Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-02
ELEVATORS AND TRACK LOAD
ING.

! ers
Prior to the taking effect of the railroad
| law under which this commission acts, diff
ferent rules prevailed upon different roads
| in respect to the loading of grain in bulk on
to cars. Upon some roads an extra charge
OF two cents per hundred was made to those
who loaded and unloaded their grain upon
the side track from or by means of wagons,
at places where elevators or dumps existed;
while in other instances track loading, as it
was called, was altogether prohibited where
elevator facilities were established. Upon
investigation of the matter the board, early
after coming into Office, established differ
ent rule, which the railroad companies oper-
ating in that state adopted. and have since
| followed, viz: That no distinction should
| be made in the rates on grain shipments be-
/ between those who loaded or unloaded
through elevators and those who did not,
and that no one should be prohibited from
/ Ioading or unloading his grain upon the
track by means of wagons; but that those
who failed to avail themselves of elevator
| facilities, where they existed, and loaded
| from, or unloaded into, wagons, and by that
means unreasonably detained cars upon the
side track, might be taxed reasonable de-
murrage charge for such detention. Since
the establishment of this rule, we have re-
ceived complaint from numerous elevator
men, who represent TO the Board that the
operation of il iDterferes seriously with their
business, and impairs greatly the value Of
their property.
1t would seem to the inevitable that this
would be one of the results of such an order.
Elevators have, Mt all considerable points, in
the state. been built TO handle the great
crops of grain that are annually produced,
and with sufficient capacity in nearly all
cases to handle all the grain brought to such
points for shipment. The business of the
elevators is curtailed by so much as loading
is done from wagons.
The immense crops raised every wear in
the western states render the elevator as in
dispensable necessity as the reaping ma
chimes by which the grain is harvested. If
all grain were loaded upon cars from wagons
and unloaded in the same way, it would be
impossible to furnish a sufficient number to
move the crops, except at n greatly increased
expense, which would considerably exceed
the aggregate elevator charges. This would
be caused by the greater detention of cars
from track loading, and would decrease to
that extent the carrying facilities of the COM
panes. II is therefore q matter of quite
grave importance, both to railroads and the
people, to provide and maintain elevator
facilities wherever needed. 1t was to en-
courage the building of elevators, and to
protect those established, that the rules here
tofore mentioned as having been en-
forced by the railroad companies J
we're adopted. While recognizing cogent
reasons for these rules discriminating be-
tween track and elevator loading, the board
we're not able to see their wey clear to sus-
tain them under existing laws. Indeed, in
the absence of appropriate laws regulating
elevator charges, we did not deem il either
safe, expedient or just to the grain producer
to adopt or sanction measures which sought
to compel him to employ elevators to handle
his grain.
Ii is represented to us that the track load
ers are not tho farmers, but class of men
who, without an established business in the |
localities where they operate, and without !
the necessity of capital, purchase wheat dur |
ing the busy part of the season during /
which grain shipments are made, and load the |
same on cars direct from farmers wagons,
thus saving to themselves the expenses incl \
dental to handling through elevators. These /
men can afford to pay a small fraction more
for grain than elevator men, who have a con-
siderable amount of capital invested in ele-
vator property. But it is the very existence
OF elevators that makes it possible for these
transient spectators to offer this slight
advantage, and gather their accompanying
profits.
1t has already been remarked that eleva-
tors greatly facilitate the handling and expe-
iite the shipments of grains, and that but
for them in states like Kansas, for instance,
abroad companies could supply adequate
facilities to move the crops only by increas-
ing greatly the number of their ears. which
during portion of the year must lie idle,
and adding very materially to the cost of
.he service cost, toe, which would tell
lpon the rates for transportation. Ii nee
.ssarly follows that to dispense
altogether with elevator facilities
would add to the total cost of getting the
grain to market, and by that much would
iepress the price paid the producer. But
he larger portion of the grain is handled
through elevators, and the amount handled I
~ track leaders is not sufficiently large to
equire additional railroad facilities to tell I
ensibly on the rates; but sufficient, never
heless, to diminish legitimate elevator profits,
nd to discourage the development of that
lass of necessary facilities.