Evening star., 1933-09-03
D. c. DEALERS !
COAL RATE BATTLE
tTwo-to-0ne Decision by l. c.
c. Upholds Charges From
- Pennsylvania Fields.

mission yesterday dismissed complaints
of Washington and Baltimore coal deal
ers that shipping rates on anthracite
coal from the great Pennsylvania coal
fields were too high. In coming to
the conclusion they did, the majority
overruled the report of their own ex-
aminers.
The case was heard by Division Of
the commission, consisting of Commits
sioners Patrick j. Farrell Ezra Brain
erd. jr., and Claude r. Porter Ccm-
missioners Farrell and Brainerd found
that the assailed rates had not been
shown to have been or to be unreason-
able or otherwise unlawful
In a dissenting opinion, Commits
sicner Porter sustained the report of
the examiners, and held that the rates
had been shown to be unreasonable
by the evidence
Under the commissions practice
this decision will stand unless a re-
quest Is made by the local coal dealers
for rehearing, in which the case will
go before the entire IL members of
the body.
Complaint Filed in 1881.
The effect of the ruling, in the opin-
ion of representatives of the local coal
dealers, will be, by maintaining the
prices of anthracite coal. to encourage
the increased use in Washington of bi
luminous coal and coal substitutes
One of the requests of the local CON-
plainants was that the Baltimore e.
Ohio Railroad be required to reduce or
eliminate a charge of so cents for
switching shipments from the Penn
sylvania Railroad at Baltimore to de-
livery points on the Baltimore g. Ohio
line.
The local complaint was filed with
the commission August -. 1881. by
John T. Mooney, attorney. representing
John T. AgneW & Co. and other local
coal interests dealing in the District
and nearby Maryland and Virginia.
The commission was asked to pre-
scribe reasonable rates for the future
and to award repara tions on past ship
nents including shipments transported
during the tendency of the complaint" ."
Rates on prepared sizes to Washing
ton and the nearby points from the
three Pennsylvania points concerned
are S323 a ton This rate applies to
coal from mines reached by the Penn
sylvania, Delaware & Hudson, Lacka-
wanna. Central and Lehigh Valley
Railroads to deliveries On both the
Pennsylvania and Baltimore e. Ohio
Railroads
Rates on Pea Coal.
The rate on pea coal from all three
| regions to Washington is S302 except
that the rate is S313 from mines on
| the Lehign Valley and Central IL the
Wyoming region. The rates to WASH
ington on smaller sizes are S2.65 TO
Baltimore & Ohio deliveries and S3.02
/ to PENNSYLVANIA deliveries
/ The commission said there was a
sharp dispute" between the various par
| ties as to the distances to be used in
| determining the reaSona bleness OF the
assailed rates Two methods were used
! by the Washington cCmplalnants, one
/ computing the average distance ever
/ the short tariff routes and the other
| showing average distance over the
! shortest routes over which carload traf-
! &c could be moved without transfer G
/ 1ading
Surprise over the decision was c.
/ pressed by Edward D. Shaw. executive
/ secretary of the Merchants ana Manu-
| facturers' Association. which has taken
! an active part in the fight for coal rate
, reductions. The Interstate Commerce
/ Commission recently had reduced rates
on coal shipments from the PennsEl-
/ vania fields to the New England region
/ and the distances covered are ascu-
! the same as to the local area.
| The purpose CT the filing Of the local
| complaints, it was explained vas 10
obtain reductions in anthracite retail
| prices in washington SO this coal might
! stand a better chance in competition
! with coal substitutes.
Anthracite coal sold in Washington
completes with bituminouS coal cCke
arfJ al
and electricity the local dealers point
| ed out. There has been gradual in
| crease for domestic purposes in the de-
mand for bituminous coal produced II
| the PocahontaS regions Of Southern
! West Virginia, due primarily to the diff.
ference in prices between that and an
! thracite coal There is also a SubStan.
tial increase in the consumption O.
| other competitive fuels. These fuels Il
large extent. have displaced anthra
cite. Gas and oil have displaced ap
proximately 100000 tons OF coal, prln
| cipally anthracite.
Tonnage on Decline.
1T is apparent from the record tha
| notwithstanding the increase in popu.
! latiOn the tonnage of anthracite Goa
| consumed in Washington is declining
In seeking a reduction in the rates OF
anthracite. the complainants stated tha
| it would be their purpose to pass any
| decrease therein on to the consumer I,
| the end that anthracite might also bt
made more attractive as fuel in Wash
| lngton.'
Prior to April l. 1881. the rates tt
| Baltimore and Washington, generally
speaking, were the same on coal ship
ped from the three great Pennsylvania
coal regions. The rates were blank,
eted" as far South as Quantico. Va.
and as far North as Codorus, Pa, OF
the Western Maryland Railroad; as fal
| as Perryville, Md. on the Pennsylvania
and as far as Havre de Grace on thu
! Baltimore &, Ohio
On April l. 1881, rates ON prepared
sizes of anthracite to Baltimore wert
reduced. The rates on pea and smaller
sizes to Baltimore and to Washington
remained the same. The present rate.
to Washington and those to Baltimore
voluntarily reduced by the carriers two
years ago, had been in effect more thar
80 years, subject only to the genera
rate changes.