Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-24
EXAMINE 1T CLOSELY
A. Hospe, ir,
1913 Douglas 50

Omaha to Minnesota Junction. west to He.ena,
Branard, Butte, Spokane Portland, Seattle.
Tacoma and all points on the Northern Paci-
fc railroad, and to all points on the Great
Northern railroad, and to all points on the
Canadian Pacific railroad, at exactly the
rate charged Omaha on the same product
TO the same points The same is true as
to shipments over the Union Pacific system
through Cheyenne. In practically the whole
north and northwest, Kansas City is put
on an absolute equality in rates with
Omaha, despite the fact that Omaha is 200
miles nearer the territory named But when
rates are made TO the south and southwest,
In no instance Is Omaha upon an equality
in rates upon packing house products. In
every instance Omaha shippers are charged
or 10 cents per hundred more than Kan
sas City.
A PLAIN ILLUSTRATION.
In his argument before the Interstate
Commerce Commission, presented in the brief
forwarded yesterday, Mr.. McHugh goes over
the law in the case, showing how the rail-
roads complained of having persistently and
fagrantly violated the interstate commerce
law. and have worked against omaha's in
terests at every point, and In face Of the
most emphatic and convincing protests Mr..
McHugh uses as one Of his illustrations q
fact that shows another case Of discrimina-
tion against this city right in Nebraska, and
in territory that Omaha should have without
serious competition. His statement and illus
tration is as follows:
Hastings, Neb., is the center OF very
large hog producing section OF our state.
The shortest distance by rail from Hastings
to Kansas City is 297 miles; to Omaha, 1i6
miles Yet the railroads haul hogs from
Hastings to Kansas City at exactly the rate
charged from Hastings to Omaha To get
hogs out Of Nebraska to Kansas City the
roads are perfectly willing to haul 151 miles
farther at the same rate.
Now take two shipments Of hogs from
Hastings, one to Kansas City and enc to
Omaha. both to be converted into hog prod.
uct and shipped into the northwest. beyond
st. Paul. The hogs are hauled in one case
from Hastings to Kansas City, 297 miles.
and the product is haul;d to Omaha, a dis.
tance of 200 miles. and then delivered to the
Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha
railway for shipment north the total haul
having been 497 miles. In the other case
the hogs are hauled TO Omaha. a distance Of
LAG miles, and the product is then delivered
to the Chicago. st. Paul, Minneapolis q
Omaha Railway company. Yet the freight
charge Is exactly the same in each case.
Though in one instance the haul is 351 miles
longer than the other the roads ignore It.
From Hastings the hog rate Is the same; to
the northwest the hog product rate is the
same, and thus to favor Kansas City 351
miles of haul are absolutely ignored.
Now let us suppose these Hastings hogs
are to be made into product for the SOUTH
STa SIa Kashs KaaHthhsasterp or southwestern markets.
City. POT miles, and the product is then foffss
warded in one case; in the other case the
hogs come to Omaha, Jag miles, and the
product goes to Kansas City distance Of
200 miles, a total haul Of S46 miles; just
forty mine miles farther than the haul from
Hastings to Kansas City. How are the rate
charges? Remembering that when tho
product was shipped north the roads hauled,
to favor Kansas City, 35l miles farther at
the Omaha rate, We would certainly think
that this trifing distance Of forty-nine miles
against Omaha would be ignored. Instead
Of equality in rates in this case, however,
we find a dfferential OF 4, 6 and cents per
100 against Omaha. Nothing at all la
charged Kansas City for the added haul OF
351 miles the northbound product, while
heavy arbitraries are charged Omaha for an
added haul of only forty-nine miles on SOUTH
bound products. The conditions are exactly
similar, and the vicious nature of the rate
discrimination Is thus laid bare"