The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-13


lowing letter recently to the state board
of railroad commissioners:
'@To the Chairman of Board of Railroad
Commissioners, Topeka, Kansas.
"Sir:-Under the present tariff, which
went into effect on Jan. 20 on corn from
| central Kansas, Galveston is pTactic-
ally shut cut
ssTo place Galveston on an equal basis
with the st. Louis and Kansas City
markets would require a rate Of %
cents per 100 pounds. The present
rate to Galveston, distance $50 miles, is
SO cents per 100 pounds. The present
rate to Chicago, distance $50 miles, is
% cents per 100 pounds. The price OF
| corn in Galveston is 81 cents per bushel.
The price of corn in Chicago is q cents
Per bushel. At Galveston the prOduc-
| er receives the highest export price for
! corn and would get the benefit of the
difference between the Chicago and
| Galveston rate.
AT a fair and reasonable estimate
| there is in the hands of the farmer, in
central and southwestern Kansas, sur
plus of about 10000, 900 bushels of corn,
| which must go for export, and which,
! calculated on this difference, means
nearly S5,OOO,0O0 TO the people of our
| state.
mer, in this section, is IA cents, while
the rate TO Galveston, the nearest ex-
port point, is Is cents per bushel; by
| reversing this rate between the railroad
end the farmer, it gives the railroad a
fair revenue for service and places the
| farmer in position to Iiquidate some of
his obligations.
I'VE believe the influence of your
honorable board. if brought to bear on
the management of the several roads
! leading toward Galveston, would in
duce them to make concessions in this
matter.
Amy advice or suggestion, bearing
on this subject, will be highly appre-
GATED"
The board responded as follows
Topeka, Kan, Feb. II, 1896.
'Gentlemen-I am directed by the
board Of railroad commissioners to ac-
knowledge receipt of your favor of Feb
10, and to say in reply that they are at
| this time giving the corn rate decision
every attention and will continue to do
so, and that they will be glad to hear
from you with any information or sug-
gestions you may deem proper to make
at any time.
They further direct me to say that
they will keep in close correspondence
/ WIN al PARTIES interested IN this ma It
ter Of transportation to deep water
! points in the south. Very truly.
"B. F. FLENNIKEN.
Secretary"
In reply to the above the grainmen
| wrote as follows:
| Dear Sir: We beg to acknowledge
! receipt Of copy Of letters with reference
! 10 corn rates to southern ports address
! ed to the Railway Mana gements. Your
! prompt and decisive action in this mat
/ ter VIII be appreciated by thousands
OF unfortunate people in our state. We
/ trust that the railroad companies will
/ promptly remedy the evil and that you
! Will not be compelled to call upon the
/ interstate commerce commission 10 ad-
| just the matter. However, if you find
/ II necessary to call upon the interstate
commerce commission We will be pleas
/ ed to have you notify US that we may
! have an opportunity to offer evidence
/ in self-defenSe. For your information
! that you may be able to fully under
stand the true situation, we will state
! that the published tariff rates on corn
/ to New York, Baltimore and other east
! ern ports would indicate that the rail
road companies are not discriminat ting
against the southern ports. However,
We have been informed and verify be-
lieve that the published rates to east
ern ports are not being maintained, but
that at Kansas City and St. Louis GER
tain parties have an arrangement of re-
billing whereby the through rate on
corn from this territory is in fact eight
or ten cents per hundred pounds less
than the rates shown il printed tariff.
a comparison of the price of corn in the
markets of Kansas City and st. Louis
with the price of corn in New York and
Baltimore, confirms this statement. We
are also informed and believe that a
similar rebilling arrangement exists al
Kansas City and st. Louis on corn from
this territory to New Orleans and Gal
weston. The corn originating in this
territory is being shipped into Kansas
City at regular tariff rates of 1917 cents
! per one hundred pounds, and being re-
billed TO New Orleans and Galveston
under a special arrangement whereby
lines south of Kansas City absorb a
1872 cent rate paid into Kansas lily,
making a through rate of p cents per
one hundred pound 10 southern ports
from this territory via Kansas City. A
comparison of the price of corn at Kan
saS City and St. Louis with the prices
n New Orleans and Galveston will con-
vince you that it would be impossible TO
move this corn unless the rates are be-
ing manipulated. Since the goth of last
D
territory moved direct to Galveston, but
has gone via Kansas City. The lines
south of Kansas City are, in fact, hand
ling this business at a 1879 cent rate and
seem to be satisfied. If this is true from
a business standpoint it would certainly
seem that lines leading into Galveston
direct from this territory would be re-
ceiving fair and reasonable compen-
sation for service at a 20 cent rate for
much Shorter haul.
In justice 10 the people Of our state.
every effort should be made 10 secure
twenty cent IA te on corn from Kansas
City to the Gulf ports. This. We believe,
taking into consideration the very low
price of corn, would be just and fair as
between the railroad companies and the
producer.
ALLOW US to thank YOU for the inter-
est you have taken in this matter and #
we can furnish you With any informa
ton that viii assist you in the premises
We Will take pleasure IN doing So
The above letters are given to afford
more light to the reader on the import
| ant subject Of which ii treats.
As an illustration of the rottenness
| of the railroad business. the fact is cited
| that at present the railroads are giving
/ an emergency rate % Chicago
speculation to compete with west
/ ern farmers. The people here
/ think the man who raises the corn Is
! entitled 10 as much favor from the rail-
I roads as the man who sits in an office
/ chairan Speculates in Il, and Yet there
! is no emergency rate for the farmer.
/ The whole thing IS a bold. daring and
unblushing outrage against the pro-
! Queer and II Is hoped that the COM
mercial club viii raise such a storm over
II - mamie will hiring rail