The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-03-13
TiIIman Presents Resolution for
Inquiry Into Coal Situation.
CHARGES RAILROADS
DIVERT BUSINESS
Senator Asserts That, Under Dom.
inafion of Hostile Finance, They
Do South Carolina Chief
Port an Injustice.


Washington, March 10.-Charging
that the Southern railway was DOM
ested in coal mines in it's own terri
tory but in mines elsewhere and that
for this reason the Southern was not
allowed to move coal through the port
of Charleston, S. c., Senator Tiliman
today introduced a resolution for
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 prox-
unity of the coal supply; rates OBJ
tainable on coal from fields near
Charleston and Norfolk; relations be-
tween railroads leading into Charles
ton and other South Atlantic ports
and between these railroads and own
ers of bituminous fields in Virginia,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennes-
see and kentucky; and conditions of
ownership of wharfage property in
Charleston and Norfolk.
Senator Tillman set forth that at
appears from numerous complaints
before the interstate commerce COM
mission as well as from other sources
that the power and influence of the
socalled coal trust is being persistent
ly used through the management of
the railroads reaching Charleston to
prevent the free movement of coal
not belonging to the coal trust, practi-
cally all of such roads being actually
Io, tod hxy hn Ero osn1
terests that control the great coal
combines finding outlet chiefly
through New York harbor, Phiiadel-
phia and the Chesapeake bay ports"
Only Harbor Available.
Mr.. Tillman declared in his reso-
luton that Gin view of the early COM
pletion of the isthmian canal and of
it's 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 SUI
ficient depth for the modern battle
ships and larger merchant vessels,
as we'll as extensive water frontage
for the proper handling of coal, is To-
Gated at Charleston, S. c."
Arguing that the efficiency of the
American fleet and the usefulness of
Charleston as a coal distributing CEN
ter depend upon facilities of pro-
ducers for reaching that port, Sena-
tor Tillman said:
"The efficiency of the fleet and the
Of or
ton as a coal distributing center must
of the coal producers for reaching
that port, and of their ability to
procure distributing facilities, and
upon the ability of the shipping in
terest to procure rating and handling
facilities in a manner whish should be
unqualifiedly accessible to all ship
pers and carriers alike on the same
terms and conditions.
Controlled by Financiers.
"The Southern railway is domi-
mated by financiers, who are not finan-
cially interested in the coal mines of
the territory traversed by the South
ern railway, but who are interested
in coal properties elsewhere, and due
to the power and influence of these
men it is believed that the Southern
railway is not allowed to move coal
through the port of Charleston, where
coal might vecome competitive to
their larger interests elsewhere.
GAS concrete example of the
fragrant abuse of power, the Southern
railway, having had for ten years it's
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 15,0OO,000 tons of coal,
whilh has no other outlet to tide
water, has moved no coal for outlet
at that port, and has made no pro-
vision for docks, Notwithstanding the
fact that it controls it's own riparian
privileges at Charleston.
"It is believed that efforts are now
being made by individuals acting for
the socaled coal trust to acquire the
~hts for coal docks and terminal ia
cilities in Charleston so as to monop-
olize the terminal facilities in Char
lesion so as to monopolize the termi-
nal facilities there in the same way
that the big interests now dominate
New York harbor, Philadelphia, Bal
timore and the ports on the Chesa-
peake bay.
Using Other Roads.
at is believed that the socalled
coal trust is using other railroads
leading to the coal fields in a similar
manner, not only to destroy private
property, but in many instances who'll
W. against the interest of the railroad
thus used and tyranically unjust TO