St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-09
Two Long Complaints Filed
With the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
Charges of Discrimination by
Cahoots With Live Stock
Shippers.
The Milwaukee Gives Notice
of a Cut in Cattle
Rates.
Heavy Default Made by the
GAINESVILLE & Ohio River
Road.

WASHINGTON, Aug. s.-There has
been filed with the interstate commerce
commission complaint of the Inter-
state Commerce Railway association
VS.. the Chicago & Alton railroad. The
petition of the complainant recites that
the defendant was member of the said
association until July Is, 1889; that the
defendant is competitor for the trans
pOrtatiOn of live stock and products
thereof from Kansas City to Chicago
with other lines members of said associ-
alton, tO-wit, the Chicago. Burlington 81
Quincy and affiliated lines, Chicago,
Rock Island d Pacific, Chicago, Mil
waukee IL st. Paul, Wabash Western,
Chicago, Santa Fe & California and
Missouri Pacific; that said last men
toned companies, together with the de-
PENDANT, have united in the establish
ment of tariff for the transportation of
said commodities from points beyond
also aided in the establishment of a
tariff on live stock, dressed beef and
packing house products, ETC., from Kan
sas City to Chicago. The complaint
then outlines the course of bust
ness in the handling of such traffic
shipments of cattle being received in
Kansas and the Indian territory by
lines reaching the grazing. points, and
consigned by the shippers to Chicago,
with privilege. nevertheless, of stopping
Off at Kansas City.
The complaint recites that each line
engaged in such traffic owns certain
amount of equipment especially con-
structed therefor. Of late, however,
the transportation of, and especially
from Kansas City to Chicago, has been
very largely carried on by the
USE OF PRIVATE STOCK CARS
of various so-called improved patterns,
the owners of which are accustomed to
engage shipments by negotiation with
dealers in live stock, and to collect
from the lines hauling the cars mile
age of three-fourJh cents per mile run.
west from Chicago to initial points and
loaded for Chicago, with or without the
privilege of the Kansas City market as
the shippers may desire. One result of
this practice the complaint says is
that the cattle cars owned by all
the lines are now, to large
extent, unemployed. 1t recited that
the complainant is informed that
the defendant has leased 400 of its un-
employed cattle cars to the American
Live Stock commission company at a
rental of IS per car per month. The
mileage upon said cars in both directions
in the ordinary course of affairs, would
amount to at least SIP per month, af-
fording profit of at least So per car to
said leasee. Complainant says that the
repairs on said cars and the services
assumed by the lessor in collecting
| mileage earned, makes the so called
rental almost nominal; that an arrange
ment of this character, whereby
the ordinary equipment of line
is leased outright to shipper, is
unusual and irregular; that i'll so far
as the payment of such mileage is made
or participated in by the defendant in
the use of its own cars in any sum in
excess of IS per car per month realized
by said leSSeeS is in the nature of re-
bate, and complainant AYERS that the
transaction Is device whereby the de-
PENDANT will receive from said American
Live Stock Commission company less
compensation for the transportation of
cattle than it received from other per-
sons for like and cOntempOraneOu
service. The pecuniary inducement to
shippers thus afforded by defendant is
alleged to be
AN UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.
Complainant is unable to set out the
precise terms of the contract referred
to and asks that defendant be required
to make the same part OF their an
SWer. Complainant also alleges that the
defendant has entered into contract
of another character, whereby it has
contracted with one or all of the prlnci-
pal houses engaged in Strengthening cat
tie and hogs at Kansas City and vicinity
for the exclusive transportation of such
shipments for number OF years.
Such a contract with one of said ship
pers, the complaint alleges, would prac-
| tically control the establishment of
rates for all. The complaint recites that
very material reduction in rates from
Kansas City to Chicago, made July 10,
1889. was forced upon the other roads by
defendant, as is believed with view to
put the defendant In a position to carry
out its obligation under said contract.
The complainant AYERS that SAID con-
tract is also in contravention of the act
to regulate commerce in many ways.
The complainant therefore desires an
investigation and an order command
ing the defendant to cease and deS-
ist from said alleged violation of the act.
A complaint has also been filed by the
Chicago, Rock Island Il Pacific Railroad
company against the Chicago & Alton.
1t alleges that complainant and defend
ant own competing lines of railroad be-
tween Chicago and Kansas City; that
complainant also owns lines run
ming west of Kansas City, called the
Chicago, Kansas d Nebraska railway,
Under tariffs issued at different dates.
through rates on live stock from points
west Of Kansas City to Chicago were
made with the privilege of stoppage and
sale at Kansas City, but the subject to
certain conditions set forth in said tar
ifs. If the cattle were not sold at Kan
sas City, they could be reshipped under
TIE ORIGINAL THROUGH BILLING.
The Alton line has local tariffs in effect
from Kansas City to Chicago, which are
or were greater than the proportion of
through rates received by it for the
same services on live stock brought
from Western points to Kansas City
and there sold. The Chicago 81 Alton
has insisted upon the right to carry
such stock to Chicago at the proportion
from Kansas CITY of the rates
named in the through shipment.
and has protected through rates
on such traffic by paying local rates to
the Western lines to Kansas City, and
taking for its compensation for the
transportation to Chicago the remainder
of the through rate. The complaint
contends that defendant has no right to
declare and make itself a party to the
| Joint rates when it is not actually
party to such rates, and charges that
| by so doing the Chicago & Alton vio-
| lateS section six of the act to regulate
commerce by charging less cOmpensa-
ton for its service than are specified in
| its DubliShed tariff of rates and charges
at the time in force.
CATTLE RATES TO BE CUT.
The Milwaukee Road Gives Notice