[180]. The Interstate Commission says: “While giving rebates to the fuel and iron company from tariff rates, it (the Santa Fe Railroad) charged the full tariff rates on interstate shipments of coal by other shippers in not only the general coal region involved, but in the same coal field. This practice of the railway company resulted in closing markets for coal to shippers competing with the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company.” 10 I. C. C. Decis. 473, February, 1905.
[181]. 10 I. C. C. Decis. 475.
[182]. 10 I. C. C. Decis. 476–480. While the Caledonian Company was trying to get to market on equal terms with the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, they got a letter from the Santa Fe traffic office, Nov. 15, 1900, saying that they could sell their coal to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, or keep it. Mr. Biddle, however, when shown the letter and questioned about it, admitted the authorship, but said he did not construe the letter as saying anything of the kind. (I. C. C. Santa Fe Hearing, Dec. 1904, p. 154. The text of the letter is not given.)
[183]. There was a dispute about the relative steam power of the coals from the different localities, but the point doesn’t seem to be material.
[184]. Sen. Com. 1905, pp. 3072, 3073. The Caledonian had a good market before the agreements between the Santa Fe and the Colorado Coal Company were made, and it had many orders afterwards, but could not fill them except at a loss because of favoritism in freight rates.
[185]. I. C. C. Hearing, Dec. 1904, pp. 135, 148, Biddle.
[186]. Mr. Biddle says the coal rate circular was issued by his authority and continued a practice that was in effect when the Santa Fe operated the mines, but he could not say whether it was “simply continued at the time the Colorado Company acquired the mines or whether there were negotiations under which it was done” (I. C. C. Hearing, Dec. 1904, pp. 135, 136, 147, 148).
[187]. A copy of this circular bearing the name of the traffic manager of the Santa Fe was taken without permission by a dealer at El Paso from the Santa Fe office there.
[188]. I. C. C. Santa Fe Hearing, Dec. 1904, p. 8.
[189]. I. C. C. Santa Fe Hearing, Dec. 1904, pp. 146–148.