Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Chairman Reagan Writes a Letter Explain
ing Rates.

ing Rates.
The following letter from Chairman Rea-
gan to w T. Gass of Bonham will no doubt
be Of interest:
AUSTIN, TEX, Oct 81. 1891.
-Ir. ". 7. Gass. Editor Farmers Review, Bon
ham. Tex!
DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 18th, with
the article from the Daily F'avorite, pur-
porting to state the effect of the comm IS
sion tariff on wheat. has been received. The
writer of this article bases his opinion that
the said tariff increases the rate on wheat.
and is therefore an additional tax o. the
wheat growers of the Abilene country, on
two statements The first is that the rate
from Abilene to San Antonio has been in
creased from 20 to % cents per 100 pounds,
or cents Der buShel. The very fact that
the rate from Abilene to only one city in
Texas was cited TO support the statemel.
that rates have been increased S<ssns
orally. as is evidently meant by this Nriteri
stamps him as an unfair and pre5udice4
critic. II Abilene was the only wheat PRO
ducing locality and San Antonio IhA> QUIZ
consuming point in the state, there Qfst
be some reason in the article But kSrt
Worth. Dallas, Corsicana, Terrelk seher-
man, DeniSon and many other milling
points buy wheat, and the rates to nearly
all those places from Abilene were reduced.
Why were rates to those points not men
toned by this critic! San Antonio is evil
IDENTIFY the only point where the rate from
Abilene has been increased. Then ;cain,
the Panhandle, the great wheat producing
region of Texas, is not mentioned at all in
this criticism. Was it because the rates
from Panhandle points to nearly every con-
Stunning point in the state have been re-
duced In some cases where there was =
very long haul from the point of prodEcr0n'
to the point of consumption the commission
tariffs have increased the rate, >SlS
this results from the fact that
the railroad tariffs made but little if aues
difference in rates on account of distaSfH.
Under their tariffs rates were nearly Gid
in some instances quite, as high fs6m,4bi-
lene to Dallas and all intermediate paints TO
San Antonio as from Abilene TO san An
tonic. Under the commission tariff ship
perS pay for the distance wheat Is hauled,
and consumers situated near producing
points do not have to contribute any of their
earnings to convey it at cheaper rate to
those more remotely situated.
The following comparison between the
rates on wheat in force when the commits
sion was organized and those fixed by the
commission fairly illustrates this point:
Wheat in carloads distance railroad COM
mission rate:
Miles, Per 100 lbs. Per 100 loss
Abil'ne TO Dallas. 1928 20 cents 1874 cents
Abil'ne to B'nham2.6 go cents Il cents
Abil ne to SAINT oi1l 20 cents - cents
The second statement in the article that
circular No. 20 gives authority to railroads
to charge the sum of the locals on two or
more roads, thus greatly increasing rates, is
wholly untrue. Said circular simply pug
vides that in no case shall a road malse
haul for less than the minimum rate, which
on wheat IS cents per 100 pounds.
The above observations apply with equal
force to the criticism of the rate on h3y-:.'
corn and oats. There may be few points
remote from the producing ceuters where
rates will be higher, but the vast majority
of consumers enjoy cheaper rates, and no
one section of the state is taxed to keep up
another.
Finally I would cite you to the opinion of
the railroads themselves rs probably the
best evidence of the effects of the commits
sion tariff on rates. The various roads esti-
mate the reduction on grain, flour, bran,
meal and salt at from 10 10 25 per cent.
Very respectfully, JOHN. II. REAGAN,
Chairman