Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-05-31
rhe Railroad Investigation.

The Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion continued its sessions at Phila-
delphia. ON Wednesday, of last week,
and VIM. A. Patton, Assist President,
of the p. r. r. Co acknowledged TO
having $500. 600 worth of Coal Co. stock
that he got for nothing; v. p. Green
denied having any and 50 did Sup'd't.
johnson Of the Tyrone branch.
the Board of Directors of the P. r.
r. met and decided to investigate.
On Thursday John Lloyd, banker
and coal operator. of Altoona, who is
one of the members of the banking firm
of Cassatt g. Co., testified that the
Columbia Coal Company was forced TO
sell the Alexandria mine because of the
shortage of cars. and George E. Scott.
of the Puritan and Crescent coal COM
panies, declared that he paid for the
use of railroad cars when he failed to
secure his allotment, and that during a
period of 90 days the railroad had fur
nished him with only one car. He also
asserted that Michael Trump, general
superintendent Of transportation, had
told him the company intended to pro
tect the Berwind- White company at all
hazards.
On Friday, Mr.. Boyneburg, an inde'
pendent coal operator. said that the
business which he had lost had in many
instances been gained by the Berwind
White Coal Company and the Keystone
Coal e. Coke Company. which are
known as the Cassatt companies.
In still further Indictment of the raid
road, Mr.. Won Boyneburgh stated that
the officers of the Pennsylvania Rail
road were working in the interests oi
the Keystone Company and that ne had
learned that an officer of the Pennsyi'
yania Railroad had endeavored to have
his informant customer take the busl
ness from Won Boyneburgh and give IL
to the keystone Company.
These disclosures were the climax &c
testimony by this witness which, in III
entirety, was terrible arraignment OF
the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad for gross dis
elimination in the distribution OF Goa
company cars. Having good coal lands
himself practical operator with plenty
Of money with which to operate his
mine holdings. this man was suddenly
pulled from the position of prosperous
operator to that of man who in one
year had to expend S11, 900 more than
his receipts in order to keep his mine
running.
Many additional disclosures regarding
special privileges granted by the Penn
sylvania railroad to the Berwind- White
Coal Company, by which this pet
corporation was enabled to gain great
advantage over its competitors, were
brought forth from witnesses.
Instead of lis cars to tidewater being
delayed until-they were weighed. they
were sent direct to Harsimus pier at
New York harbor, they being given
"blind billing"
The lease of this pier to the Berwind
White Company for its exclusive use
was shown to work out to the detriment
OF the independent operator. as it prac-
ticalIy gave monopoly to the Berwind-
White company.
Some idea OF the determinations
through which small companies were
frozen out was given during the testi-
mony of r. b. Large, coal freight agent
of the Pennsylvania railroad. From
him it was learned that for ~ years the
Latrobe Coal Company was given an al
lowance by the Pennsylvania for the
performance of certain work upon rail
road tracks upon the mine property.
This work was supposed to be the pro-
viding Of and the running Of an engine.
In 1902 It was discovered that the
Latrobe Mining Co. had no engine. and
that the equipment of the Pennsylvania
was being used for the work for the
performance Of which the mining com
pany was obtaining an allowance NOT
given its competitors.
On Saturday 1t was said that Presi
dent Cassatt was on his way home from
Europe. and on Monday, that an effor
would be made by the stockholders o
the p. r. r. to force him out of office