The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-03-18
HITS At RAILROADS
TILLMAN CLAIMS THEY HAVE
BOTTLED Up CHARLESTON.

Asks SENATE FOR PROBE
Senator Presents Resolution for In
quiry Into Coal Situation-He
Charges That Railroads Dominated
by Hostile Finance, DO South Caro-
lima Port Serious Injury.
Charging that the Southern rail-
way was dominated by men 1ot
financially interested in coal mines
in its own territory but in mines
elsewhere and that for this reason
the Southern was not allowed to
move coal through the port Of Char
lesion, S. c., Senator Tillman Tues
day introduced resolution for a
special Investigation by the naval af-
fairs committee into advantages OF
Charleston as a permanent point for
coal distribution as compared with
Norfolk and other Chesapeake bay
ports.
The committee would be directed
to investigate the character and
proximity of the coal supply; rates
obtainable on coal from fields near
Charleston and Norfolk; relations
between railroads leading into Char
lesion and other South Atlantic ports
and between these railroads and own
ers Of bituminous fields in Virginia,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ten
nessee and Kentucky; and conditions
Of ownership Of wharfage property
in Charleston and Norfolk.
Senator Tillman set forth that cit
appears from numerous complaints
before the interstate commerce COM
mission as well as from other sources
that the power and influence Of the
so-called coal trust is being persist
emily used through the management
Of the railroads reaching Charleston
to prevent the free movement Of coal
not belonging to the coal trust, prac-
tically all Of such roads being actual
ly dominated by the same financial
interests that control the great coal
combines finding outlet chiefly
through New York harbor, Philadel-
phia and the Chesapeake bay ports"
Mr.. Tillman declared in his reso-
luton that Gin view of the early COM
pletion Of the isthnian canal and OF
its importance to the United States
navy and Of the national defense gen.
orally, to the development Of an
American merchant marine and to
the development Of trade with Cen
trail and South American countries,
the establishment OF adequate coal
supplying facilities south Of Cape
Hatteras is deemed imperative, and
the only available harbor having suf'
ficient depth for the modern battle
ships and larger merchant vessels, as
well as extensive water frontage fol
the proper handling Of coal, is locat'
ed at Charleston, S. c."
Arguing that the efficiency Of the
American feet and the usefulness OF
Charleston as a coal distributing CEN
ter depend upon facilities of pro.
ducers for reaching that port, Sena'
tor Tillma1 said:
"The efficiency Of the feet and the
usefulness and efficiency Of Charles
ton as a coal distributing centre
must necessarily depend upon the
facilities OF the coal producers fol
reaching that port, and Of their abil-
ity to procure distributing facilities
and upon the ability Of the shipping
interest to procure rating and hand
ling facilities in a manner which
should be unqualifedly accessible to
all shippers and carriers alike on the
same terms and conditions.
"The Southern railway is domi-
mated by financiers, who are not
financially interested in the coal
mines Of the territory trayersed by
the Southern railway, but who are
interested in coal properties else
where, and due to the power and In
fuence Of these men it is believed
that the Southern railway IS not al
lowed to move coal through the port
Of Charleston, where coal might be-
come competitive to their larger in
terests elsewhere.
GAS concrete example Of the ia
grant abuse Of power, the Southern
railway, having had for ten years Its
own rails reaching from Charleston
to the great developed coal fields OF
Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky
and reaching developed mines with a
present annual capacity Of from 49,
100000 to 100000 tons Of coal,
which has no other outlet to tide
water, has moved no coal for outlet
at that port, and has made no provi-
sion for docks, Notwithstanding the
fact that it controls its own riparian
privileges at Charleston.
ssIt is believed that efforts are now
being made by individuals acting for
the so-called coal trust to acquire the
rights for coal docks and terminal
facilities in Charleston 80 as to mo-
uopolize the terminal facilities there
IN the same way that the big interests
now dominate New York harbor,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and the
ports Of the Chesapeake bay.
eft is believed that the so-called
coal trust Is using other railroads
leading to the coal fields In similar
manner, not only to destroy private
property, but in many instances Who'll
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