Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-03
PUBLIC HEARING SET
IN COAL FREIGHT RATE
Proposed Reduction of 25 Cents
to Be Threshed Out Before
Service Board

public hearing on the proposed twenty
five cent per ton reduction in the coal freight
rates will be held in Harrisburg before the
Public Service Commission on wednes esday
afternoon at 80 o'clock
This was announced this afternoon by
W. D. r. Ainey, chairman of the commits
sion, following a conference in the Office
or Commissioner Ryan in the Land Title
Building Among those in attendance at
the conference were Charles Heebner coun-
sci Tor the Philadelphia and Reading Rail
way: c. Stuart Patterson, attorney for
the Pennsylvania Railroad: Ward w Pier.
SON. Harold S. Sheriff, Mr.. Ryan, Mr..
Ainey. B. II. Evans, special counsel for the
commission. and Attorney General Francis
skunk Brown The purpose of the meeting
which was held behind closed doors. was
to discuss the coal situation generally.
Greediness OF retail coal dealers in Phila-
delphia imperils the twenty-five cent re-
duction in the freight rate authorized by
the Public Service Commission. Attorneys
who won the fight declared today they
would withdraw from the case and thus
block automatically a ratification of the
agreement to reduce the rate unless the
public was benefited by the reduction.
Mr. Pierson, who is attorney in the fight
for lower rates, together with Mr.. Shertz,
issued statement on behalf of himself and
his colleague.
We represent the people, and have done
so from the beginning" they said. "If the
retailers are going to absorb this reduction
for themselves We will cease any further
attempts to compromise the matter with
the State Public Service Commission"
Even If the retail dealers are successful
in their attempt to gouge the public for
the twenty-five cents that should be given
to the consumers, they face prosecution
District Attorney Rotan has announced that
he will prosecute them IL they retain for
themselves the twenty-five cent reduction
Attorney General Francis Skunk Brown has
also joined the fight.
Il will resist with all the power of my
office" he said, ANY effort the dealers may
make to grab this money. The consumers
fought this fight and the retailers had
nothing to do with it. Yet when the VIC
tory is won they put out their hands and
want all of it."
1t was intimated the railroads may take
things In their own hands in forcing a
satisfactory and speedy settlement. Efforts
on their behalf have been under way for
nearly two years, as they feel this case
must be arranged satisfactorily before they
can hope for success in asking for hear
ing Immediately, according to good author
ity With the vision Of the whole question
baked through the capidity of the dealers,
there were rumors that the Philadelphia
and Reading, at least, possessed power to
make the dealers get into line,
j. T.. Richards, president of the Newton
Company, who announced the intention of
the dealers to stand out for the reduction,
declared on Thursday that, in numerous in
stances, the roads carried the dealers along
on credit whenever it was hard for them
to pay for their coal within the usual time.
For this reason the railroads can make
half the coal dealers do as they wish.
To all questions Michael ]. Ryan replied /:
"As a member of the commission. have
no right to discuss the question. Theoreti.
cally, | do not know anything about an