Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-17
THEIR ANSWERS.
Texas Traffic Men Again Before
the Commission.
LISTEN TO NEW COMPLAINTS
from Patrons of the Road-Answers Made
to the Twelve Interrogatories Pro-
pounded by the Commission
Last Week.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
| AUSTIN, TEX. July 15.-The railroad
| commission met the traffic men this morn
1 ing to hear their answers to the interroga-
tories propounded some days ago. The
4 chairman read to the traffic men the COM
| plants brought in by the latest mail The
| farmers OF Justin, point north of Fort
| Worth, ask for 17-cent rate on grain to
| Galveston. E. II. Keller of Fort Worth
asks for lower rate on his manufacture Of
| spring wagons and the like. He complains
that so cents per 100 pounds is excessive
| Alyarado merchants want lower rates on
| wheat TO Galveston, and Beeville merchants
| complain of local rates on salt
Richard Lord of the Rio Grande railway
| then read the answers of the traffic men TO
the interrogatorial. Supplements to the
| answer were comparative statements of the
rates on freight from Chicago, ST. Louis,
| Kansas City and Galveston to points in
North Texas very much in favor of Calves
| ton, which enjoyed rate 10 to 30 cents less
than Northern cities. A comparative state
meQt of the tonnage of other roads
"a those in Texas showed that
the former had about three or four
| times the tonnage per mile with earn
| ings to correspond. A statement of popu-
| latlon per square mile in several states
| showed eight per square mile in Texas, the
| lowest, to three to eight times as many in
| other states. 1t costs more to keep roads
in condition in Texas than in other states
| In view OF the discouraging statement
made by Mr.. Lord concerning the unprotita-
bleness of railroading in Texas, Judge Rea-
gan said it was good thing for Texas that
| the roads did not know beforehand the
troubles and losses alb cad of them.
Chairman Reagan said the commission
would make classification and rates on
cotton, lumber, grain and salt before at
fplnnf1no a f.la a.,l
and asked for expressions from the traffic
| men on the subject. if they had anything
TO say. But little was said in response
L The answers to the Undergraduates are
Aere given with the questions;
!. What is the average rate per ton per
mile by steamer and sailing vessel for ocean
transportation
It is impossible to tell. Ocean transpor-
tation is governed by the supply and de-
mand
3 What is the average rate per ton per
mile for railroad transportation in the
United Statesl
Poor's Manual gives for 1880, 9.16
mills and the interstate commission gives
1901 mills. We have no other sources
of information within reach.
3. What is the ocean rate of transporta-
ton per ton by steamer and sailing vessels
from New York to the coast cities ofTeXas?
Ocean rates from New York to Galveston
are Si-1Z per lOn- fodllNp vessels are S!.U4.
/. What is the local rate per ton from the
coast cities of Texas to common points in
Texas?
The average local rate on all classes and
leading commodities is $ 81 per ton.
). What is the rate per ton by rail from
New York to common points in Texas
6. What are the rates per ton by rail be-
tween the coast cities of Texas 10 common
points in the Indian Territory, Kansas and
Nebraska2
The rates per ton on all classes and lead
ing commodities between the coast cities
of Texas and common points in the Indian
Territory ana Kansas are S11.39 per ton,
Nebraska, $780, per ton.
{. What are the rates per ton per mile be-
tween the following named points and COM
mon points in Texas, to-wit: ST. Louis,
Kansas City and Chicago!
The average rate TO Texas common points
from Kansas City Is Sl.91 per ton; to St.
Louis, Sl.S0 and to Chicago, Sill
s. Can merchandise be carried as cheaply
from the coast cities Of Texas to the North
ern boundary of Texas as from Kansas
City. st. Louis or Chicago?
Merchandise is hauled as cheaply per ton
from the coast cities of Texas to the north
ern border towns of Texas as it is from
Kansas City, st. Louis and Chicago, and is
now being carried at about the same rate
per ton.
g. A radius of 1000 miles from New York
as center and a radius Of 1000 miles from
Galveston as center, biSect each other in
the Southeastern part of Minnesota In !
view of this, what can Texas railroads doY
towards giving an outlet to ocean trans
portation for the territory nearer the TEXAS
coast than to the cities of Baltimore, Plila-
phia, New York and Boston!
10. The people Of the Western states and
territories and their commercial and po-
litical representatives are giving all the
aid they can to secure deep-water harbors
on the coast of Texas, ana an outlet to the
sea by way Of the coast of Texas, so as to
be relieved from the cost of the longer rail
road haul TO the Eastern cities. What can
the Texas railroads do9
The best answer to these is that self in
terest would prom the Texas roads to Sc
cure all the traffic tithin the radius named
that can be got d sny profit. The question
of ocean tranSpol alton rests entirely with
ocean carriers. An indication of the de-
sire among Texas roads to control within
the radius referred is shown by their eff
forts to place their surplus Texas lumber
in that territory. This constitutes proof
enough of their probable action in the fut-
ure respecting other traffic either north or
south-bound,
II. If the rates on the shorter lines should
control the rates on longer competing lines,
why do not the rates from points within the
radius from the coast of Texas control the
rates on longer haulS to the Eastern citlesl
This is partly answered in 9 and 10.
The lack of facilities at Texas ports has
prevented any large movement of products
originating within the radius mentioned.
The outcome of the future is predetermined,
but self interest would prompt the roads to
make such arrangements as would divert all
the traffic possible through the Gulf ports.
T. What is the difference between the
rates received by Texas roads on freight
brought into Texas by through lines
and that received by Texas roads on freight
originating in and destined TO points in
Texas
Excepting to Texas junction points the
Texas railways receive rs follows on inter-
state business: The Galveston, Harris
burg and San Antonio, the Texas and New
Orleans and L. L., 10 cents less than on
local.
The Texas and Pacific had no statistics.
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe shows
about the same as the above named roads.
The Fort Worth and Denver receives on
short hauls the full local rate on inter-
state business; on long hauls 1215 per cent
less than on local business.
The Houston and Texas Central receives
full local rates on interstate business on 100
mile hauls and less on longer hauls
The Missouri, Kansas and Texas does not
separate Texas earnings from its other |