The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-30
MANY OVENS TO
GET MORE CARS
Complainant Charges That Poca-
hontas Company is Favored
and Evades Basis Of Allot-
mcnt-Competitors Can y
not Move Their
Production.
Timcs- Dispatch Bureau,
MtiuEcv RiiiIinp


Washington, d. c.. Oct. 20.
The question OF car distribution
along the line OF the Norfolk AMI
Western Railway will come up for
hearing on November 9th, at which
time the Powhatan Coal and Coke
Company will present It's plea for n
distribution on the basis OF working
capacity rather than on the number OF
coke ovens.
This company, which is the COM
plainant in the case. asserts the allot-
nlent of cars on the basis OF the num-
Der OF coke ovens a coal company has.
permits wholesale determinations. 1t
points out that there are 1900 coke
ovens costing $500 each, in the Flat
Top Pocahontas District. large per-
centage OF which are not in operation,
and many of which are not erected for
the purpose OF producing coke. but
FOR the sole purpose of getting extra
cars allotted. 1t asserts that the rail-
road allotS one and one-half cars per
oven.
Discrimination Charged.
II Is further alleged that there are
some companies in the good graces
of the railroad which get certain
number OF cars arbitrarily allotted
them. and then get their share OF the
pro rata allotment besides: that there
are other companies that are allotted
cars on basis of more ovens than
they already have: while other com.
panies still. have no ovens at all, but
are allotted cars on the basis of an
Imaginary number of ovens.
1t Is asserted that s per cent. OF the
total cars allotted are given to the
companies arbitrarily before. any al
iotment is made.
1t is pointed out that SO eager have
some companies been to get cars thai
they have built from fifty TO a hun
dred coke ovens at cost of about
*ooV each, which were never built
Tor use, but for car allotment purposes
aioHe. ana that 1900 ovens are enough
70 supply the coke trade, whereas there
are 1900 Of them in the district.
The complainant asserts that ,f the
allotment were to be made on the
loading capacity rather than on the
oven basis, 1t would get per cent.
OF the cars that go to this district.
whereas. under present allottinE basis
It gets only .O1939 per cent.
It further claims that II it were
aiiotted cars on the basis OF the actual
number OF ovens In the district 1t
would get .0275 per cent. of the cars.
~ charges that the whole system is
\ ~>.S-s.' sA''NA -SAa1S ~ WOLAS n great naru.
snip on those coal producers who han
pen not to be the favorites OF the
Norfolk and Western management. II
further asserts that 1t could load twen-
ty-ftve cars per day. whereas it gets
only ten, and that the Norfolk and
Western has financial interests in some
of the companies it favors.
The Railway. Side.
In Its reply the railroad says that
the basis of allotment was adopted in
1883, as the most equitable one that
could be devised, and that coal pro-
ducers had hand in 1t. It cites the
TACT that the land owners originally
required the coal operators to erec:
at least 100 coke ovens on each 500
acres of land, and that this was done
In order that the coal should be
screened and good coal and coke pro-
duced. whereas, without the ovens there
would only have been low grade of
coal produced. It was this element In
the situation that led the railroads to
adopt the coke oven basis, as 1t meant
more traffic for them.
AS to the arbitrary allotment OF cars
it says that when the road was ex-
tended to the western side of Flat Tor
Mountain 1t was found that 1t could
not carry coal as cheaply from the
western side, to tidewater as from the
eastern. side. The operators on the
eastern side agreed that IL they were
allowed SO many extra cars in tn.
handling OF their coal they would agree
to pay the same rate that was charged
the operators on the western side. l,
was to equalize matters in this way
and to pvt the operators on a commor
footing In the markets, that this ar
arrangement was entered into AS to the
allegation that the railroad gives Ger.
tain cars to other companies arbitrar,
4 lily, the railroad takes the ground tha,
It has the right to buy coal for its
Iengines wherever 1t pleases. and te
/ furnish whatever cars are needed fol
Its transportation, without reference Il
| any allotment basis.