The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-01
MELLEN GOT
COAL FROM SON
Testimony That Poor Fuel
Caused New Haven
Delays
NO RIVAL BIDS
FOR CARS
Brady Got $3,5OO,OOO Con-
tract Without Com
petition

Boston. May THAT poor service on
the New Haven and Boston q Maine rali-
way systems was due to poor coal and
that a large percentage OF the coal used
by the railroads was bought from coal
companies OF which the president Of one
was director of the New Haven and
the eastern sales agent of the other was
a SON of President Charles 5. Mellen OF
the New Haven, was brought ont yes
terday at the railroad hearing before
Commissioner Prcuty,
These facts were elected by the cross
examination of Purchaser OF Supplies
Fabian by Attorney Robert Homan, rep
resentng the Boston Chamber OF Com.
merce.
Commissioner prouty opened the hear
ing by telling Vice President Buekland
of the New Haven that he had the right
of way yesterday and that he could put
on General Counsel T.. d. Robbins Of
the New Haven Mr.. auckland said Mr..
Robbins was not ready yesterday, but
that Mr.. Fabian was. The latter testi-
fed earlier in the hearing and he was
cross examined yesterday by Mr.. Ho-
man.
n. A. Fabian, manager Of purchases
and supplies for the New York, New lia-
ven & Hartford and the Boston & Maine
railroad companies, was the hrst WITNESS
yesterday morning lie was cross-eAam-
ined on testimony given earlier BY Rob
ert Homan, counsel for the Boston Cham
Der of Commerce.
The witness described q contract be-
tween the Boston & Maine and the Nir-
ginia Iron, Coal & Coke company by
which the Virginia company was to fur
nsh the railroad with from $4,000 to
900 tons of coal monthly for tive
years, beginning April |, 1912.
The Virginia company, he said, sub
mitted a lower price than the only other
bidder.
Mr.. Homan brought out that the presi-
dent OF the Virginia company was
director of the New Haven road at the
time the contract was made.
Mr.. Fabian told of contract be-
tween the New Haven and the Boston q
Maine railroads and the Keystone Coal
COMPANY. Graham Mellen, son OF
President Mellen, was, the witness said,
the eastern sales agent of the Key
stone company and son of former
President Cassatt of the Pennsylvania
railroad is president OF the Keystone
company.
The keystone company. he SAID, FUR
nished about $4,000 tons OF coal an
nually to the Boston 4 Maine and about
400. 900 tons to the New Haven or about
twepty.three per cent. of the New Ha-
yen's annual coal consumption.
Mr. Fabian said that before he be-
came purchasing agent for the Boston q
Maine. the Keystone company was fur-
nishing the road with about the same
amount as at present. There is com
nctition among the coal companies every
wear. the witness said The Keystone
company always obtained a contract, he
explained, because of the quality OF its
coal.
Mr.. Homan then read a report OF
train DELAYS on the Fitchburg division
of the Boston & Maine for one week
in December, 1912, the cause in many
cases being given as inability TO make
steam on account OF the poor quality OF
the coal used.
The witness said that delays owing
to poor coal were reported to him. He
maintained that conditions were improy-
ing and he told OF a letter received from
a division superintendent in which It
was stated that delays for one month
due to poor coal totalled seventeen hours,
as compared with sixty-four hours for
the corresponding month the preceding
year.
The award of contracts for car con.
struction was taken up. Fabian told OF
competitive bids and said some contracts
were awarded to the Laconia Car COM
panv of Laconia, n. II. He said that
competitive contracts aggregating more
than s2.0O0000 were given by the Bos-
ton & Maine to the Tacoma company,
either because that company had sub
mtted the lowest bid or had guaranteed
the most satisfactory delivery. There
was no arrangement, he said, under
which Boston & Maine contracts were
awarded to the Laeonia and New Haven
contracts to the Keith Car Manufac-
turing company.
Vice President f. G. Buckland of the
New Haven. who is appearing as the
railroads attorney, then began to ques-
ton the witness. Taking up the coal
contracts first. he brought out that the
coal delivered BY the Keystone and Nir-
,;nia couDanies was superior TO that