Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-09

10 deal with tneSo encouraging cOnQl'
lions has been added many others which
should be mentioned.
In several of the western states rates
have been established by law which are
ruinously low, and although our system
has been comparatively free from this in
justice it will be easily seen we cannot en-
tirely escape its influence. When rates in
Iowa are arbitrarily forced down the diff
Guilty of maintaining fair rates in adjoin-
| ing states is immeasureably increased. II
is but natural that Nebraska and Kansas
| should object to paying certain transporta-
| ton rates when Iowa and Illinois can get it
| for less. The result is constant pressure
upon railroad companies to make their
rates conform to those established by law
In nelghbor1ng states.
Another influence has worked against
the maintenance of reasonable rates and
especially upon our lines, namely the fail
ure of crops and consequent stagnation of
business. But aside from competition
there is in time of business depression an
other influence which injuriously affects
railroads, namely, the difficulty of main
tanning prices of transportation when the
price of everything else has deprecated.
The Atchison company has every reason
to appreciate the fair and reasonable
treatment it has received from the state of
Kansas, but Kansas is no exception to
the rule that hard times increase the
difficulty of obtaining the rates. For in
stance, in the fall of 1887 when the failure
of crops was bearing heavily on the people
the railroad commission addressed letter
TO Kansas roads setting forth the existing
distress and suggesting temporary re-
ductlon of grain rates. This reduction
was, of course, made and companies hay
ing already lost in traffic lost also in COM
pensation for what was left. In the fall
of 1888 similar conditions existed, the re-
~ e. f,S1 6
railroads were asked to meet the emer-
gency by reduction of rates. The COM
panies to which it was addressed were suf-
fering from general depression of business,
but the reductions called for were
made and a general schedule was put into
effect, which, while it no doubt tended
TO diminish the burdens of the general
public, materially increased those of rail-
roads It would seem if business princi-
pies are considered that under such cir
cumstauces the carrier should be permit
ted to mainta ain their rates but the reverse
has happened. Returning prosperity will
no doubt diminish the demands made on
railroads for lower rates. 1t is believed by
the directors that the new association of
western roads for the purpose of prevent
ing unnecessary and destructive wars of
rates will be beneficial to both the public
and the railroads.
The expense of operating averaged 1919
less per mile operated than 1887, though
total expenses show an increase of $50, 2254,
the excess being entirely due to increased
mileage.
The condition of the road, buildings and
bridges, as well as that of its rolling stock
has been maintained and was never better
than at present.
Unfayorable results from operating
roads in the past year have caused more or
less criticism of the action of the directors
in increasing the dividend in fall of 1887
to per cent. There was every reason TO
believe that the earnings of the road for
the last half of 1887 would be greater than
for the first half Of the year, as had usual
ly been the case but owing to the practi-
cal failure Of the corn crop and other I'M
forseen causes the year 1887 formed re-
markable exception to what had been
hitherto the regular course If the county's
Combined with the report are full state
ments of income accounts balance sheets
and statistics respecting the Atchison sys-
tenn proper, the land department and the
various leased and proprietary properties
company as well as q general summary
son company of all its properties owned or
controlled.
OF Oklahoma the report says: ''There
is every reason to believe that the earn
ngs of the Atchison line viii be largely in
creased by the settlement of this region,
as the line passes north and south through
the entire length and is the only railroad
by which the country is directly reached"