The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-27
HARD COAL TRUST
IS HIT BODY BLOW
Monopolies Under es Per Cent
Contracts Made Illegal by
Courts Decision. :

Philadelphia. Pa, May 26.-Pavinp
the way for further Sherman law
prosecutions, the 'nnthraoite coal
trust" was struck a body blow to-day
by the Federal district court. de-
cree, in strict accordance with tho re-
cent Supreme Court decision, was en-
tered by the court perpetually enjoin-
ing the great anthracite collaborating
railroads and mining companies from
monopolizlng the trade under the So
called go per cent contracts"
Several contracts were exemptcd
from tho decree. These exemptions
will BIO the basis for further iltiga-
ton.
To-day's decree dismisses tho anti
trust prosecution brought by the gov
eminent in 1910 against n dozen rail-
roads and coal companies, cXcept to
find that the G5 per cent contracts are
in violation OF the Sherman law. This
finding was made by the Supreme Court
last winter.
Under the 80 per cent contracts the
railroads agreed to buy all coal pro-
duced by allied mines. paying 65 per
cent of the market price on tho At
lantic seaboard for such coal. The
railroads assumed the freight costs.
These contracts were held by tho SUI
prcmc Court TO be- II violation of the
sherman law
Means Revolution.
me courts embargo against the 60
per cent contracts Is said to entail rev.
olution III conducting tho coal bust
ness. II forces the allied mining COM
ranieS TO compete in the open market
with the independents"
suits 10 SCI aside the purchase OF the capi-
ANA Western Railroad by me Erie Rniiro"1,
ne acquisition Of the capital stock OF the
Wyoming valley Railroad Company and
the pelaware Valley and Kingston Railroad
the Central Railroad of Now Jersey by tho
Reading Railroad. are expected to follow
After dismissing tho principal charges Of
the collus!on and monopoly agains; the rail
70 rer cent contracts. the court to-day ex-
einpted from operation OF tho decree To
these contracts the following:
Agreements for tho purchase OF coal be-
tween the PENNSYLVANIA Coal Company aud
The Elk Hill Coal Company. between the
pany ana John and Joseph Jernyn. between
the Hillside Coal and Iron Company and the
the Delaware, Iackawanna and Western
i Nnir@ad and the Peoples and George l..
Attorney General Consents.
cre ,r1s r@n.n iGf eXempte from the de-
TO the supreme Court and granted. with
the consent Of tho Attorney General.
tracts from it's injunction. reserves The rish,
to determine il these particular contracts
are void, under the ruling or the United
states supreme Court. Hearings will be
given soon upon this phase.
To-dny's decree cnJoins continuance OF the
defendants:
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company: Lehigh and Wilkcsbarre Coal Com
pany. Lehigh Valley Coal Company Della
ware Lackawannn ana Western Railroad:
Hillside Coal md Iron Company: Pcnnsyl-
Nanla Coal Company. and New York. Sus-
quehanna and Western Coal Company.
- INC original prosecutions brought by
ormer Attorney General W!ckcrsham, charg-
ing the several railroads and coal COM
panles with Al general conspiracy 10 monopo-
li@c the coal trade, were dismissed to-day
except as TO the So per cent contracts.