The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-24
FIGHT IS NOW ON
MIDGLEY WARNS EASTERN LINES
OF WIOHITA'S ELEVATOR.

He Says that Unprecedented Low Rates
viii Cause the Loss of Shipments to At
lantic sesporfs = Galveston Gives a
Table Showing Present Rates and In
justice Done to Kansas Points by Pres
emit Rates-D. c. imboden Gives Some
New. Hot and Timely shot Which
should be Considered
Wichita's prospect for building the
great elevator is stirring up opposition
from the eastern lines and Chairman
j. w. Midgley Of the Western Freight
association has issued a private circu-
lar to western railroad managers with
regard 20 the diversion Of grain ship
ments from Atlantic ports TO Galveston
and New Orleans. Chairman Midgley
evidently does not believe that the
shorter haul from the grain producing
territory to the Gulf Of Mexico has any
thing TO do with the loss of shipments
TO Atlantic ports, but attributes the
diversion TO shortage in the cotton crop
which induced ocean carriers to secure
return cargoes of corn by offering ex-
tremely low rates. His circular is in
part as follows:
Foreign ships in large number came
expecting TO secure cargoes of cotton,
but that crop was comparatively a
failure last year in the southwestern
states. South Carolina and Georgia
had a good average, but notwfthstand-
ha frrbf vial in he 70.
there was sufficient 1894 cotton held in
store at Memphis and other interior
points to depress prices and dwarf the
offerings; WhereupOn, the ocean carriers
solicited corn at prices unprecedently
low. That condition continued through
out the sea son from Galveston, New
Orleans, Port Royal, and as far north
as Norfolk, Va, Consequently ship
ments OF grain via those points from
Kansas and Southern Nebraska at
tanned startling proportions.
THE gross movement Of corn from
the territory last described during the
five months ending with March, 1896,
exceeded 10000 car loads. A conserva-
tive average of the weight of each car
would be $4,000 pounds, indica ting a to-
tai in bushels OF l21A millions. Out
of a total Of 1853 car loads, forward
v,
months of November, December, Janu-
airy and February last, 9.642 car loads
were exported via Galveston and New
Orleans, and only 900 car loads were
consigned to Atlantic ports Of the |
latter there were no considerable ship |
ments to any port north of Norfolk, |
Va. Although 1858 cars were carried !
TO Chicago the bulk thereof was un-
loaded into elevators. pending the OPP |
ening of lake naviga ton.
CAS- the Illinois Central carries con- |
siderable grain from its stations north I
OF Cairo to New Orleans it is assumed |
the total receipts of corn at that port /
during the five months ending with |
March, 1896, exceeded 1900 car loads.
The trunk lines were utterly unable to /
compete with the gulf rates. The
routes to the south were enabled to
reach tidewater at rates from Kansas
and Missouri river points, which, if
applied eastward, would have carried
the grain little beyond a meridian
drawn through Chicago. When the
grain arrived at Galveston, or Port
Royal ocean charges were available
which compared favorably with those
obtainabIe from North Atlantic ports"
Chairman Midgley urges that steps
be taken ID prevent recurrence of the
same condition of affairs next win
ter.
That he is alarmed with reference 10
the Galveston output and the great
advantages which will accrue to the
Kansas lines, virtually liberating them
from the power of the eastern lines
which must naturally favor the Allan
tic seaport can be seen by consulting
the following table prepared by the
Galveston Export company: