Wichita eagle., 1886-11-11
ST. LOUIS AND HER RAILROADS.

: ST. LOUIS AND HER RAILROADS.
S From the Globe Democrat.
S On the map ST. Louis is great railroad
= center, practically she is not There ar
but two railroads, to the westward, from
which the merchants of this city have rea
son to look for anything substantial-tht
Missouri Pacific and the St. Louis and San
Francisco. Little or nothing in the way o.
trade encouragement can::be expected from
other roads reaching the Missouri river
Neither the Chicago and Alton, the Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy, nor the Wa
bash, will show any accommodation to
this city if Chicago, Detroit or Toledo
can do the business, Their interests
are best subserved by discrimination.
against st. Louis sufficient t.
insure them the long haul. Their manag-
ing officials cannot be censured for such &
policy. They are simply discharging theil
duties to their employers, the stockholders
terests of their roads can be best served by
making Chicago the distributing point for
the greatest possible area.
/
Louis in the northwest, and but very little
in the west Prior to 1875 st Louis held
the southwest and just proportion of the
Mississippi was fairly divided between the
| two cities. But this was not satisfactory to
Chicago railroad managers A rate war
was inaugurated, and an aggressive policy
with rule or ruin as the motto resulted in
| ha oh ioh,, rf
Rates were made which enabled the Chi
cago merchants to pay the rail freight from
the east and reship to Missouri river points
at the charges current via st. Louis, re-
CARELESS of the increased distance.
| To give this adjustment the semblance
of fairness, the claim was made and main
tanned that commercial relations rather
than difference of distances should estab
lish the rate differentials. The idea was
combated by st. Louis, but the Chicago
railroad managers, true to self interests,
pronounced their ultimatum, and the Mis-
souri, Pacific, and the St. Louis, Kansas
City and Northern, now the Wabash, sur
rendered
Such is in brief the story Of crime
against not only ST. Louis commerce, but
the interests of the east and west By the
tween Kansas City and ST. Louis, or points
east of st. Louis and Chicago, has been
made to pay overcharges ranging from
three to twenty cents per 100 pounds. The
producers and consumers of Kansas, Colo
RADIO, Utah and New Mexico, as we'll as
those Of the Middle and New Eng
land states, have shared the misfortune
of st. Louis in not having had the
benefit of aggressive railroad management
to oppose the dictation of Chicago. The
vote, five to two, indorsing the idea that
commercial relations, and not mileage,
must govern southwestern rates, estab-
lished direct discrimination against
three-fOurths of the mercantile and manu-
featuring communities of the United States
History repeats itself. Southern Kansas
is now disputed territory. Kansas City is
the plaintiff, Chicago the co-plaintiff, ST.
Louis and the east and west are the defen-
dants. Once more the argument is offered
that commercial relations rather than mile
age shall govern rates. The war has been
inaugurated. The pro forma conference
has been held. St. Louis roads have not yet
surrendered. The vital question for St.
Louis is, will they.
st. Louis railroad managers, like their
Chicago and Kansas City brethren, owe to
their stockholders their first duty. In
reaching conclusions they will consider the
chances of succeeding in fight; the cost
and also the benefits at stake. The ST.
Louis and San Francisco is unfortunately
hampered in being entirely dependent on
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe for its
California, Arizona, Colorado and New !
Mexico business. Unless it has contract |
that traffic it must expect to lose
some With this one drawb back, the Frisco
can afford to carry on war, as only about
One-third of its legitimate territory is in
dispute. The Missouri Pacific is well
able to make the fight long and
4 bitter one, as but a very small
portion of It's business will be
involved. The contest will not affect its
far western traffic. The Atchison, Topeka
md Santa Fe must bear the brunt of the
battle. Its hauls to and from Kansas City
Ire short, and the hostilities will affect the
'ates of every station east Of Wichita and
north of the Indian Territory. The Atch-
son, Topeka and Santa Fe will have the
and moral support of the roads
between Chicago and Kansas City, but
hat is all. There will be no practical as
'lstance rendered, as such assistance would
1t once involve the business of the south
western pool east of the Missouri
From all points Of view the chances of
he st. Louis roads for winning in this
light are good These roads will have the
support of every st. Louis shipper Every
purchaser and consumer of Kansas will
upport them. Let the utimatum 90 forth
n earnest that the people of q territory
tributary to st. Louis shall rot be
axed for the benefit of Kansas City, and
he result Of the contest between Chicago
md this city ten years ago will not be re-
,eated now
Ihn Iarynrl cnlnhratin1, Of 20 1-nnr- of