ST. PAUL – Sleepy Eye and Winthrop are among governmental units in Minnesota receiving refunds from an anti-trust suit settlement.

Alan Maclin, special assistant state attorney general, said Thursday the state is receiving a total of $175,000 in a settlement with C. Reiss Coal Co. of Sheboygan, Wis.

Sleepy Eye’s share is $2,853.48 while Winthrop is to get $681.52. Checks were mailed Wednesday.

THE SETTLEMENT covers the purchase of coal from that company for the period 1962-69, Maclin said.

“Payment is intended to compensate purchasers on overcharges during that period for dock coal,” he said.

Dock coal refers to coal that has been shipped to a port-in this case, Duluth.

C. Reiss Coal Co. is one of four coal companies named by Atty. General Warren Spannaus in anti-trust suit action that was begun three years ago. Maclin said the other three companies remain as defendants and that the state “is in the process of preparing for a trial against them.”

The other three defendants are Great Lakes Coal and Dock Co. of Milwaukee, Wis., and Pickands-Mather and Co., and Youghiogheny and Ohio Coal Co.,both of Cleveland,Ohio.

THE SUIT, Maclin said, “alleges that they engaged in price fixing and bid rigging in the formulation of sales of dock coal to public purchasers.”

“In the last two years we have engaged with the defendants in extensive discovery of evidence of an alleged conspiracy,” he continued.

Of the $175,000, attorneys’ fees and the cost of the lawsuit total about $27,000. Purchasers at the state level are refunded a total of $46,883.14.

The balance is being refunded to 11 cities and one school district.

The other cities involved are Virginia, $50,144.88; Hibbing, $25,279.86; Buhl, $9,750.15;Mountain Iron, $5,812.16; Two Harbors, $1,660.83; Detroit Lakes, $761.52; Alexandria, $134.82; Keewatin, $47.41; and Madison, $45.93.

Duluth School District is being refunded $6,222.55.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Dec. 5, 1975