Wichita eagle., 1888-04-03
BURTON STOCK CAR.
The st. Paul Sends Out the First Train
Yesterday.

ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
Before the breaking out of the trouble
in the northwest, the Chicago, Milwaukee
& st. Paul ordered a full complement Of
the now famous Burton palace stock
cars and substituted them for the misera-
BILE excuses then in use for the transpor-
tation of live stock. Several of the COM
peting lines protested very loudly and
threateningly against the proposed
change, saying that the old cars were
good enough, and the expenditure for
new equipment in this respect was far in
excess of what the roads cared to stand
or what the traffic would justify. The
Milwaukee & St. Paul went ahead, how
ever. and had the new stock cars COM
pleted as rapidly as possible and placed
on the various roads of this system. The
change has proved great success.
The protest of the Wabash Western
was placed ON file with Chairman
Midgely when the Rock Island gave nc
tlce of its intention to substitute the
Burton palace for the unimproved stock
Car. The Alton felt the effects of the
change as well as the other roads, and
did not intend to be robbed of its bust
ness without making an effort TO prevent
1T, although the change made by the st.
Paul and Rock Island had not crippled
the live stock business of the Alton 10
the extent that it had on other lines.
What acton would the Alton take? The
company was not prepared and willing
to substitute new and improved stock
cars at present, and he was not author
lied to say that the Alton would even ask
for ditferential, and was of the opinion
that the company would even up mat
tiers by running fast trains for the trans
portation of live stock, and do away
with the extra expense and delay of
stopping several hours at Roodhouse to
unload, water and feed and then reload
again. These fast trains could
leave Kansas City in the
morning at four o'clock and
arrive in Chicago the following morning
at O'Clock, thus making the run in
twenty-siX hours. or ten hours less than
the time consumed in making the run
under the present arrangement. No
other line has the track and rolling stock
for making such time, and Mr.. Wann is
of the opinion that this will give the
shipper perfect satisfaction, and that the
Alton would retain not only its full share
OF the business, but under the new
arrangement would be able to largely
increase its earning powers in this
direction. This thing OF appeasing a
rivals wrath by holding out or accepting
a small ditferentlal has never been the
policy of the Alton and would not be in
this fight, if, indeed, the trouble SHOULD
go to that extreme. If it could not hold
its own in fair contest for business, it
was willing to let the business go.
That the new service of the Rock
Island & st. Paul has greatly increased
their earnings, and that competing lines
must take steps in order to secure por-
ton of the business, all railroad men at
this point are free to admit. 1T would
be just as reasonable" as one of them re-
marked ''to say that the Pullman
sleeper would receive no better patron
age than the common coach, when the
prices rere equal, as to contend that the
shipper will take advantage of all mod
ern improvements and convenience
when the cost is no greater. If the shoe
doesn't pinch, what are the roads COM
planning about: