Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-01
,,,oss thc coal combine, which

Unless the COai combine, aWlilSii -
alleged to be existing In tie statc Of
Utah. is dissolved by Jan. I. action will
he initiated by Secretury of State Cas-.
TIng-, S.l<lng to its undoing. The
state statutes provide for the dissolu-
,ion OF such combinations, tho initial
stop specified being the placing Of evil
doncc of such existence before the sec
rotary of state.
This step was taken yesterday when
the COMMERCIAL club traffic bureau filed
n statement with the secretary of state
indicting the fuel combine as guilty
of gross violation Of tho state antl-trust
laws. 5G5
In statement from tho secretary of
state Immediately following the first
radical move of the traffic bureau in
this direction. Mr.. Tingey declared he,
would act promptly on any evidence
placGd before him which he was con-
WINGED was bona tde. His next duty,
now that gsuch evidence has been pre-
pared and placed before him, will be to
authorize the attorney general to take
action to dissolve the combination.
In brief. the following charges and in
formation nrc contained In the state
ment: Price Of coal unjustly raised:
cXtortionate prices fixed arbitrarily and
uniformly by understanding between
producer, carrier and local distributor:
transportation charges nearly double
reasonable rate; reasonable price Of
coal per ton e. o. b. Salt Lake or other
common; points In the state should not
exceed $275; charge for local handling
and distributing should not exceed s1.5o
n ton: lump coal at s4.25 II ton to the
consumer allows retailer n justand rea-
ronablc profit; railroad companies In
Utah principal producers Of coal In the
state; grand jury investigation neces-
sary to secure necessary details: sec
rotary OF state has ample power to
cause action to be taken to prevent or
to dissolve such combinations.
THE CHARGE LAID.
citing other information calculated to
assist the secretary Of state. in what
ever action he may bring, the con,muni-
cation follows:
Hon. CTS. TlnEcy, Secretary of State,
Salt Lake City, Utah.-Sir-Thc Com
mercal club traffic bureau. corpora
ton organized and existing under the
laws of the State of Utah, for the pur-
pose. among other things. OF promoting
the business interests of its members,
and to disseminate Information regard
ing rates, charges and changes in clas-
sification that in any way affect its
members. etc. submits for your con-
sideration and appropriate action the
results of information in reference to
reasonable rates for the production,
transportation. sale and delivery of
coal. acquired bysit while investigating
questions of transportation and reasons
able freight rates for the benefit of the
people of this state.
The information we submit herewith
strongly tends to establish that the
price of coal has been unjustly and UNI
tod ~0i IN ri
creased competition destroyed. and the
consumer compelled to pay cxtortionatc
prices arbitrarily and uniformly fixed
or csta blished by some sort of a general
or acquiescencc between
the producer, the carrier and the local
distributor. Our reasons for submit
ting the Information to you officially J
(Which is. undoubtedly we'll known gem
erally) are the following:
REASON FOR LETTER.
l. This bureau Is powerless to obtain |
for the manifest wrongs being |
done to the people in this state in the
respect referred to. for want of legal
to act and its inability |
to obtain such authorization under the |
laws now in existence.
9. 1t has been both publicly and pri-
vatcly suggested to- us that the secrc-
tnry Of state has ample power and au-
thority pursuant to tho provisions or
sections 1752-1762 OF the Compiled Laws
of the state of Utah to take, or cause
to he taken; proceedings to prevent
whereby. cxorbltant prices
are being charged and cXacted for coal !
mined, transported and sold within this
state. This same contention has here
tofore been made whenever additional
legislation has been sought to establish |
maximum rates for transportation with