Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-03
DISTRIBUTION OF COAL CARS
Directors Of Pennsylvania Railway Deny
Charges of FaVoritism.
EVIDENCE TAKEN is NOT CONCLUSIVE
Report says IL Ia Not Proven
that Undue Preference Has
Been shown 20 Any
shippers.
OENCE TAKEN is NOT CONCLUSIVE

PHILADELPHIA, july "A preliminary
report OF the special committee Of the
board Of directors OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad company recently appointed to in
vestigate alleged discrimination in the dis
tribution of coal cars as revealed at the
hearings of the Interstate Commerce com
mission was submitted today to the full
board Of the company. After short dis
cusslon the report was unanimously APP
proved.
The committee after stating that 1t had
been required to extend its investigation
to all companies controlled by the Pennsyl-
vania railroad and that 1t had cerctullH
considered the testimony taken before the
Interstate Commerce commission, says that
the testimony showed that Of more than
800 operators Of bituminous coal miles
situated on the lines of the Pennsylvania
company, less than ten operators in all
hsve testified that they believed them
selves to have been unfairly disseminated
against, either in the distribution Of coal
cars, or in the matter OF sidlngs connecting
mine workings with the railroad line"
Evidence Not Conclusive.
"Fifty-one of the more than l2S,0OO off,
GERS and employees of the Pennsylvania
Railroad company" the committee says,
were examined before the Interstate Com
merce commission, and of those witnesses
twenty-one were shown to have acquired.
in various ways, interests in coal COM
panies or properties, alleged, but not
proven, to have received undue and UNI
reasonable preferences in the distribution
OF coal cars, or in the construction OF sid
inRs. Despite the public impression to the
contrary. derived from the fragmentary
publications of the evidence in the news
papers, the testimony Of the witnesses eX-
amined before the commission does not
prove that there have been in fact any
undue or unreasonable preferences, either
In the distribution OF coal cars, or In the
construction Of sidings"
The committee says it has received re-
plies from all officers and employees having
charge Of the distribution of cars to In
quiries made by the committee regarding
car distribution. but until the company's
records OF the daily movement of cars can
be examined the committee will be unable
to know whether the distribution of cars
varied from the rules governing the same.
Expert investigation OF the company's daily
reports and other records of car distribu-
ton has been undertaken. t-r s., q.
The committee calls attention to many
difficulties encountered in the distribution
OF cars. and says: ....-. ......
There must be fair system OF pro rata
distribution, but whatever be the system
there will inevitably come periods when
the demand for cars will exceed the supply
OF cars because of increased market prices,
sometimes caused by weather, sometimes
by suddenly increased industrial develop
ment. Under such conditions priority must
be given, first to shippers who furnish coal
to the railroad companies engaged, ana
next to those whose fulfiIlment OF contracts
will keep other railroads In operation pro
vent municipalities from being LETT in DARK.
ness or enables steamships to sail, etc. V
is not to be assumed, without proof, that
any special order was issued by any ofhcer
from any improper motive. on the con.
every such order was Issued only because
OF sufficient business necessity.