The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-13
PREDICTS EARLY END
OF ALL HARD COAL
Lehigh's Attorney Tells of Com
ing Famine in Sherman
Law Suit.
JUDGE RESERVES DECISION

THE day is not far distant when the
last ton OF anthracite coal mined in Penn
syivania. the only known hard coal field
in the world. will have been mined"
In this manner Major +. w. Wheaton OF
wilkesbarre. attorney for the Lehsh
Valley Coal Company, prophesied the
giving out OF the anthracite supply yes
terday during his argument for the de
fence before Judge Housh In the United
States District Court in the Government 5
sherman law suit to break up the Lehigh
Valley Railroads alleged anthracite mo-
nupoy.
by way OF illustration Major Wheaton
pointed TO the case OF Coke Bros. & Co..
the stock OF which is owned by the Lehigh
Valley Railroad. OF the $4,000 acres of
coal lands said to have been acquired BY
Coke Bros. & Co. he said. all but 5000
are barren of coal to-day.
Edgar H. Boles. general solicitor for
the railroad. branded as ridiculous the
allegation that the Lehigh Valley main
tains an anthracite monopoly through the
Lehlgh VALLEY Coal Company and other
Cetendants mentioned in the Government
suit.
Denies Control of Field.
The Lehigh Valley Coal Company. In
which the railroad holds all the stock
| owns or controls only 1913 per cent. OF the
total KNOWN antnrdClte acreage IN ftul-
! sylvania Mr.. Boles said. Even in the
| acreage tributary TO tho lines OF the rail-
| road he said, the coal company owns
or controls but 22.3 per cent
The ownership OF the stock OF the Lehigh
| Valley Coal Company and OF Coke. Bros
& Co. the attorney asserted, 10 not q
| violation OF the Sherman law. since neither
| OF the subsidiary companies 10 engaged
| in Interstate commerce They sell thei,
| coal outright nj the mines, he said, and
afterward have no interest In Il.
Their output, Mr.. Boles said. In pur'
chased by AN independent corporation
| the Lehlgh Valley Coal Sales Company
which Ia free to sell the coal wherever II
| pleaseS II IL the contention OF the Gov
eminent, however that the coal sales com
pany. IL not literally controlled by the
railroad. might as well be, as the stock
holders are the same in both companies
| The company, II IL charged. was merely
| formed to evade the law.
| This the railroads attorneys deny.
| Attorney Boles said that there were
seven able competitors OF the coal sales
| company. These get their coal at point:
on the Lehigh Valley Railroads lines
They sell freely. the lawyer said and are
In keen competition at the points on this
railroad.
Tells OF Competing hnes.
Again" said Mr.. Boles. the Lehigt
Valley Railroad Is paralleled at many
points and competing railroads carry i'm
mense quantities OF anthracite through
the same cities and villages as tho Lehigf
Valley, and the shippers on these lines
come in competition with the shipper
on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. At sew
eral different points there are more thar
two competing railroads carrying coal o
the various competing shippers. Al New
York harbor there are seven such car
riers.'
Mr.. Boles said that tina railroads rela
lions with the coal producing companie
had never hurt the pubic. III
also denied the giving OF rebates by M
railroad In order TO maintain a monopoly
Judge IIough, after taking the INA
briefs OF the attorneys for both Govern
ment and defence, reserved decision.