New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-20
TO CENTRE ON CITY FUEL
Merchants Inquiry Not to Tackle
Collateral Phases.
RAILROAD MEN IN C0NCLAVE
Readily Respond to Invitation,
but Suggest Delay Pending
Federal Investigation.

In view OF the Interstate Commerce Com
missions projected investigation of every
thing pertaining to the traffic in anthra-
cite the committee Of the Merchants AS
ISOLATION on the coal supply OF New YORK
determined yesterday to conflne Its own
inquiry to the more purely local fuel prob
lem and suspend for the time It's examina-
ton OF the cost OF production and trans
portation.
1t was impelled to do this not only by
the desire of It's members TO avoid dupli-
eating any OF the work OF the more pow
erful government body but also by the
arguments Of the railroad men who had
consented to supply the committee with
statistics.
Before the Interstate Commission had
ordered an Inquiry, the Merchants Asso-
citation committee had invited the railroad
and coal companies to send representatives.
to a Joint conference TO discuss the scope
of the information desired and arrange for
It's preparation. In response to this in
ytation. a number of railroad and coal
men met the members Of the committee
at the Associations headquarters, NO
% Lafayette street, yesterday The visit
ors included J. +. Richards. vice-president
Of the Reading Coal g. Iron Company,
and Messrs Mathews, Baltimore & ONO
Railroad; Seager. IAckawanna; Merriman'
New York Central. and Grier. Lehigh Val
ley.
In behalf OF all the railroads and coal
companies. Mr.. Richards told the mer-
chants committee that. although the COM
panes were still willing TO aid in the In
vestigati ton. he doubted its utility for the
present, and suggested that 1t be post
poned pending tho official inquiry He
expressed the willingness of the companies
to afford the committee all the informa-
ton IT wanted later.
Henry Daley. chairman OF the commit
tee. received letters expressing the same
view from President McCrea OF the Penn
sylvanIa Railroad and President Under
wood OF the Erie.
The committee then adopted report
which Mr.. Daley addressed TO the execu-
tive committee OF the association, which, in
turn. approved It, Mr.. Daley wrote:
In view of the fact that adequate in
vestiGation Is about TO he undertaken under
government authority your committee be-
lieves that for the present 1t IS incxpedi-
the cost Of production and transportation
OF coal 1t therefore recommends that
this portion OF It's work be suspended pend
ing the result OF the official Inquiries anc
that your committee be continued in order
First, that II may At all times follow the
course Of the official investigation ana
fully inform itself in relation thereto with
a view 10 such further action I'm the mat
ter as may hereafter seem expedient' and
Second. that II may further pursue Its
study OF the broader question OF the coal
supply OF New York as It relates to the
interests OF our citizens and further de-
velopment OF industries OF this city.
Mr.. Daley also reported the progress
made by the committee up to date, say
ing:
As preliminary. the committee has
prepared an outline OF the scope OF the in
dulry. and has obtained considerable
volume OF data relating TO Tn. several
phases OF the subject, which Information
has already been developed in the course
OF legal proceedings in the United States
courts by the Anthracite Strike Commits
sion Of 1902. by the United States Bureau
of Labor. and by the United States Ge-
illogical Survey
ton TO be made OF the very extensive rec
ord I'm the case of the United states VS..
Reading Company ct al. in other cases
in the courts. and I'm two proceedings be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commission.
II has also brought together the various
reports bearing upon this subject issueh
bv tie Bureau OF Labor and the Geologt-
cal Survey, and has partially collated the
large quantity Of valuable material con-
tanned therein.
Forms OF schedules applying TO the min
Ing properties Of each OF the principal
coal companies and adapted to develop the
cost Of production under typical conditions
have been prepared. Mr.. DALEY also re-
ported. They will be sent to the coal COM
panes. which will be requested 20 supply
data in the form described for each year