Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-24
APPEAL FOR JUST RATES
0maha's Contention Before the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
ARGUMENTS SET OUT IN THE BRIEF
How the City Has Been Discrimi-
mated Against in Tariffs to the
Southwest and in Favor of
Kansas City.

Arguments and briefs have been filed be-
fore the Interstate Commerce commission
i'm what has come to be known as 1.-THE
Omaha case" Attorney w. ID. McHugh of
this city, who represents the Commercial
club sent his brief yesterday for fling before
the commission. The name of ]. L. Utt
freight commissioner of the Commercial
club, appears on the document Mr.. UT
having been active in the preparation of the
figures showing the discriminating rates
from which Omaha and South Omaha have
suffered.
The title of the case is the Commercial
club Of Omaha, complainant, against the
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway COM
pany: the Chicago, Rock Island & Texas
Railway company; the Missouri Pacific Rail-
way company; the Burlington Missouri
River Railroad company in Nebraska; the
Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs
Railroad company; the Missouri Kansas g.
Texas Railway company; the Atchison, To-
peka G. Santa Fe Railway company; the
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway COM
pany; the Houston G. Texas Central Railroad
company; the International Great North
ern Railroad company and the Texas & Pa
cifo Railway company, respondents.
The case is an epitome of the grievances
that Omaha has had for number of years
against the railroads doing business in the
southwestern country, and which have per-
sistently given the South Omaha stock yards
and the merchants of Omaha very much the
worst of it. Year in and year out the pack
ers and live stock shippers Of Omaha and
South Omaha have made pilgrimages to the
meetings of the traffic managers OF the
roads in question, and have appealed and
threatened and used all the artful argu-
ments that usually prevail in an effort to
secure a revision of the rates that would
give Omaha something like an equal nsht-
ing chance for business in the southwest
country. None of these efforts have borne
fruit, and some time ago complaint was
made before the Interstate Commerce COM
mission, where the case is now on for hear
ing.
The brief of Mr.. McHugh alleges that the
respondent companies in fixing the rates
for the transmission of freight between
Omaha and southern and southwestern
points. especially Texas points, unjustly and
illegally discriminate against Omaha, and
that the rates thus fixed between Omaha and
such points are too high, excessive, unrea-
sonable and unjust.
The respondent roads are members OF the
Southwestern Traffic association, which
fixes for it's members the rates between
Texas points and Kansas City, St. Jos,ph
and Omaha, St. Louis and eastern cities.
The roads are also members, or some OF them
are. of the Western Freight association,
which fixes rates between southern and
southwestern points and Omaha, Kansas
City--St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and
western cities.
WHEREIN RATES ARE UNJUST.
The complaint charges the respondent
railroad companies with establishing eXces-
Sve rates and unjust discrimination against
Omaha in the following particulars. l, In
making class rates between Omaha and
Texas points. 2. In making rates on sugar
from Texas points to Omaha. 3. In making
rates on cattle shipped from Texas points
to Omaha 4. In making rates on packing
house products between Omaha and Texas
points. In making the rates complained Of
the railroad companies arbitrarily divide the
territory into sections, known as the st
Louis territory" the "Kansas City terri
tory" the Chicago Cincinnati territory"
and so on. Omaha is in none Of these divi-
sions Of territory. Here's where the trouble
arises.
Inside of these respective territories the
railroads entirely ignore distances and geo
graphical location. For instance, the rate
between Texas points and Moline, ILL.,, Is
the same as the rate between such points
and Gallatin, Mo-, though Moline is 264
miles farther from Texas. st. Joseph gets
the same rate to and from Texas points as
Kansas City, though seventy miles north
of Kansas City. Omaha is not included in
any territory" by the railroads. The rates
between Omaha and Texas points are based
upon the rates of the kansas City territory"
and the maximum Omaha rates are limited
by the rate Of the Chicago Cincinnati terri
tory" which is based on the rate OF the st
Louis territory"
Now how does this scheme work, so far as
Omaha is concerned? Here are some figures
The rate between Omaha and Texas points
Is the following dlfferentials higher than the
rate of the "Kansas City territory" On
flrst-cass, 20 cents; on second-class, Is cents;
on third-class, 15 cents; on fourth-class. 10
csnts, and on fifth-class, 10 cents. The tariff
sheets provide, however. that when this differ
entail 10 higher than the rate between cities
in the "Chicago-C Cincinnati territory" and
Texas points, then Omaha shall be charged
the Chica 60 Cincinnati rate. The Chicago
Cincinnati rate is the following differentials
higher than the rate OF the "St. Louis terri
tory" On frst-class 20 cents; on second-class,
16 cents; on third-class, IL cents; on fourth
class, 10 cents, and on fifth-class, Z cents.
Thus the maximum Omaha rate Is the last
for the "St Louis territory" including Fort
Madison Davenport, Moline, Rock Island
and many other points hundreds OF miles
farther from Texas than is Omaha.
There are many instances In which the rate
to the est. Louis territory" is the same
class rate given to the Kansas City territory;
but In all instances the dfferental against
Omaha is enforced. Thus In many cases
shipments under class rates are hauled from
Moline and Rock Island, H., and Fort
Madison and other points in eastern Iowa to
Texas at a smaller charge than is made from
Omaha to such Texas points, though In the
Omaha case the haul is shorter by several
hundred miles. The differential charged
Omaha is SO heavy that 1t would In many
cases make the Omaha rates TO and from
Texas points higher than the rate from Chicago
to such points.
ON SUGAR AND CATTLE.
Omaha has just as strong a complaint to
make on the sugar rate as on the class rate
just quoted. Sugar takes commodity rate.
The supply Of sugar to Omaha. Kansas City.