CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1907-11-07

AS there is no antitrust law in this
state, the attorney general is proceed
ing under an old statute which allows
him to institute action against any
combination which he has reason to
thinks exists in restraint Of trade. He
has been securing evidence upon
which to base a suit against the coal
men for some time. being assisted by
persons who had any complaints to
file against the trust.
The plaintiff alleges, upon informa-
ton and belief" says the petition.
that while In theory the objects OF
the Rocky Mountain Coal Mems as
ISOLATION, as set out above In section
l OF article 2 of its constitution, are
legitimate, yet in truth and in fact one
OF the objects. il not the principal OBJ
ject, of said association and of said de-
PENDANTS as members thereof, was and
is to abolish competition and to regu-
late the price of coal; that these de-
fendants, members OF this association,
have abdicated their functions as pro-
ducers and dealers in coal 90 far as
the price thereof in concerned, and
have placed that power in the hands of
SAooS~AASASAb
and agreed between themselves and
this association and others that the
price to be charged to consumers it
to be fixed, not by themselves. the pro-
ducers, nor by the retail dealers, but
by said association, and have unlaw-
FULLY conspired and agreed to refuse
to sell coal to any retail dealer except
those who would abide by the price
fixed by this association"
The petition further charges that
the association owns and practically
operates all the coal mines in the state.
and supply practically all the coal
consumed in the state; that prior to
July l of this year the coal companies
entered into an agreement with the
Denver Coal association and others
to create and carry out restrictions
in the mining, shipping and selling of
coal; that this conspiracy Is directed
against the small. Independent coal
operators; that the effect of this con-
spiracy and agreement has been to un-
reasonably advance the price of coal to
the consumers, and that the inevitable
result has been and will be to increase
the price of commodity Indispensable
to all people of the state to a point
greatly above what the price of coal
would be If said retailers and consum
ers were allowed to purchase in
competitive market.
Continuing the attorney general
charges that by reason Of the alleged
combination the production of coal in
Colorado is greatly curtailed and fire.
t11, Lap hA 70
and demands of the consumers. in
many instances depriHng them of
sufficient coal to meet their manufac-
turing and business needs, as we'll as
protecting them from the winters
cold.
The prayer of the attorney general
is that the court issue temporary in
junction restraining the defendants
from enforcing any of the alleged
agreements to refuse to sell their coal
unless the purchaser shall agree to
sell at price fixed by the association;
that the association be enjoined from
further advancing the price of coal
by any combination. or attempting to
regulate its rate by any agreement
whatsoever; and for such further Or
uCI anu uCSlC0b ob ~ IAlc
honorable court necessary and proper
under the proofs to enable the con-
sumers OF coal In the state of Colo
rado to purchase in a fair and COM
petitive market, uninfluenced by the
agreements made by the defendants"
The following is list OF corpora
tions and individuals doing business
in Fremont county involved:
The Rocky Mountain Fuel company
The Florence Coal company.
The Royal Gorge Coal and Fire Clay
company.
The Great Western Coal company.
The Victor Fuel company.
A. Patterson.
The Colorado Fuel and Iron COM
pany.