The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-08-30
THE RAILROAD commIss1oN.

opinion an the Case OF the C1t11enS Oh
Newton vs.. ths A. 7. l. 5. +. Z. h. Co.
Commonwealth: The following opin-
ION was promulgated by the railroad
commission yesterday, in answer to d
complaint Of disproportionate rates:
Due notice having been given TO the
above named parties that the complaint
in this case would be heard at the Office
of the board of railroad commissioners
at Topeka, on the 9th day of August
1883, on said day the board proceeded 10
the investigation of the compliant
From the nature of the complaint, il
appears that the charge of excessive and
unreasonable freight charges on goods
transported over the line OF the respond.
ent company from Emporla function to
Newton has reference TO goods trans
ferred 20 the last named line from the
Missouri Pacific railroad.
We find the facts as follows: The
regular rates on transportation of goods
over the Missouri Pacific to EmporIa
Junction are for first class, 81 20; second
class, 95c; third class, 75c fourth class.
58c: fifth class, SOC. That the local
rates ON the a I. & 5. +. railroad from
Emporla Junction to Newton are for
first class, 47c; second class, 42c; third
SlaSSB otC. toIILH Gissesp OtCI MIN ClhSSs
27c. That the sum of the two local
rates is, first class, $1.67; second class,
$1.3S; third class, SLIP; fourth class,
sec; fifth class, TIC.
That, however, by agreement between
the two companies named, the through
rates from St Leuis to Newton on the
corresponding classes of articles are
81 As, 81 %, 9tic, TIC and &c, being q
reduction of 29e, I3c, Ice, 15c and l2c
per one hundred pounds. That the es-
tahlished rates which obtain under this
agreement are the same from st. Louis
to Newton via Emporia Junction as ex-
ist on the same classes of goods when
shipped via Kansas City. the distance
on the latter route beng shorter.
That in pursuance of an agreementeX-
isting bttwesn the two companies con-
Meeting at EmporIa Junction this
points west of Emporia Junction is di-
vided in such proportions as to afford
the Atchison, Topeka s. Santa Fe COM
pany such amount less four per cent. as
il would have been entitled to if the
same goods had been delivered To the
last named company at Kansas City, and
by 1t transported from that point To the
place of destination.
1t appears that tina inequality of Iii.
vision of the through rate between the
two companies Ia compensated for to
the Miss ouri Pacific by delivery TO il by
the Atchison, Topeka g. Santa Fe COM
pany of freight moving eastward from
points on the line of the last named com
pany west of the point of junction upon
which the Missouri receives 9 larger
proportion OF the through rate than It
does on the freight moved westward,
and which freight if carried TO Kansas
City over the AtchisOn, Topeka & Santa
Fe would be divided between several
different lines that connect Kansas City
and st. Louis
This division of rate only applies TO
that part of the freight transported over
the Missouri Pacific that could have
been delivered to the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe at Kansas City. On all
other freight delivered at EmporIa
Junction by the Missouri Pacific to be
carried over the line of the A. T. & 3
F., each road charges and obtains the
amount fixed by its local tariff. which,
however, is higher proportiohatsly than
the through rate from st. Louis.
TIE aryan cement between the two
companies named in 40 wise affects the
burden of the shipper or in any man
ner Increases his charges. In the all
senee of this arrangement. one of two
results would OCCUR, either the Missouri
Paciflo would charge Its regular tariff
rates between St. Louis and Emporis, aud
the Santa Fee would add Its local tariff
rate from that point 10 the place of des-
tinatinn TN its line, or else the first
named company would reduce the rates
on its line on goods from S. Louis
so as to meet the local rates on the
line of the Santa Re. l2'the first case it
would lose toe business, since it would
be cheaper TO ship via Kansas City IN
the second it would sacrifice its present
advantage on freight moving eastward.
To RGnp6se that in any event or cOntin-
geney it would compete with roads
connecting st. Louis with Kansas City,
Involves us in the ahsurdity of two
lines owned ky the came company
competing with each other tor the
same business.
The present arrangement affords to
shippers the same rates between 1T
Louis and points ON the 4. T. g. s. =.
road via EmpOrIa as obtain by way Of
Kensas City: Che superintendent Of the
Though business between the two GOm-
panies concerned IN the carriage of the
goods is q matter or arrangement he
tween Ihem nom which mutual adyAnt-
ages are secured, and so long as such az
rangement does not iniuri0usly effect
the shippers, We can see no valid Ohjec
ton to It.