New-York tribune., 1907-09-01
THE READING ANSWERS
FILED IN COAL CASES.
Senator Hanna Held Responsible for
AdUance an Prices.

Philadelphia. Aug. Sl.-The Reading Company. the
Philadelphia Reading Railway Company and tbs
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Compan.
filed their to-day to the suit of the fedora,
government to break up the alleged monopoly ex
listing I'm the anthracite coal regions OF this state
The answers OF the three concerns Of which George
r. Baer is president, make general denial OF the
governments allegations, and go into the first
great strike the hard coal fields and Its relation
to the Presidential campaign Of 1900 when McI<in-
ley elected
It is declared that the agreements to advance the
price of coal were brought about In 1900 by the
violence and intimidation of the striking mine
workers. by the failure of the United states gov
ernment and the state OF Pennsylvania to enforce
the law and protect the coal companies and by the
opportunities of the late Senator NJ. a Hanna.
who It is alleged anxious to end the strike of
the miners account OF the impending Presden
tial election.
General denials OF Tie conspiracy charges
made in the answer of the Reading Company and
that of the railway company. The answer Of the
coal and iron company takes up the strike of 1860
and says that substantially all the workmen IN the
anthracite regions "abandoned their work under
the force and effect of violence turbulence and
intimidation and the employees and workmen Of
this defendant and others IN the same neighbor-
hood were Induced compelled by like violence
turbulence and intimidation 10 abandon their en-
poyment"
HANNA URGED ADVANCE IN WAGES.
The answer goes on to say that shortly after
ward It was represented. in substance, to the
officials OF this defendant and the representatives
Of other mining companies by Marcus A.
Hanna, acting chairman of the Republican Ma
t!onal Committee. in the then pending political
campaign for the ele--'on OF candidates for Presi-
dent and Vce-Pr,--uent o: the United States. that
II the said strike should be speedily settled by
an advance IN the wages OF the worl1men in and
about the mines in the entire anthracite region
the strike would to the states OF Ohio Indi-
ana and Illinois, and that the election of Mr. Nc
Kinley and Mr.. Roosevelt would be thereby en-
dangered."
The answer declares that Mr.. Hanna represented
10 the officials Of the company that he hor-
lied to settle the strike through President Mitchell
OF the Miners Union II the operators would agree
to give their workmen 10 per cent increase in
wages.
II IS set forth that the company did agree TO ad-
vance the wages Of its mine and coliery work.
men 10 Ger cent. and that the other principal
mine owners who had been in conference with Mr.
Hanna had agreed 10 the same concession.
1t is stated that Thereafter conferences were
held between the officials representatives OF the
principal mine operators who had heretofore Of
fered the said advance I'm wages and the represen-
tatives of the principal mine operators who had to
DO 50: that as the result OF the agreement of the
operators, this defendant was Obliged to and did
agree with certain of the operators severaily with
whom II had pre-existing contracts for the pur-
chase OF the coal TO be produced by them respec-
lively and who were severaly the tenants or les
with such as should desire 20 dc So increasing the
prices to be paid for the coal TO be produced by
them. respectively. and 10 be cold snd delivered to
this defendant
Continuing, the answer AYERS that all the confer
onces between the operators and the contracts
which resulted therefTom were wholly brought
about compelled and forced upon this defendant
by the turbulence, violence and intimidation afore-
said. by the failure OF the government of the
United States and that OF the commonwealth Of
gpfa 70 epFc a.t-
defendant and its workmen In the peaceful and
la sfuI- prosecution of their work and by the I'm
portunities OF the said Hanna in the supposed ext
sencies OF the pending Presidential campaign.
whereby this defendant was obliged most unw1ll-
nsly. TO buy its peace and the peace and protec-
t'on OF It's wortEnen by the said advance In wages
>sid that the said conferences were IN way what
spvcr in the least degree. induced by the motives
@2r by the alleged unlawful result indefinitely
alleged and set forth In the plaintiffs petition"
GOVERNMENT ALLEGATIONS DENIED.
Ths answers OF the Reading Company and the
the various allegations contained In the govern
ments suit. In reference 70 the charge that the
Reading Company controls the other two corpora
tions the OF he Reading company says:
This defendant denies that Il holds the entire
capital stock OF the Philadelphia & Reading Rail-
way Company and OF the Philadelphia & Reading
Coal and Iron Company md a majority interest
OF the capital stock Of the Central Railroad Com
pany or New Jersey a9 charged IN plaintin 8 peti-
or. but II admits that Il is tho an eqult-
able beneficial interest-subject certain liens
pledges not material RS this defendant Is adj
vised by counsel be particularly set forth herein
in the major portion OF the share capital OF each
Of the said several corporations"
It is also declared that Reading company no
longer holds any stock OF the Central Railroad of
New Jersey but that April l. 1901. $4,000 shares
OF the stock then in the possession OF the Reading
company was transferred TO the Pennsylvania
company for insurance lives and granting an
nUities.
The Reading company in denying tho govern
meuts charges that It entered into an unlawful
combination to control the production transporta-
ton and sale OF coal says
This defendant answering the vague, indefinite,
impertinent uncertain and scandalous charges al
legations and statements set forth and alleged of
plaintiffs petition. waving exception thereto for
their obvious scandal and npertinence, denies that
Il at any time, from any motive considera-
tion whatsoever. either such alleged and
cited In the said petition, whether In concert with
the said other defendants, any OF thern with
any other person. firm or corporation whatsoever,
IN any otherwise howsoever, entered Into any
agreement. scheme. combination conspiracy for
any purpose with any result whatsoever,
whether to acquire the power to control. regulate
restrain or rlonopolize the production sale of
anthracite coal its transportation otherwise"
This paragraph also appears in the answers OF
the other two companies
TAKE $40 BOAT TO WEST POINT.
The Hudson River Day Line has sent request