Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-30

Central rates en- coal which are in
effect proportional, in that no coal
is produced here in Maine, and that
rates from tidewater to interior des-
tinations. He pointed out that prior
to the World War 80 to 95 per cent.
of the anthracite tonnage was hand
led by water. but that due to the
shortage in shipping during the war
much of this tidewater shipping was
diverted to rail- This condition is
now slowly working back to the
original.
The local rates contemplated a
previous haul, were esta blished Is to
20 years ago and were maintained
| without change until the fall of 1916,
the rate on anthracite coal was adj
vanced 10 cents, up to 81 rate; IS
cents, from 81 to $3.50: and 20 cents
on all rates over $3.50. In April
II1918, an increase was made of Is
cents ton, and in August of that
year, an increase of five ceuts ton,
| which was the net result of the Rail-
road Administration increase. On
Aug. 20, 1920. there was 40 per cent
increase, and on July l, 1922, a 10
per cent reduction.
Mr.. Snow asserted that the Della
ware & Hudson through rate to Au-
gusta in 1915 was 1872, as compared
with the present rate of S5.74 per ton.
The same rate holds on the Lacka-
wanna On all other carriers the rate
from the mines to Augusta is S6.17.
The tonnage of coal coming into
| the Maine Central territory illus
| trates the conditions of all-rail and
tide water compared. All of the coal
of tidewater coal and 40,250 tons, all
rail. In 1919. the tidewater coal
amounted to 426,C0O tons and the
all-rail coal, 100000 tons. This
showed the effect of the war on the
tidewater COAL In 1922, the tide
water coal was 720 tons or IS per
cent, and the all-rail coal 13o,oo9
tons, or Is per cent. This showed
that with the restoration, of normal
conditions, tidewater coal is coming
back.
Mr.. Snow was then cross-eXamin-
ed, and chairman Quincy of the
Maine Public Utilities Commission
asked him what would be the ad-
; vantage to Maine if there were es-
ia blished rates through the Harlem
river gateway. Mr.. Snow answered
that there would be none for the
reason that the coal would have to
be taken across New York harbor
and brought through the most con-
gested district and southern New
England, and the cars would have to
be returned.
The rates for hauling coal have
been increased much less in pro-
norton than other freight rates, and
the rates on anthracit coal are low
err than on other commodities for
the reason that it is vital that the
people in this section of the United
States get coal, Mr.. Snow declared.
Coal rates have advanced about
80 percent since 1916 while other
freight rates have advanced from
so to 50 percent.
Mr.. Snow pointed out that on a
basis of Sc cents from the mine to
tidewater and from tidewater to the
point Of delivery the Maine Central
Railroad got 20 percent. The pro-
portion to the Maine railroads for
hauling coal is smaller than it is on
other commodities. and the rail
Journey from the mines to tidewater
and from tidewater to destination is
regarded as one journey. 1t was evil
dent in Mr.. Shows remarks that the
fact that coal is casting lot OF
money is not due to the Maine rail-
roads.
Rates on the e. & A. r. r.
Henry J. Hart. counsel for the
Bangor & Aroostook railroad, tse-
titled that practically all of the coal
on that road came to tidewater at
Stockton Harbor, and he said that
the rates for transportation of this
coal were about the same as those
charged by the Maine Central rail-
road company.
Railroads Represented
Several other railroads were rep
resented at the hearing although
their representatives took no part in
the discussion of rates. The ap-
pearances were as follows: Della
ware 6, Hudson Company, II. T.
Newcomb Of New York; New York,
New Haven and Hartford. F. P.
Kinney of New York; Boston &
Maine, w. A. Cole.