Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-06
IN SPITE OF ALL THE KICKS,
A Day Spent in. Haering Complaints of Various
interests About TO be Crippled.
Arguments of the Railroads Not Strong
Enough to Persuade the Commits
sion that More Equal Sys-
tenn is Not Practicable.
THE COMMISSION QUARTERS.
Invaded by Traffic Men, Lumbermen and
Shippers Who Complain of the Pro-
posed Reductions

sSptIls-4 " tIIc IdLcIlt
AUSTIN. TEX, Aug 5-The number of
traffic men, lumbermen and shippers who
invaded the quarters of the railroad COM
mission to-day was proof enough of the in
JcreSt aroused by the schedules of proposed
rates on cotton, grain, lumber and salt sent
out last week by the commission for the
consideration of those directly interested.
The general freight agents seemed 10 be all
present, as well Us a score or more of luIn-
Der mill men from Southeast Texas, TO say
nothing of others interested III cotton and
corn rates. The lumbermen were especially
emphatic and earnest i'll protesting against
the mileage system proposed, and stated
with the utmost positiveness that ii would
be the ruin of them, one and all. They made
i strong and vigorous kick.
The morning session opened with state
ment by Mr.. Lovctt, Dallas attorney Tor
the Texas and Pacific of the receipts and
expenditures OF the road for the past year,
i'll which he showed that az per cent Of the
roads income went for expenditures, not
including bettermentS. There was no dIvI-
dend on the stock The interest on the
bonds paid was $l.21@,490. Nearly Is per
cent Of the rcCeip pts came from the traffic in
cotton ana per cent from lumber. \ ma
tcrial reduction OF tine rate III these two ar
1icIes would seriously cripple the road. The
estimated cost of buiidin" and equpping
the road WIS $4,000 a mile. It's earnings
now were sufficient only to pay 8 per cent
interest on an Investment OF $1,000, or )
per cent on $1,000 a mile.
General Freight Agent Hinton of the
same road furnished an estimate of the per-
centa@e of decrease shown by the proposed
schedules.
JUDGE REAGAN
remarked he thought that the reduction
proposed by the commission might be 4
trifie excessive III some directions and that
some changes in il would be made before
promulgating it. He did not see, however,
that the commission should not make L con-
siderable reduction in the cotton rate, which
he termed unbearable. The rate proposed
by the commission, said he, is about $3.2J
per ton per mile, a rate higher than in any
of the neighbOring states. The actual rate
in Texas from all common point territory
to Galveston is s.. % i bale. To St. Louis
it is only 81 -. and 10 New Orleans, 81 10 4
bale The difference between the local and
interstate rates
WAS TOO GREAT.
In reply to Foster Mr.. Hinton said that
only about - per cent Of the cotton hauled
by his road was local freight.
Mr.. Foster could not understand how n
reduction of the rate on so small j proper
ton OF the cotton freightagc could iniure
the road.
Chairman Reagan said that the cotton
must be made elsewhere.
Mr.. Terry. Galveston attorney for the
Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe, argued at
considerable length 10 show that the rates
in Texas are actually less than they should
be, and that they are practically no higher
than in Georgia. He said that il the COM
mission would give him Georgia distances
where the average haul is about 10 miles,
he would accept Georgia rates. if he We're
allowed , cents ton per mile he would be
satisfied no matter what the system The
existing rate in Texas is Isl cents per ton
per mile.
Under the proposed rate his road could
not put stick of lumber in ClebWne and
could not afford 10 haul it much above TEN
pie Rates. said he. on lumber from Phila-
delphia to New York. distance of ninety
miles, was cents. and in Texas under the
new schedule would be only cents on the
same distance. The roads could not stand
that because their tonnage was far less than
on the eastern roads. Mr.. Terry undertook
10 show that rates III Texas are for the
most part no higherthau in Kansas and Mis-
souri,, especially on short haulS of grain.
Mr. Masters, general freight agent of the
Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe. presented an
estimate of the percentage OF decrease i'll
rates proposed by the commission, and the
manner in which it was arrived IT.