The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-10
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS ACT
Commence Action Before the Interstate
Commerce Commission.

commerce toH tnlss!Ons
Topeka, Kan, March 9-Samuel T.
Howe, James NJ. Simpson and Joseph
G. Lowe, comprising the Kansas state
board of railroad commissioners, have
commenced an action before the inter-
state commerce commission against ten
railroad companies charging them with
violation of provisions of section Of
the act of congress for the regulation of
commerce, and with the establishment
of excessive rates for the transporta-
ton of corn and other products of Kan
sas from Kansas points to Galveston,
New Orleans and other Gulf points.
The defendants are the Santa Fe, Hous-
ton and Texas, Rock Island, Texas and
Pacific, Kansas City, Fort Scott and
Memphis. Gulf Colorado, Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas, Missouri Pacific, Union
Pacific and st. Louis and San Francisco
railroad companies. The plaintiffs re-
quest that the place of hearing be des-
ignated in the west. They also ask for
an early date, on the ground that the
bulk of the corn must move within the
coming four to six months. Here is the
body of the plaintiffs bill:
Your petitioners represent that each
of the above named respondents is a
gagged in business as a common carrier
and interested and engaged in the bus
mess of carrying corn and other pro-
ducts from Kansas City, Mo-, and other
Missouri river points and from all points
i'm Kansas to New Orleans, in the state
of Louisiana; Galveston, in the state of
Texas, and other points in Texas and
Louisiana intermediate. That said hauls
from points above named are through
different states and territories and are
interstate. That compliments, as the
board of railroad commissioners, are
unable to control such rates of shipment
or correct the wrongs hereinafter set
forth, for the reason that said ship
ments are all interstate, they having
no jurisdiction in the premises. These
compliments therefore represent that
they have no interest in the matters set
forth in this complaint further than
as public servants, upon whom is en-
joined the duty of making complaints
and seeing that the laws are properly
enforced in the interests of society and
in the interest Of the public and of these
localities affected by the rates herein
after set forth, complain not in their
own name, but as the board of railroad
commissioners of the state of Kansas
end state
''First-That said common carriers,
respondents herein. having the manage
nlent and control for continuous carriage
of the products afore mentioned from
all points in Kansas to the southern ter
minal on the gulf coast, have made
and fixed a rate, and now and hereto
fore have charged, collected and re-
ceived from citizens of the state of Kan
4 Shf 70 in, Of Na
rate charged from Kansas City. Mo,
and other Missouri river points, for
hauling and transporting the same kind
of products; that said hauls are under
substantially similar circumstances and
conditions, and are over the same lines
and in the same direction; that the
points in Kansas hereinafter referred Il
are on the same lines of shipment as the
shipments made from Kansas City, No
and all Missouri river points. and are
shorter hauls and are included within
the longer; that no application has been
made 10 nor has the interstate com
merce commission authorized respond
entS, nor any of them, TO make a charge
for transporting such products equa,
! for the shorter haul 10 that made for the
| longer.
Your petitioners. therefore. acting as
! the board OF railroad commissioners OF
/ the state Of Kansas, and by authority
given them under section Is Of the act
/ 10 regulate commerce aforesaid. com
I plain TO the interstate commerce com
mission, and state that such conduc'
/ On the part OF the respondents is II
I violation OF said section I, and is IN,
| justifiable discrimination.
Your petitioners further charge tina
/ the rate per 100 pounds charged u New
/ Orleans, Galveston and other points IL
t Kansas hereinafter named upon tht
! aforesaid products. and especially OF
corn, is unreasonable. unjust and exces
sive, and should be reduced.
! Your petitioners further state tha'
+ 81. Joseph, No. is 937 miles from Calves