Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-25
GOAL ROADS HIT
By COMMISSION
First Report on Investigations
Recently Made by Interstate
Commerce Body
TEN ROADS OWN COAL MINES
Commission Recommends Passage qf a
Law to Prevent Companies From
Acquiring or Holding Mines Except
for Their Own suppIy-WouId Break
Strong Monopoly.


| ted to congress it's first report on dts
investigation on determinations and
monopolies, under joint resolution Of
congress known as the Tillman-Gilles-
pie resolution. The report deals with
bituminous coal carried east of the
Ohio river in territory bounded on the
south by the Norfolk and Western
railway, ON the north by Canada, and
on the east by the Atlantic seaboard.
Ten railroads are involved.
The report says that all own, direct
ly or by stock ownership in other COM
panies, large interests in the coal
lands. The report is only a partial one
and will be followed by another, after
further investigation The report con-
cludes with recommendations for leg
isla tive action based on the develop
ments thus far, including one forbid
ding common carriers to have any in
terest in coal properties except such as
are exclusively for their own fuel sup
ply
Commissions Recommendations.
The report concludes with recon-
mendations for legislative action based
on the development thus far. These
recommendations are:
First That every common carrier
engaged in interstate transportation of
coal be required to make public the
system of car distribution in effect up
on its railway and the several divisions
thereof, showing how the equipment
for coal service is divided between the
several divisions of its road and how
the same in times when the supply of
equipment does not equal the demand
is divided among the several mining
operations along such road, and that
the carrier further be required to pub
lish at stated periods and at each divis-
ional headquarters upon it's line OF
road the system of car distribution in
effect and the actual distribution made
to each mining operation under such
system.
Second. That where the capacity Of
the mines is the basis for the distribu-
ton of equipment, fair, just and
equitable rating of the mines be re-
quired, and that provision be made for
the representation of owners of the
mones at the rating thereof
Third. That after reasonable time
carriers engaged in interstate COM
merce be prohibited from using "indi-
viduaT or private cars" for the hand
ling Of coal traffic.
Fourth-That carriers engaged in in
terstate commerce be forbidden after
directly or indirectly, in any operated
coal properties, except such as are ex-
clusively for their own fuel supply, and
that ownership, either directly Or in
directly, by officers or employees of
common carriers of any coal proper
ties or any Of the stock of coal COM
panies along the line of road by which
they are employed, be forbidden.
Cause Of Determinations.
A summary is given showing, as de-
veloped during the investigation, the
interest of railroad officials in corpor-
ations or companies operating coal
mines or engaged in coal traffic. The
details of this information largely have
already been published.
The report says the ownership or in
terests in coal properties or coal traf-
fc by carriers or their officers or em-
rloyes, has in the opinion of the COM
mission, brought about determinations,
injustice and inequalities in the serv-.
ice to independent operators, and has
prevented many persons who desired to
engage in mining coal from doing so
and that the combinations or contracts
of the several carriers, members of
the associations mentioned, has had
the effect of increasing freight rates
and also the price of coal to the con-
sumers.