Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-27
FORMER FORT WoRGHITE
Giving Some Unpleasant Truths.
Where Reform is Needed.

Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX, Aug 21-The following
letter received by Judge Reagan was writ
ten from Omaha by gentleman who had
formerly been citizen of Fort Worth:
August H. 1891
Hon John Il. Reagan Austin. Tex:
DEAR SIR am here temporarily from
Texas, but the bulk Of my property is still
there. and | CNpect.SoOn 10 move back.
was ia the hardware business in Fort
Worth, ioboiug heavy hardware in small
way, ana my business was very salts
factory until the railroads increased their
local rates so enormously. | a. first blamed
10 some eXtcn. the interstate law, but
ABOUT two ana oae-half years ago letter
and copy Of this law from you convinced
ME of my error. | was in the state freight
convention ut Dallas about two years ago,
and the outcome of that convention con
WINGED me that we could get no relief, eX-
cept for such as our umbermen, with
whom there was not stronger conflicting
interests from without the state. You
wrote ire in your letter: You will have to
look to the state for laws to correct these
evils" | saw that / would be ruined be-
fore | could get This state protection, as |
was rapidly losing all l had So | closed
out my business US soon as l could, and
found had lost about half my property.
Now. having this experience, | feel that
" giving tA tIAG AslNHC VI ~ t--tAL II IL
place you where you could prevent re-
currence of it.
III the first place goods shipped from the
East in large or small quantities 60 direct
TO the point of consumption at a very low
freight, when from 4 Texas mil or fac
tory, when the output exceeds the home de-
mand. to freight it locally is simply prohioi-
tory compared 10 the common point rate in
vogue from abroad. Besides, our jobbers
and factories distribute in small quantities,
SO the freight for much distance is nearly
equal 10 the freight on like shipment from
up North. To Il Fort Worth merchant two
years ago. nails from St. Louis in car lots
to Fort Worth and in small lots from there
to Vernon, Tex. were 46 cents greater than
in small lots from ST. Louis through Fort
Worth 10 Vernon. Again, small shipment
of 4ourth-class goods from st. Louis 10
Austin was 70 cents, to Fort Worth it was
80 cents. and from Fort Worth 10 Austin il
was 90 cents more. And this condition of
rates TO small towns surrounding Dallas
and Fort Worth apply relatively with ST.
Louis, as the 80 cent rate to Austin. And
IN regard 10 the oagging rate, with which
see You are having some worry. The rate
two years ago from St. Louis TO San An
MO was - cents in car lots; IT was the
same 10 Fort Worth. Then it was 80 cents
less % per cent from Fort Worth 10 San
Antonio. But this is not all, for the bag
ging factory at Fort Worth. while it was
subjected 10 this freight to San Antonio,
was taxed a 56-Cent rate on the raw iute
from St. Louis out of which it made this
bagging.
Now how can this factory exist under
such a taxi But this is not all, for these
roads in the beginning of a season for a
staple article ike bagging generally cut the
rate from the North TO help their friends
up there. to the ruin of competing indus
tries. Query-Would these cut rates be
made if the roads were required to make
like reductions here on the same commodi-
ties on both small and car shlpments2
Now have read after you closely. and I
notice there is some talk Of q mileage rate