Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-03
FIXING RATES.
The Kansas Railroad Commissioners Rem
der an Important DecisIoD

The Kansas Railroad Commissioners Rem
der an Important Decision.
TOPEKA, Kan, Sept. 2I-Mondav after.
| noon the Kansas Board of Railroad Com
missloners granted a hearing at their
| office in this city in regard to the COM
plants of the cities OF Winfield. Newton.
Independence Larned. Arkansas CITY,
Humboldt Salina and Great Bend against
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fa. the
Missouri Pacific and the St Louis & San
Francisco Railway Companies that there
had been unfair discrimination in rates
and praying for jobbers' rates on the basis
of the Wichita ruling. Traffic Manager
White, of the Santa Fe, and General
Freight Agent Travis CT the Missouri Pa
cifc, represented the roads, while the
cities were represented as follows: Great
Bend, Elric c. Cole, John s Lewis; Ar
kansas City, F. P. Scheffbauer, c. H
Swearing, j. F. Randolph, G. A. Dunn,
Henry Behrins; Winfield, P. b. Albright
J. P. Baden, William N. Madden: Inde-
pendence, W. NJ. Wade, W. P. Bowen,
Henry Baden; Larned, ". s. Webb, n.
NJ. Holloway, E E. Frezell, J. <. Barton.
The matter was taken under advisement
and the decision is as follows:
These several complaints were brought be-
fore this Board at their respective dates, each
based upon the same alleged state OF facts and
all asking for the same remedy in kind They
are, therefore, merged and made one common
case in this decision as they were in the hear
lrg, with the consent of the complai nants and
respondents
The complanants aver that the respondent
companies unlawfully discriminate against
them, respectively, by charging and collecting
rates on freight over their several lines enter
ing said cities unjustly out OF proportion and
oppreSsively above those charged to and from
other points where like conditions and similar
circumstances exist They anege that the
cause OF complaint is the same in kind. differing
only in degree if at all Of that involved in what
IS known as the Wichita case, decided by this
Board, on original hearing on March 80 1882
and again on rehearing on June ., 1889. The
case thus made up by a merging Of all was set
for hearing at the ofice of tbis Board for Sep
tember %, 1889, and the cities complainant and
companies respondent appeared by authorized
attorneys or officers.
The allegations Of the complainants being
read were admitted by the respondents to be
true, who severally explained that the equal
iZation of rates extended TO Wichita pursuant
to the order Of this Board was sought to be ex-
tended to the co mplainant cities voluntarily by
them, and would have been so granted but for
resistance by members OF the Traffic Associa-
ton OF which they formed part. They asked
for further time in order that rates might be
put IN as demanded without disturbing the re-
lations Of the respondent companies with their
associates IN such organization, although ad-
mitting that such objecting parties had no in
terest in common with them in the pending
contention
In view Of the statement and admission of
facts by the ccmplainants and respondents, re-
spectively, il only remains for this Board to
pass upon the question OF delay, and as to this
we are clearly Of the opinion that it ought not
to be granted beyond period of time neces-
sary TO arrange and promulgate the new rates
by the respondent companies.
The Board therefore finds and decides that it
is reasonable, just and expedient TO extend to
the jObbing and manufacturing business OF the
cities complainant rates OF freight equal for
like distance to the rates effective from Mis-
souri, river points and from Wichita; and it is
recommended that the respondent companies
make and put into effect commodity tariff Of
rates at the several cities made parties thereto,
which shall in all respects comply with the
spirit of the Wichita decision. to take effect
and be in force on and after October Is, 1889.
The new rates apply only to the jobbing
trade out of the points affected and do not
affect the rates into the cities.
1t is probable that the railroads will
make the rates general in their applica-
ton to the principal cities of the State, as
others are sure to demand them, and the
decisions of the Board render it certain
that such demand would be promptly
granted The rates, it is believed, will go
far to encourage and build up jobbing
trade in this State, as the reduction is a
liberal one-about 20 per cent.