The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-02-19

] NH.sluE 10 tue west OF Lyon COUNTY
we would find the corn crop in that
region Of country In 1884 was lO0. 600,
O0O Of bushels, as against 4S,0OO, 600 Ia
1873. That region produced 10 1873
| 3. .2S0 1852 bushels Of wheat, 10 1884 80 :
779 62s bushels. While the tonnage
west OF EmPOria has increased at q
rapid rate the freight rate mas been
out slightly decreased. AS an illus
tratiOn, MCPHERSON Is 90 miles from
Kansas City, the freight charges on
wheat during the year 1873 was q
Gets per 100 pounds. In 1884 it IL %
cents, a reduction Of one cent as q set
Of against this great increased ton
mage. A car load of cattle weighing
ten tons hauled from Mcpherson 10
Kansas CITY Gusts S35 while car load
Of wheat from the same point and Of
| the same weight costs so
The wheat exports Of the state are
/ on an average about 5000 cars per
year, cattle about =, 900 cars. or the
70, 600 cars Of wheat sent out Of the
state every year 80. 900 are loaded west
OF EmDOria. The question is raised
how 10 tx charges In maximum rate.
| In answer 20 that it Is hard TO deter
mine.
There are many difficulties to over
come, but when we consider the fact
Ihat one Of the great staples Of the
state is practically placed under an
embargo by burdens0me freight
charges we can determine by com par
is0n what such rates should be.
When we compare our product Of
wheat with Illinois we find that We
Ia In ~
when we compare the freight rates
We find that Kansas roads charge a
much higher rate than do the Illinois
rUnds for the same haul. In Illinois
| 100 pounds OF wheat IS hauled 200
miles for 10 cents. In Kansas, for the
I same amount aud same distance, the
charge is l9R cents. Corn 10 Illinois
~ hauled for 1885 cents. same quanti-
~ and distance rs wheat, 10 kHnsss
Il Is IA cents. Cattle In Illinois. 2OO
miles, are hauled for 81 20 per car Ia
Hausas, same distance, S35. We lind
by reference TO the tables that the
rate for q haul Of 80 miles 10 Kansas
will average with the same haul 10
illinois, but beyond that point we
dnd the Kansas rates going up at an
angle Of 45 degrees, while the Illinois
rate continues nc the same ratio at
tanning on the first seventy mile haul.
Now TO show the difference between
the earnings Of the railroads Operat-
ing In Kansas and Illinois.
The zross earnlnes Of the Santa Pc
system for issii 2,oSJ miles opsr-
Tho gross earnings Of the Illinois Cen
iTsl system for lisa, zoos milss0D-
Adtarth
for issi ..-.-.....-,..--. ....-.-;-..---- ASA
Net earnings per nile % the Illinois
Central Tor issi --..---.-...--..-.----.---- ee2s
The Ilinols wheat crop for lssi vas 81 ,000O
bushels the Kansas wheat crop for lisa vas as
10 ~ bushels
Now as 10 rates. In 1871 the illinois
rate before the creation OF the board Of
commissioners, on wheat was 20
cents for q haul OF 907 miles, 100 10.
In Kansas at the present time II Is lsa
cents for the same distance. The
present rate from the eastern border
Of our state, % miles, Is - cents for
100 10. From the so mile point the rate
increases az q ratio dispropoTtiOnste |
70 the distance. It's from that point |
the bill seeks 20 make q reduction.
For 20 miles west Of Kansas city |
the Kansas wheat rate is az low ~ in |
illinois, being for 20 miles Ia Illinois |
SO 8 for 100 10, while IN Kansas for |
the same distance it Is 81 cents, but al |
the 50 mile point Kansas rates raise 10 |
u cents, while In Illinois Il Is but /
Sll go per 100 pounds. The bill under /
contemplatos a reduo. /
ton Of one-sixth from the ninety |
mile point. IL Is claimed the roads ia
Kansas can't haul as cheaply ~ the /
Illinois roads. This Is not proposed /
10 the bill. This bill does not coz
template q reduction TO the basis Of
the Illinois rate. Kansas wheat crop /
as I have shown is greater than the
Illinois crUp, and the tonnage is di-
vided between q less number Of rOads
than Is the case In Illinois. The
state has double tue number Of roads
that we have In Kansas, and while
our tonnage Is less We have a less
OF roads 10 haul our products.
The dividends OF railroads, it IL
must govern freight charges,
railroads are never permitted 10 pay
Iarge dividends. Il Is Hgainst the poli-
~ Of railroads 10 permit them 20 grow
.arre, but for the managers Of roads TO
permit earnings TO fall on would be
sufficient ground for the removal Of
he officials operating them. There
g not q road IN kHnsaa that could not
be duplicated, track, rolling stock
nd ali for SIS 900 per mile.
Then, again, IN regard % live stock,
We fiud that stOck Of any kind can De
iriven from one road % another
therefore the stock Interests are not
luffrrinE from excessive freight
.harEes. Curn may be used Tor fuel
vhen freight charges prevent ship
nent. and this necessarily reduces
9th an importation and expoFtation.
-t is no argument % say that freight
-ates are as low 10 Kansas as they are
q Iowa or Missouri, or other western
tates, when we know that railroads
re the same ell over the countTy-all
.lven % charging ali the product will
,ear.
Phe wheat crop Of India bas de-
Yeloped from almost nothing 20 S0,-
.O0. 600 bushels, and threaten 70 be-
,ome q dangerous competitor In /
european markets with the United
states. Then, again, we have reached
period Of lower prices; the products
4 the country have dropped down.
Although there b generally recOv.
~ after . depression, jet prices
lever reach the same height from
ThIch they dropped. Since this re-
Iuction has occurred, would O. not BE-
D keeping with the present status Of
fairs that freight rates should bear ,
orresponding reduction with the la-
or and products Of the c0antTy9
The chief staples Of . state are
sually given the lowest possible rate.
9 90 Illinois coal the greatest tonnage
given q very low rate, and with
bis the wheat rate IN Kansas should
orrespOnd.
/ want 20 call your attention 10 an-
iheF matter a car Of cattle from
fePherson 70 Kansas City costa SIS 9
nd is sold for 500; while q oar Of
lheat cosis Sls 20 ship and only /,
fiBgn $500. From McPhencn %
gansas CITY the distancs is 20 tnilea.
{ costs 20 cents Tor every 100 pounds
TAlls fr1nl Kansss Oily 70 c6lgago, 9