The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-18
anforms Officials That Re-
duction Would Permit Man
ufacturerS to Use Coal from
Indiana Fields.
PENNSYL vANIA WAS
ALSO IN OPPOSITION
Made Kick Although the Re-
duction Would Probably
Give Them Control of the
Local Coal Business.

Is there a working agreement be-
tween the C. c. & L. and the Penn
sylvania?
Is the C. c. s. L. a poor downtrodden
innocent little railroad which should
mothered and coddled by the people of
Richmond?
Alas for the golden dreams which
were shattered at the hearing of the
freight Interchange before the Indiana
state railroad commission.
It was then that Harry Starr, chief
counsel for the C. c. & L., arose and
lput forth the plea of the poor, half
starved little railroad which must not
have freight interchange in Richmond
because 1t needed the money which it
made from the factories in Richmond
which are dependent on the G. C. &
l.. for coal. 1t appeared that the C.
c. & L. was more against freight in
terchange than was the Pennsylvania
itself. a.-. ..
Public Pays Freight.
II appeared that the coal could be
hauled cheaper from the coal fields of
West Virginia and Ohio than it could
be hauled by the Pennsylvania But
the G. C. & L. needs the money. So
instead OF the Richmond public reap
ing the benefit-the public which paid
the subsidy when the railroad was first
projected-the public pays the freight.
Although it was admitted that
freight interchange will not be hard
ship on the Pennsylvania, neverthe-
less Superintendent Neff told the COM
mission 1t actually cost the Pennsy 81
per car for any interchange of freight
and regarded the remaining So as a
''fair profit
At the present time sixty per cent
OF the coal used annually in this city
is hauled by the c.. c. & L. from the
Ohio, West Virginia and southern
fields. Some of the largest factories.
also two heating and power plants,
the city crematory. the traction COM
pany power plant and two big coal
yards are situated along the line of
the c., c. & L.
Indiana coal is much cheaper than
the grades handled by the c., c. & L.,
but consumers along the. line of the
c., C. & L. cannot use it because of
the prohibitive interchange switching
rates. This Indiana coal can be
brought from the fields straight to
the city by the Pennsylvania. but the
.switching charge demanded would
make 1t. higher than the Ohio. West
Virginia and southern product.
Has Good Thing.
Consequently the c.. G. & l.. has a
good thing" in its local coal bust
ness and the thought Of transferring
this plum to the Pennsylvania, which
would come to pass in the event the
Interchange switching tariff was ord
cred reduced by the railroad commits.
sion from IS to So.
The thought Of securing this good
business. strange as It may appear
does not cause the Pennsylvania to
rise up and shout with joy. In fact
It Is stated. that at the hearing yes
terday afternoon before the commits
sion. Superintendent Neff opposed the
proposed reduction.
This 10 the foundation for the ques.
tion which is being asked as to
whether there is working agreement
hcfvAAn the PENNSYLVANIA and whefh.
er or not the c.. C. & L. is such a
downtFodden and innocent railroad. to
be coddled by the citizens of Rich.
mond.
II Is even being speculated in some
quarters as to whether or not the re
cent purchase Of the c.. c. & L. by
the c. q .. has anything to do with
the friendly feeling between the two
eomuaniesL