Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-31

tons of coal. In response forty-four
retail dealers bid identically the same
price per ton for the coal. In 1911,
ferty-nine dealers submitted bids for
ecal of identically the same price per
toa. In 1912, fifty-two bids of identi-
cally the same price per ton, and
e ght submitted variant prices. In
1915. thirty three made identically
the same bid per ton.
1t is claimed by the dealers that a
profit of $1.40 or S150 a ton for con-
sumers is but reasonable profit,
that the delivery expenses are of such
character that their profit realized,
does not exceed forty cents a ton.
But this profit upon the sales of the
quantity is not a competitive profit
and there exists the evil together with
the combination in which the rail-
roads, the wholesale dealers, as well
as the generality Of many retail
dealers which are under their con-
trol are involved
With regard to the mining and
production of coal which is done en-
tirely in the State of Pennsylvania,
there is no question but that the
whole production Is controlled by a
combination in which the Philadel-
phia and Reading Railroad, the Lee
high Valley and the Central Railroad,
Alh1 AHA INdllIOdNs LlAC LCAei-
ware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad. the Delaware and Hudson
Canal Company and the Erie Railroad
Company are the principal parties.
Independent Operators Choked.
The small fraction of independent
operators are choked and throttled BY
this combination, either in the con-
troll of the labor or in the transpor-
tation so that not only in speaking
of the operation, but of the trans.
portation and of the marketing of
this coal, we can consider 1t nothing
more than a great combination. Com
petition in mining is absolutely sup
pressed and every impeachment is
thrown in the way of any COMPETE
ton, except such competition as may
arise from the other class of coal,
known as bituminous coal.
"The small consumer or the con
sumner of what is known as the pre-
pared sizes is abso 'utely at the mercy
of this com animation. AS to the 40
per cent. of coal known as small
grades of coal, the bituminous coal
Goes in as a competitor and that COM
petition is seen in the reduction Of
the prices of this coal and both as
to its price and It's transportation,
and in the manner In which it is
sold.
The People Bear the Brunt.
ut is the private or individual con-
sumers, the people. to whom the coal
is necessity. against which the
whole force of this combination is
directed The enormous profits which
are made by these various companies,
through their operating companies and
their sales companies, directly through
their transportation is almost entirely
paid by the private consumer, to
whom this material is a necessity of
life, and the railroads that are doing
business in this State and subject to
the laws of this State are the offend
ing parties, and 1t must be by proper
legislation directed against them that
relief can be had.
I'm the transportation the Pennsyl-
Vania and Reading Railroad, the Lee
high and it's controlled companies, the
Central Railroad, the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western Railroad and
the Erie with its subsidiary compan-
les, transport nearly all of this coal
All these companies have rates filed
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, but why those rates should
he To Newark and Jersey City for pre-
pared sizes s160 per gross ton. and
lOA ChitiiiNi HiHtG iiiNg NSiAAso a iDiA iNf7f9,
ii is impossible to conceive or to I'M
derstand the reason.
Is Call Rates Unjust.
Why the same rates should be es-
tablished at $170 for prepared sizes to
Trenton, and $2.25 to Atlantic City,
for the same coal is unjust discrimina-
ton, and why the rate of the Marion
Coal Company, which was reduced by
a decision of the courts, from the
Wyoming region to Hoboken, for pre-
pared sizes should be 81 81, and yet the
Lackawanna from the same region
should charge 81. go because the action
was not brought against them or com
plant made by any one else, it is GER
tainly an unjust discrimination which
our Legislature can remedy, and why
the rate at Perth Amboy for prepared
sizes for trans shipping should be
$1.55 the same as Bound Brook on
the Lehigh Railroad, is another dis
elimination against the individual
consumer of this Site and should be
remedied
when t. comes to industrial sizes
there is q clear discrimination made
by the Lehigh Railroad in favor of
certain industrial institutions referred
to as against others, is a clear viola
ton of the laws of this State, and it
will be seen that these determinations