The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-23
AFTER THE COAL TRUST
independent Company Brings Charges
Against Railroads

Against RAILROADS
Washington, Aug. 22.-In spite or
the stern warning of the interstate
commerce commission to the barons
of the anthracite coal trust, and in
spite of the fact that the government
has brought suit In the United States
Supreme Court to dissolve the trust,
it appears that its evil practices have
been cintlnued undated in new
guise.
Sensational charges have been pre-
ferred by William p Boland of the
Marion Coal company of Scranton,
against Is railroads and the Temple
Iron company, Which constitute the
anthracite coal trust Chief among
the railroads involved in the charges
are the Lackawanna, the Long Island
Ontario & Western. New York. New
Haven & Hartford, Erie, Erie & Wy
oming, New York, Susquehanna &
Western, Wilkesbarre & Eastern, Le-
high Valley, Pennsylvania, Baltimore
& Washington, Philadelphia & Read
ing and the Atlantic City. Boland
declares these roads have entered in
to an agreement in violation Of the
Sherman antitrust law for the res
traint of trade and the monopoly OF
a commodity of common necessity.
Specific charges are lodged against
the Lackawanna. That company is
accused of falling to furnish cars to
the Marion Coal company for trans
portation of coal and of refusing to
fix rates, which constitutes a violation
of the railroad rate law. The Tenn
pie Iron company, the backbone of the
coal trust of which "Divine Right"
Baer Is president, is charged directly
with restraining interstate commerce.
Even more serious charges than
those alleging violation of the Sher-
man law are made by Mr. Boland. He
accuses the trust of crime against
property in its determination to hold
fast to its monopoly of the anthracite
trade. He asserts that an immense
coal pile owned by the Marion com.
pany and located on land owned by
the Lackawanna railroad, was mys
teriously set afire and that $4,000 tons
, Iof coal were destroyed.
| ~ 10 NAhl sou Alal AlH i4ithdMdllild
furnished other coal operators with
rates upon demand, for the shipment
, of coal from the anthracite field but
that this was refused to the Marion
} company because the Lackawanna Il
, financially interested in the trus
; which is attempting to force the Mar
, ion company to turn over the opera
; ton of its coal fields to the trust.
The complaint further charges tina
certain operators who accepted rates
= from the Lackawanna were given re
: bates, and that the officials of thu
| road charged the Marion Coal com
} pany 30 per cent for the switching
I cars used in handling the company
e coal. Because of the refusal OF tn,
D railroad TO furnish the comany rate
; and cars, 1t Is charged that the inter
+ ests represented by Mr. Boland wer
I compelled to sell their holdings at
great loss. Three bidders offered Gel
o tain amounts for the holding OF tn
+ company, and later the complainant
}, declares, the Lackawanna offered al
I amount which was $4,000 under tn
e lowest OF the other three bids made
I The offer of the railroads was reject
n ed. Then. according to Boland'
i sworn statement the railroad afte
d securing the names of the other bic
5 lers went to them and theratene
s them.
u other charges against the railroad
e also say a stream of water used b
the Marion Coal company for washin
n its coal, is diverted. After the con
II any refused to sell to the Lackawai
& ma, 1t Is alleged. the railroad eorpo
Q alton built two dams across III
IS stream, cutting of the use Of the wa
e er by day. the dams being opened {
e night. permitting the water to resum
l. its natural flow.
II The offices OF the Temple Iron con
E. pany were used by the officials OF th
g. various roads involved. as a meetin
e place for the purpose OF fixing rate
n and arranging rebates to the trui
: roads Mr.. Boland charges, which OF 1
II self constitutes violation OF IN
n Sherman antitrust law.