Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1913-07-17
COMPLAINT FILED
AGAINST D. R. ( {.
MEANS A RADICAL CHANGE IN
CoNPANY's METHODS.
The Consolidated Fuel Company and
Other Companies Complain That
Denver and Rio Grande l. Dis
eliminating Against Them.

I W AStllNtlONs ~. W July ~
On complaint OF the. interstate COM
merce commission filed today, the
department OF justice will Institute
prosecution against the Denver and
Rio Grande for violation OF the COM
modities clause OF the Interstate
commerce act because this company
owns and operates the mines Of the
Utah Fuel company lying between
Mounds and Cotton and Is engaged
In selling coal from these mines IN
Idaho, Montana, Washington and
Oregon contrary to law.
The Interstate commerce commits
sion is not empowered to bring
prosecution for violation OF this sec
ton, but suit will be Instituted by
The department OF justice TO COM
pol the Denver and Rio Grande to
sell its interest in tho Utah Fuel
company or else discontinue the
commercial sale OF coal from these
mines outside of the state OF Utah.
A large part OF the product Of the
Utah Fuel company mines Il used
on Denver and Rio Grande locomo-
tiyes and some is sold In Utah that
IL within the law. but II Is unlawful
for the Denver and Rio Grande,
owning absolutely the fuel coal, to
soil coal commercially in any state
other than that In which the coal Is
mined.
This announcement OF the inter
state commerce commission camo to
day as part OF It's decision In tho
case OF the Consolidated Fuel COM
pany and others against the Denver
and Rio Grande and other railroads.
In previous decision the COM
mission held that tho rate on coal
from the Utah field on the Denver
and Rio Grando to points In Idaho,
Montana. Washington and Oregon,
should not exceed by more than 20
cents ton rates to the same mar
kots from mines in the Rock Springs
field In Wyoming.
The Consolidated Fuel company
and the Castle Valley Coal company.
In filing the complaint. aliegok that
the Denver and Rio Grande was dis
eliminating against them by com
Polling them TO build feeders from
their mines TO the main line OF the
Denver and Rio Grandc and TO bear
the cost OF hauling OF the coal from
the mines to junction points. in adj
dillon to paying the group rate on
coal from the Utah field to the mar
keta named. whereas the railroad
company applied these group rates
from the mines OF the Utah Fuel
company. which Il owned. 20 mar
ket. thus placing eomplalnants at q
disadvantage. claimed 20 amount 20
forty cents n ton.
Railroad Must Act.
In other words. coal from the
Utah Fuel company mines took the
group rate from mines to market
while the coal mining companies
paid this rate plus the haul TO the
Denver and Rio Grande main line.
Tho commission found this gave the
Denver and Rio Grande a practical
monopoly In the states named and
made Il impossible for the Console
dated and other complaining COM
panies to compete with the Utah
Fuel company. The commission does
not enter a definite order IN this
case. but concludes that the cost OF
getting coal from the Consolidated
and Castle Valley mines to the line
OF the Denver and Rio Grande is AT
least 20 cents per ton. and stlpu-
lates that the Denver and Rio
urande either must consent 10 "A re-
duetion OF the present group rate on
the Consolidated and Castle Valley
coal OF 25 cents per ton as eompar-
ed to the rate on sunnyslde coal
mined by the Utah Fuel company or
the Denver and Rio Grande may
take over the operation OF The
branch lines OF eomplainants ana
apply the group rate TO complain
ants coal from the mine 20 market
or Il can make complalnants an al |
loVonee OF 25 cents per ton on ali |
coal hauled. but II must, In A rea- |
sonable time. notify the commission
which plan II proposes adopt.
Prosecution 10 Follow.
Reimbursement OF this question
however is entirely independent Of
The complaint filed by the commits
sion with the department OF Justice
ana steps are to be taken immedI- Il
s''iy by the attorney general ~
prosecute the Denver and Rto II
Grande for It's violation OF the com
modify clause Of the Interstate COM
ineree act. inasmuch as It's Violation
Is apparent.
government suit Will be brousht
10 take the Utah Fuel company ont
OF competition with the indepondent
coal mines on all interstate bus,noss
unless the Denver and Rio Granda