The McCook tribune., 1897-08-20
SHIPPING CATTLE.
Three Western Roads Agree TO DO Away
with Carload Rates.

with Carload Rates.
Omaha dispatch: Messrs. Wood,
Brock and Merchant. representing the
freight departments of the Union Pa
cific, the Burlington and the Elkhorn
railroads respectively, this morning
succeeded in overcoming the objections
of the freight officials of the st. Louis
& San Francisco, the Kansas City,
Pittsburg K Gulf. and the Kansas City,
FIT. Scott tS Memphis railroads to the
conversion of all live stock rates in
the trans Missouri: territory from dol
lars per car load to cents per 100
pounds, with the important result that
all live stock rates on all railroads in
trans-Missouri territory will now be
based upon the actual weight of the
shipmens. This is the import of the
news received by freight men in
Omaha this morning from tie Kansas
City meeting, where there has been q
wrangle on the proposition under con-
sideration for several days. The three
lines south of Kansas City that have
hitherto opposed the change fell in
line this morning. and rates will be
based on weight on and after Tuesday
next in the territory west of the Mis-
souri, river.
The minimum rates that will be al
lowed for shipments OF live stock ir
various territories have also just been
determined upon. In Nebraska the
minimum rates for such shipments are
as follows: Nineteen thousand pounds
pounds for thirty-foot ears, 20,50O
pounds for thirty three and half foot
ears, and 22.OOO pounds for thirty-siX
foot cars. For the territory west of
Nebraska and Kansas change in the
basis was necessary on account OF the
difference in loading and in order to
protect such western lines on the reve-
nue. of stock at intermediate points in
Nebraska and Kansas to be fattened
for the market, for the territory west
of these states there will be "a higher
minimum of weights. as follows:
Twenty-one thousand five hundred
pounds for thirty foot ears, $4,000
pounds for thirtythrce and a half-foot
ears, and $4,000 pounds for thirty-six
foot cars.
Speaking of the new basis just fixed
for live stock shipments by weight
prominent freight official said: This
basis has been determined upon after
several years of careful figuring and
calculation as to the comfortable car
rying weight of stock cars not over
loaded. As the mode of fixing live
stock rates by SO many cents per 100
pounds has been in vogue for several
years from Nebraska and Kansas to
Chicago, and from all western freight
territory from Texas and the whole
southern territory to Kansas City, st.
Louis and Chicago. to the satisfaction
of carriers and shippers, there is no
successful argument why the same
principle of determining live stock rev.
enue should not be carried into the
Missouri country generally. The
present basis. we think, is fair and
reasonable"
IF this new basis of determining
live stock rates into South Omaha and
other markets by weight. instead of
by car loads is good thing now. why
was it not successful when tried last
year?''
This basis was used in Nebraska
for about four months. The exact
dates between which the principle was
in operation are, | believe. Jan. l and
April 20. 1896. The method was not Il
success then because it was not placed
in operation by all railroads and was
not given a fair trial. Now. however,
all lines have agreed to it. and we
iirmly believe that Il fair trial by all
viii insure its success.