Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-23
THE CATTLE RATES.
Opinions of Stoekmen on the
New Livestock Rates.
THEY TAKE II FAvoRABLY.
1t VIII Enable Cattle Raisers to ship Their
Cattle to Fort Worth without Pay
ing the ExorbItant Rates as
Heretofore Demanded.

A representative Of The GAZETTE yester-
day called upon two representative stock
men OF this city for the purpose of obtain
ing their views on the rates recently fixed
by the commission to apply on shipment of
beef cattle, stock cattle aud oxen trans
ported from original point Of shipments to
destination The rate is effective April 4
The rate fixed by the commission is % cents
per 100 pounds Tor hauls of $50 miles or
over, when the shipment is made over a
single line, or over two or more lines of
railroad under the same management or
control For distances less than $50 miles
the rate is correspoGdingly less. For ship
ment over two or more railroads not under
the same management and control the rate
is lighter, being % cents for haulS over 75O
miles.
MIR Thorp Andrews and MIR. George
Loving were seen by TEE GAZETTE repre-
sentative. Both of these gentlemen thought
well OF the rates established.
MIR. Andrews said II have looked over
the rates as fixed by the commission on
livestock and see very little objection to
them. In fact it is about such rate as the
roads have been in the habit OF giving to
cattlemen-that is, where there is a dispo-
Sltlon to give reasonable rate, and In some
instances I have known of rates given by
railroads in this state at less rate per
mile than that which has been fixed by the
railroad commissioners. Tue only change
I would suggest would be THAT where there
is 20 per cent to be deducted on rates where
yearlings have been shipped instead of
grown cattle this rule should have applied
to all stock cattle, and the rates as fixed by
the commission should have been for beef
cattle and oxen only. The principal local
business of cattle within the state at pres
ent in so far as their shipment by rail Is con-
cerned, is almost exclusively in yearlings,
two-year-olds and stock cattle generally,
and it is impossible for a shipper to get
much weight in car when transporting
any class of cattle. Therefore, it seems to
me that the commission would have come
nearer adjusting matters entirely equitable
to the livestock interests if they had made
the rule applicable to stock cattle as well
as to other classes of cattle. There is
a vast feeding interest growing IN this
state and it is impossible to move cattle
from one section to another with any de-
gree of safety except by rail, and while
most of the railroads in Texas have been
willing to accord the stock interests
equitable rates, notable among which has
been the Fort Worth and Denver road, yet
there are some roads that have been very
arbitrary in the matter of granting local
rates. In my Judgment it was very nee
essary that the commission take some
action in order that stock men everywhere
would know the published tariff
rate without having from time
to time to apply to railway arrangements
for quotations. In studying the rates
spoken of I am convinced that the commits
sion has dealt very Justly with the rail-
roads. This rate should also assist stock
men in reaching the packery in Fort Worth
without trouble, as the rate being uniform
on all roads, no one can shut them out ar
bitrarily. Fort Worth being center for
railway and packing interests, am salts
fed that the railroads desire to see these
institutions prosperous, because as cattle
are swallowed up at Fort Worth it gives a
fine local business, which, undoubtedly,
through the rates fixed by the commission,
would give them more money for same
mileage than would be gotten on through
business to Eastern points"
George Loving, editor of the Live Stock
Journal said:
1.-The rate as established by the commits
sion is a very satisfactory one and ought |
Co meet the approval of the railroads in
Texas This rate, 1 feel certain, will be
by the stockmen of the state.
This question of rates received great deal
of attention while the stockmen were as
sembled in convention at Austin. Much |
interest was taken in it and it was the |
sense of the members of the convention |
that rate was not wanted by which the |
could not make money. Their |
wish was to procure i live-and-let-live rate. |
The new rate will enable stockmen to ship |
cattle into Fort Worth for considerably |
less money, and the consequence will be an |
cattle business for this city,