New-York tribune., 1906-07-03
REPORTT0 PENN. BOARD
pRITATE CARS UPHELD.
sosciaI Committee Tells of Worls-
Names No Guilty Persons.


=, .Ae Pennsylvania Railroad Company recently
srno,-ted 20 investigate alleged discrimination
= ne distribution OF coal cars as revealed az
.ke hearing OF the Interstate Commerce Com
--,ssion. was submitted to-day 20 the fun board
q she company After short discussion the
-.co-t was unanimously approved The report
soss not give the name OF any officials or en-
,vyes who have been guilty of showing dis
srininatiOn, but states that such will be dealt
vsis when the facts have been fully established
The committee says il has received replies
,-a-n all officers and employees having charge OF
tho distribution of cars TO INQUIRIES made by
,be committee regarding car distributions but
until the company's records Of the daily move
r1ent Of cars can be examined the committee
VII be unable 20 know whether or not the dis
,ribution of cars varied from the rules govern
inz the same. Because OF the magnitude OF the
task OF tabulating, examining and comparing
many thousands OF reports. the committee has
employed the Audit Company, OF New York. 10
undertake an expert investigation OF the COM
panys daily reports and other records Of car
distribution
THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The report, which was signed by c. Stuart
Patterson. William II. Barnes, Effingham b
Norris. Thomas Dewitt Cuyler and Rudolph
Ellis, who make up the committee. follows:
The committee met and organized on the day of
s Y & a og m s sGe liel oigenty proceeded
Subsequently, the boards of directors of the Penn
Washington Railroad Company, the Northern Cen
ua Railway Company. the West Jersey & Sea
Chiosgo & 81. Louis Railway Company. the Van
cans cam RaiiWav comnanv me e 1anosadp haplaT q IN
columbus Railway Company, the Long Island Rail
Company requested the committee to make concur
TeHy similar investigation Of each of those COM
spectively the facts. conclusions and the recon-
mendstiOns Of the committee
james MeCrea, being the first vice-president of
me pennsylvania company, one OF the cOmpanie~
g ana IN his Paee r RudSipR ESSle Es ETG@ was es
elected member of the committee The commit
zee selected as its counsel William D. Guthrie. of
The New York bar and Sias W Petit. OF the
The committee has carefully considered the off,
ga record OF the testimony taken before the Inter
1tt oSTcia ~scor5 si, IL III "a ne tesI
knowledge as 10 that which really said by the
That ofhcial record shows that Of more than three
hundred operators OF bitunlinOus coal mines. sit
fed t6st tbey beijeVed tbeSaIS,as I T Sl @ b
unfairly Disseminated against either in the distri
b8lon OF coal cars or sn the matter Ofssidngs
necing mine workings with the railroad line. Fifty
one Of the more than one hundred and twenty-three
thousand officers and employees of the Pennsylvania
as.foso company were examined before the Inter
STATE Commerce Commission, and Of those witnesses
IssnIyzone were shown TO have acquired, in various
Eays interests In coal companies properties, al
iegea out not proven. 70 have received undue and
cars in construction OF sidingS. Despite the
public impression to the contrary derived from the
rsEspapers' the testimony OF the witnesses exam
.S Rse Peiore the commission does not prove. that
preferences either in the distribution Of coal
ef n the construction OF sidings.
~ me full performance OF the duty imposed upon
ue committee requires II TO inquire into and re-
port upon the conduct OF all the business OF rail
way system which operates more than ten thou
ssha "a miles OF line. and which in 7el5 carried 12S
sRended in purchases Of real estate. construction.
no paid in wages sl20644s7s TO 1s5.42s officers and
euly. entered upon an inquiry into the system and
paetice of the several companies in purchases Of
contracts. for construction: the purchases Of ma
1si sj and supplies the conduct Of transportation
CTS and the selection. discipline and fidelity of
ofioerb and employees.
TASK ONE OF MAGNITUDE.
The committee fully realize the serious nature of
ne responsibility and the magnitude Of the task
gence and the fidelity of the company's administra-
ton and the integrity of a small number OF its
oidoeEs and employees have been widely dissem-
holders Of the companies that those charges should
.; so 80 thoToushsy investigated that the owners
:, saom ON they have committed the management are
Il Is equally due to the great body Of oflceTs
sno employees that the many who are innocent
may be guilty: that those who shall. after fair and
.Sa .S,l sSamnatioa be found 70 have done wTonS
may have been indiscTeet should be admonished.
should be relieved from unjust aspersions.
Inc obvious method OF procedure Is to determine
done and Si in pbee tbe next plaee by whom the wrong
t4 M acts have been committed. The committee nave
therefore asked from every officer whose actlon
could in any manner affect the distribution OF
sor and the rules and methods, both past ana pres
~ ~ governing the distribution OF Goa! cars: tnE ne
cases. explanations OF the conditions attending the
ownership OF coal by shippers. the rules gov
heFefor and ali comments explanations or state,
ls "a which, n the opinion OF the onlcSr anS - go
oeEtaining the facts
The comHittee has received from every such Off;
ser categorical replies 70 those Inquiries, but until
tbe compapy's records Of the daily movement or
cars can be examined and tabulated u IS oDviousiE
..npossble know the distribution Of cars actually
9ses ,-.. and wherein II at an such oistGiO9Te9 Tst
ssouletion involves the examination and comparl,
ne services OF large clerical force and the oili-
Seis having the direction over and the RESPONSE
the committee TO have this work done by ac-
colnisns selected by and working under the super
Vision Of the committee, that the tables when
Prepared may be free from any Euspicion Of bias;
1e committee has therefore employed me AvoiS tto
Sen and iavorably known in the financial centres
Instructed thar company to undertake expert
i1vestigaton OF the facts set forth in and by the
other recoris Of coal car distribution. rendered
& each Of it's nine bituminous mime regiCs' qeoe
~ tas period from January = lso 20 80 Siy i ~
,aS.tusNe' q determine the percentage OF GaIs 81
-otsed al M times TO eacn coa4 operator NIS oNt
end short variations from the allotted number OF
Ears shown by the figures Of actual cars suppIlen,
= furnish tabulations setting forth the mohtiiy
80 yearly results ia totals OF any sucn over anu
slort variations: add 20 those tabulations every
taei Obtajnable regarding the reasons which may
SSsse led 10 the distributing Of cars II a manner
l1ereuf from the requirements Of allotted quotas
- critically and carefully investigate and report
lpon any and all special orders which may nave
sseh issued IN any manner or at any iinc since
ssnlaFg !. 1900 affecting the distribution OF coal
srs and 10 report The committee at the earliest
S.s1oie moment consistent with the accomplish
--ih OF thorough and searching investigation