wilmore Coal Com
pany, Of which Mr.. Berwfnd is the principal
owner.
| SEN4TE'S FUTURE WORK.