The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-09

-EllEgnE years EEDllEQ A1E. HAZE.
Then you ought TO know the carry
ing capacity Of q So foot car; how much
Will it carry 2?
10000 pounds may be carried"
do you not know as a matter of
fact the shippers under the old way
could put in as many as they desired 2''
The agents were instructed in some
cases not TO allow overlooking"
do you know the average number
of pounds which can be comfortably
I should say from $4,000 to $4,000
IN the hearing before the railway
commissioners in which the cattlemen
are attempting to secure a change in
freight tariff, the shippers continue to
hold the advantage
The cattlemen rested yesterday aft
ernOOn and the railroads began intro
ducing testimony upon their side
Freight agents and traffic men were
placed upon the witness stand by the
roads to prove there had been no mate
rial increase in the freight paid and
that there was no injustice intended
nor consequent regarding the change
of tariff.
The best witness for the roads was
Assistant Freight Agent Lincoln of the
Missouri Pacific, placed upon the stand
at the beginning of this mornings
session.
The hearing viii continue all of today
as the railroad witnesses viii not be
through their testimony before the adj
jOurnment of tOday's session Then
will come the testimony of the cattle
men in rebuttal followed by the argu-
ments. which viii run the session over
most of tomorrow.
TODAY'S SESSION.
j. C.Lfncoln, assistant general freight
agent of the Missouri. Pacific, was the
first witness introduced by the railroad
companies at this mornings session.
Mr.. Lincoln said the reason for estab-
fishing a minimum rate of 19. 600 pounds
Tor q standard and - coo 0071n6G
a 36 foot car was to accommodate the
small shipper in order that he might
have the benefit Of light loading and
thus avoid excessive freight rates.
Witness also testified that though
there had been decrease in MAORI
ty OF the cars over his road, there had
been an average increase of "a cents
per car on the total number OF cars ship
ped
Mr. Lincoln said that the figures of
the Weighing association We're as a rule
as nearly correct as those of the stock
yards but in case of dispute as to the
weights, the railway companies gen
orally settled upon a basis of the stock
yard weights.
With reference to the reason for the
change from the old carload rate to
the present hundred pound system of
shipping, Mr.. Lincoln said it was be-
cause of discrimination between ship
pers; that 1t gave the large shipper in
a So foot car an advantage over the
small shipper and worked the latter
injury.
Regarding the rate of increase wit
ness had a tabulated statement for Feb
ruary 1896, of business done, showing
for that month under the new rate
Of WI $500 Under the old rate this
would have been S29,225.49, thereby
showing, as witness termed it, "a slight
rate of increase.
On cross examination Attorney Wa
rs it the New York company. the
humane society. the shipper or the
weighing association that fixes the
rate2"
The New York companies"
The shippers have nothing to do
with it2"
No. they do not
Am right when 7 say rate upon
a carload means that the car is to be
choose 2''
TT means a fair. average load. One
OF the first rulings of the Missouri
board of railroad commissioners was
that carload as intended by stat
ute, meant 10000 pounds. and this was
made as a unit
when you establish a rate of $50
for So foot car, what do you under
stand as an average load. taking into
comparison the size Of the carr"
About "a 600 pounds is the average
loading for q 36 foot car
When you put your new tariff into
effect you expected the shippers to
load fat cattle just as they had been
doing in the past?'
Yes"
'Then you expected your revenue to
increase in proportion to the weight
over the minimum rate?"
Mo we did not expect that"
DO you know about how many
pounds of wheat can be put in a caro-
go 600 of wheat can be put in a Co.
600 pound car; you could not put that
many pounds of feathers in such
car
Then you know the average capaci-
ty of car for wheat and feathers,
but you don't know anything of the
cattle carrying capacity?"
Not quite so well posted. perhaps:
1 said 24.000 pounds Of cattle was an
average capacity"
Attorney Benefited drew from the
witness some good points for the cat
tlemen regarding the increase under
the new rate from ConeyvilIe to kan
sas City This increase was admitted
to be something like 81. 50 per car.