Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-24
SCHUYLKILL COAL
TOLAST 900 YEARS
Senator'S at POttsville Learn
20 Billion Tons Are
Still Untouched
PROFIT $3.50 PER TON
Cirard Estate Royalties Al.
most Repay S2,OOO,OOO In.
4 vestment in Five Years
PROFIT $3.50 PER TON
By q Sta6 Correspondent

surface of the huge coal deposits in
Schuylkill County was emphasized to-
day, when T. Ellsworth Davies, an old
mining engineer Informed the Federal
coal investigating committee that more
than 2o.OoO,OOO,0OO tons of hard coal
lies under the surface, enough TO last
300 years.
In the Schuylkill County region"
said the witness, 'Nve have mined about
700. 100000 tons of coal in the last
seventy years and more than 22.0OO.-
100000 tons are left. This ought to be
taxed for no less than $1,000, ,o0O. 600,
but the present assessment is only
$24.000.000.
The testimony of Davies proved to be
the big feature at today's session and
caused much uneasiness to those who
are hostile toward the investigation.
Attorneys for the coal operators said
that. If given the opportunity. they
would introduce evidence to refute the
estimates submitted by Davies concern
ing the extent of the remaining coal de-
posits and their value.
Says Operators Taxes Are Low
Senator vardaman, of Mississippi in
charge of the senatorial committee that
is endeavoring to determine whether the
coal operators are limiting production
and whether the alleged restriction of
production is responsible for high prices,
was in fine mettle, when Davies was on
the stand and requested the witness to
restate his testimony in regard to
Schuylkill countys vast treasure of black
diamonds. Davies wanted to make it
clear that coal operators were not pay
ing their proportion of taxes and to
prove his assertion cited the case OF
Lackawanna county
in that county we have iOO,OOO,un
tons of coal that is minable," said the
witness. THE courts have assessed the
cost at twenty-five cents per ton, so the
total assessment is 500 000, 900
Then he told how Lackawauna County
had improved its schools and roads ana
to emphasize the financial condition oil
that coal region, asserted that, in one
town. fund Of $4,000 had been set
aside for the use Of one charity case.
Senktor Nardaman inquired whether
that condition prevailed throughout the
entire anthracite coal region, and the
witness replied that it didn
tin Schuylkll County" he said. the
teachers and others are threatening to
strike and I am told that many school
doistricts are actually bankrupt"
To give added authority to the tosti-
mony of Davies ii was made clear by
Senator Nardaman that he had been crl-
ployed by Lackawanna County to survey
the coal situation for the purpose Of
reassessng. the coal lands
says Coal is Jndervalucd
"Now," said Senator Vardaman, "will
you tell us what would be n fair csti-
mate of the taxable value Of the coal
fields in Schuylllill County," the witness.
after reviewing figures in regard 10 the
extent OF the deposits, asserted that they
should he assessed for either ono billion
or a billion and "A quarter dollars
How would these taxes affect the
profit on coal?" asked Senator Narda-
man
''On the basis of the Lackawanna
County assessment, it would take 500
years for the taxes tn cat up the profit
on n ton of coal" replied Davis.
What is the profit on each ton Of
coal?''
The profit made by railroad compa-
90 so ra- ,op irrIu5s in th,t ,e-,,.e
freight profit that accruoy TO the rail.
road for hauling the coal"
This answer caused a stir IN the
courtroom whore the Investigation j. hr-
ing conducted. so the witness qualified
his answer bv saving, "Of course. there
has been n ssparation Of tho. railroad
companies and min,, operating conlpa-
nies. but in many Instances they are
virtually the same. or. rather. owned
NV tho same peon,o."
Potts,jlIe. Pa, Jan. gi.-,Ry A ~
The senate Nanufacturars' Commi'ioe
this morning resumed its Investigation