Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-11-12
CHARGES AGAINST
LACKAWA anna
Accused Of Daring Plot to De.
strOy Coal Company.
TRUST ALSO ARRAIGNED

Marian Company Alleges Rate Dis
elimination, Attempt to Burn Prop.
erty and Dietation.
A sweeping denunciation OF the Della
ware. Lackawanna 4 Western railroad.
in which II Is charged with repeatedly
attempting to drive a competing com
ian. out OF business. and an arraign.
ment OF the so-called anthracite coal
trust" are contained In a complaint
filed with the interstate commerce
commission at Washington by the Ma
rian Coal company. OF Wilmington.
Del Reparation In the sum OF So5.2S9.
because OF alleged excess charges, Is
demanded.
The statement sets forth allegations
OF one OF the most remarkable series
of business embarrassments ever figur-
ing before the commission. II not only
attacks the alleged unjust and dis
criminative rates to which the Marian
company has been subjected as based
on monopoly maintained through the
device OF the Temple Iron company,
the directors OF which are the presi.
dents OF the railroads. constituting the
anthracite coal trust" but charges at.
tempted dictation OF production, inter.
ference with prospective purchasers of
the plant, diversion of water supply
and heaping of fuel on fire that had
threatened destruction to the Marian
company's washery at Taylor. Pa.
The Marian washery Is on Lacka
wanna division switch. which also
serves three eollieries alleged to be.
long to the Lackawanna interests. The
complaint sets forth various acts as
preventing equality of conditions a.
between the Marian and alleged ia
yored competitors who constitute the
trust" Some OF the acts charged
against the company are:
That II attempted to compel the
Marian company to sell its product
to the Lackawanna on an agreement
as to output restriction that would
have driven the Marian company out
OF business.
That the Lackawanna refused tc
QuQtG ltANGC lOtaA VI tnNGA
That the Marian company finally OF
fered its property for sale. and the
Lackawanna having obtained. in conf
dence. the names OF the bidders. no
titled all bidders that II they Dough,
the Marian property they would buy
a law suit.
That the l.ackawanna deliberately
routed the Marian company's produce
over longer hauls at higher rates thar
were imposed ON favored shippers.
That the Lackawanna deliberatel!
built two dams TO divert water from
the Marian's coal washery.
That connecting carriers refused &c
put into effect through joint rates that
would absorb the prohibitivc switch
ing charges OF the Iackawanna.
That in 1906 the Lackawanna. wheI
notified that fire on its culm bana
threatened destruction TO the Marian
property. not only sent word TO the
Marian people that. as 1t was ON the
Lackawanna's land ut was nobody's
business" but deliberately dumped
new fuel on the ire causing destruc
ton OF $4,000 tons of the Marian's val
liable material and costing $1,000 OK
pended in saving the Marian's culn
bank from destruction.
That the Lackawanna charged the
Marian company 80 cents ton fol-
hauling its coal 5000 feet from the
washery to Central Railroad OF New
Jersey connection so as to equal ex
actly the additional price for coal the
Marian company might have obtained
along the Centrals line Other ship
pers had much less rate.
The Marian company asks that q
fair rate schedule TO tidewater not ex
ceeding 10 cents ton ON rice and
barley coal be set by the commission
and that existing discriminatory prac
tices by the railroad company be abol
ished.