Wichita eagle., 1888-01-25
TIE LIVE STOCK RATE WAR


has not been settled vet. The chairman
of the Southwestern Railway association
which met in Chicago last week, has sent
out very confidential document to the
managers of southwestern lines. So Inn.
portant does he regard it that he sent out
a preliminary letter, IN which he spoke
OF the great danger of the document
falling into the hands of the press and
how important it was that such an acct
dent should not happen. Following are
the most important features of the circu-
lar. which was inadvertently dropped by
a St Louis general manager yesterday:
The Burlington representative did not
take exception to the legality of the po-
sition taken by the Rock Island road nor
to the formal way which it had been an
nounced. The effect was to reduce the
rates. A rate could be lowered either by
reducing it or by offering extra accom-
mOditlon. The effect to the shipper
was the same. 1t had been sworn before
the interstate commission that palace
stock cars did offer superior accommo-
dation for the transportation of cattle.
for which reason higher charge could
be exacted for their use. The Burling-
ton owned about 5000 stock cars of the
ordinary pattern. Heretofore higher
rates had been charged on improved
! cars, but it was proposed to make the
Charges on the different kinds of cars
alike. 1t did not know whether the ex-
listing differentials were automatically
correct or not. 1t wanted it I'M
derstood the meaning of the
notice was that it would
make the rates on stock carried in Bur
| lington cars low enough 10 neutralize
whatever advantages might result from
the use of palace or improved cars.
What the difference was would have to
be ascertained by trial and Judgment
1t is intended to make its stock cars, for
all practical purposes as available as the
/ improved cars. 1t would never under
take to say that a passenger coach was
as good to ride in as Pullman palace
car. If it were going to supply grade
of transportation for stock which is not
so good as that offered by rival line, it
would do it at less cost, and the differen-
| tial would be such as would enable it To
compete with the Rock Island whenever
| it encountered its competition.
The Chicago & Alton intended to Sc
cure fair share of the stock traffic re-
CARELESS of the Burton car. While it
did not blame the Rock Island for adopt
ing measures to protect its interests at
the Missouri river, it did object to the
means it purposed employing. After the
| roads had sent representatives to WASH
ington. and convinced the Interstate
Commission of the justice of charging a
differential rate on palace cars, it was
hardly fair for the Rock Island to enter
into contract which disregarded that
principle. The Alton thought the COM
pany ought to advise the other lines def
nitely as to the nature of the contract, in
order that they might know just what
they had to meet. There was no merit
in the claim that these improved cars
could be used for return loading. No
company could furnish stock cars and
let them go into the ordinary west
bound business, with its inevitable
delays. When one of these
stock cars is wanted it must be sent i'm
mediately. If these cars were put on he
saw no way of competing against them
except as stated by the Burlington. The
Chicago & Alton was determined to
secure a fair share of the livestock
traffic.
The Rock Island did not think the
question bad been stated correctly. es-
pecially as regarded the position taken
before the Interstate Commission. The
great point made in Washington was that
the Burton car was made up of compart-
ments and could not be loaded with re-
turn freight. This was not true with
reference to the cars now contracted for
by the Rock Island road. The Burling-
ton did not always act upon the theory it
now advocated. A short time ago the
Burlington had put on fast trains, de-
spite the unanimous protest of the all
other lines. The five hours reduction
in time was worth money to passengers,
and other lines were forced to put
on like trains or lose the bust
ness. 1t should be understood that the
contract for the new cars bore the seal of
the Rock Island company, would run
for period of years, and would be lived
up to absolutely If the rate from the
Missouri River was reduced to $50, that
would be the rate Of the Rock Island
road for the improved car; or. if the rate
declined to So, that rate would apply
upon those cars. The Rock Island de-
sired to put the Chicago stock yards, the
board of trade and the packers in con-
dition to do business, and in doing SO it
would have the support of those interests.
1t may be added that the Burlington,
instead of reducing the rate on January
II, now takes the position that it will
merely adoDt some D1pa SIIrpS not