Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-13

Operators and Dealers Plan
Protest to |. c. C. on Pro-
posed Hike.

Washington is determined to make q
vigorous rSht to cut freight rates on
sc,t coal from the New River fields Of
virginia West Virginia snd Kentucky.
A parity rate Of SAIL per gross ton
Was indicated SIS an objective at & meet
irS held today Al the Racquet Club. at
which West Virginia coal operators.
representatives Of local trade bodies ana
consumers arranged TO draw Up series
Of petitionS 70 present to the interstate
Commerce Commission Immediately.
protesting against the proposed increase
NJ rates or. soft coal from the New RiNor
fields from sc.s4 per ton to 1913 per
ION effective on August 10. The CheSa-
T,ease 4 Ohio tbs Norfolk n western
snd the y!rc.nIan Railroads, Whcn .}auI
coal 70 Washington from ths New ME- nv.
fields fled a rev tariff Of SS,lS WIN
the commission recently.
File by August /.
The point was stressed by various
S,saksrS today that II the New river
rnsl Is eliminated from the washington
market the District Of Columbia misnt
vel look for an increase IN It's coai otl.
~ fn~estall this. representatives OF me
,-.vious trade bodies that ATTENDED me
,9eet;1r gave notice that meetings VIII
he called immediately 10 consldef pro
tests against the increased taffn 81 'iie
SOUTHERN carriers, and these WIZ ne
sled with the Interstate Comihsite
Commission before August !, a. ne
rules Of practice Of the commission re-
cuire - ,,..... -,a,
onerstors' Association opened the
meeting hv explaining the history OF
the djffcultv. James E. ColllnoNef'
chairman of the coal division OF me
Merchants & Manufacturers ASsocla-
tier. was named as chairman, and Roo,
EFT J Cottreu. executive secretary OF
the Board Of Trade. secretary.
Cites /. c. c. Ruling.
Mr.. Higgins pointed out that the coal
movement Of the Baltimore d ONO
Railroad from Southern tlelos mas peeli
10 10 - per cent dealer tonnage anu
that from SIS 10 90 per cent OF TINS
coal coming TO Washington mas pesiA
on fne basis Of the S2s4 rate. He en- !
rhssined that the Interstate Commerce
Commission on April IS Of this year |
had found the rate Of S2.64 not I'M |
reasonsble. after an exhaustive survey. |
The Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad, ne m !
sisted. is getting an enormous rSFe-
niue" out Of the S3.i3 rate. i
The exclusion Of New River coal
means that you are not going 10 nave
the competitive prices you have hau |
IL the past" Mr. Higgins asserted.
L. Greever. attorney for the Poca-
hontas Coal Operators Association, the |
T1le River Coal Operators Association |
and the Operators Association OF the /
field said: You 90 not |
want 10 lose our competition ana l |
don't believe you want TO lose our coal, |
which is peculiarly suited TO Washing
ton. where buildings are built with an |
ere 70 beauty. II these assumptions |
are true. you should make your own |
protest on your own grounds and 60 |
before the commission and let it know /
exactly how you stand. You nave Just |
as much At stake as We have"
Discussion was then taken UP by O. |
81. Caperton, president of the New /
River Coal Co who told the gathering /
tha. If the S3l3 rate goes into effect |
Il will eliminate the New River district |
from Washington.
1T is impossible for the producer TO |
absorb AZ cents" he declared. we |
would simply turn the market over TO |
ne baltimore e. Ohio and Fennsylva- |
MA Railroads with their AZ cents Diff |
rerential. It is incomprehensible that |
the Southern railroads have not got |
courage enough to stand up and con- |
auct this fight If West Virginia coal |
zoes out Of the Washington market, |
you are going to pay the bill.
~ffIIIon Tons Affected
The meeting was informed, in answer |
10 o question, that .000, 600 tons Of coal |
coming into Washington viii be af-
fected by the upward Teadiustment, |
should the new rates prevail.
Mr.. Collihower, in indorsing the re- |
marks of previous speakers, said ne |
you'd prefer 70 see the rates uniform |
and does not want his firm TO have an |
unfair advantage over other merchants. |
MFR. Higgins told the gathering that |
is being charged so much |
more IN rates than the cost OF coal |
At the mines that railroad stock Is |
soaring and that lit is unfair 70 say |
to you that you are to pay 20 cents |
more than you are paying.
Mr. Greever declared that It was |
ridiculous for the Baltimore &, Ohio |
20 get sl.0i out Of this rate, as this
city and its environg constitute one
terminal" There ought 10 be one
terminal on a parity, Mr. Greever de-
clared, suggesting that the Washington
rate should be parity rate OF S2.7l.
Ord Preston, president Of the Wash
ington Gas Light Co, declared that
his firm would be only too glad to BE-
come a protesting party TO any proper
declaration.
c. r. Marshall, attorney for the Po-
tomac Electric Power Co, revealed that
his firm is dissatisfied with the recent
Interstate Commerce Commission deci-
sion and indicated that reopening OF
the case might be sought.
Holly Slower, secretary Of the Smoke
less Coal Operators Association, told
the meeting that the rate affects 600
people living in Washington and that