The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-01-17
SANTA FE RATES,

A Talk With Railway Commissioners
Humphrey and Turner.
Commonwealth: The late decision
on railroad rates, IS promulgated and
rendered by Commissioners Humphry
and Turner, in the cases of Usage City,
Newton and Great Bend, seem to have
stirred up q hornets nest at several
points in the state. At least. the COM
mlseioners are getting little anxious 10
explain. When q Commonwealth re-
porter visited their Office yesterday,
Mr.. Turner said that the people are en-
tertaining the wrong impression Of the
intent and purpose of that decision as
stated in its body and caption. They
seem to think that we have made rates
for all along the line, when in fact, we
only made rates for Usage City, Great
Bend and Newton. Topeka and Law
renee, nor Emporla, were not touched or
changed. They have the same rates
that existed before the decision was
given out.
At3this kpoint Judge Humphrey re-
udEkcO lnab tnO "uOio tEOuOA0 IOSLS
with shippers who have been, hereto
fore, favored with special and secret
rates. The new distance tariff, which
makes reductions on through freight of
about fifteen per cent after leaving To-
peka, has caused the railroad men to cut
off special rates and raise the figures on
them, presumably to make up for the
losses on the west end, but in reality, to
get up fight.
Said Mr.. Turner: All railroads have
at least two tariffs. One tariff giving
rates to and from terminal points, called
through tariff, and the other local
distance tariff which is used On local
shipments to and from points
other than terminal points. The Santa
Fe road has tariff which gives rates
from Atchison, LeavenwOrth and Kansas
City to all stations on the line, and from
all points to Atchison, Leavenworih and
Kansas City This through tariff is
much lower than the distance tariff, for
many reasons; one of the principal ones
being, that 1t is special. "In addition to
these tariffs" continued Mr.. Tnrner
''there are special tariffs of various
kinds, on grain, stock and emigrants
all of which when issued supersede the
distance tariff.
The local distance tariff recommended
by the board is simply maximum
tariff, beyond which the road cannot &C
in making any tariff, and in no sense af
fects shipments to or from Missouri
river points, as many suppose" As &
further argument in favor of the stand
taken, Mr.. Turner suggested that ''Tope
ka people wait until q schedule Of rates
is prepared for Topeka before they ind
fault with the action of the commits
sioners, for while, If the local distances
tariff could be applied on ali Topeks
shipments, it might in some instances
advance slightly the rates, yet we fee
/ assured that our decision Is moi
going 10 be injurious IN the least
They say that the rates obtaining
on the first seventy miles of the compa
nays road west of the Missouri river are
but very slightly IN advance Of rafcl
charged fog like distances upon the high
est class Of roads In Illinois. These rates
are reasonably judged by any standard
of comparis00 that eau be Reasonably
adopted of and they should not be dis
] surbed"
Judge Humphrey expressed himself
| thusly: "The railroads know thaf w
have the key 70 the whole thing, and
We see ct TO take their special rates for
/ our basis, We can do SOP