Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-24
FAIR RATES ON LIVE STOj K
thipper and Railroad Msn Unable 10 Agree
on Them
TESTIMONY GIVEN BY BOTH SDiS
Secretaries of the state board q
transportation Hear the Evil
Jencc and Take the Matter
Under Advfsement.

The State Board OF Transportation con-
cluded the tlking OF testimony at the Live
Stock exchange yesterday afternoon. All
Of the proceedings have been taken down by
a stenographer and when the record is
Transcribed the three secretaries OF the
board will take the matter up and announce
decision.
1t 10 understood that the state board will
not mako any attempt to have the railroads
return to the old method OF charges for live
stock shipments but the secretaries will
decide whether 10000 pounds for a thirty
foot car and $4,000 pounds for a thirty six
foot car are fair and just minimum weights
Members OF the Western Nebraska Cattle
Growers association assert that the weights
mentioned are not fair and just by from
1000 to 1000 pounds. 1t was contended by
the railroads represented at the sessions
thst the principal reason for the change In
the method OF charging was due to the habit
shippers had OF overcrowding cars This
wa5 dcne, II was claimed in order to get
the better Of the railroads 1t was further
asserted that on account OF this overcrowd-
Ing stock was often killed or injured IN
translt. In such cases the railroad company
transporting the live stock was called upon
TO settle the damages. In changing to the
certs per hundred pounds the rates were
minimum weights noted On this account
the long distance shippers allege that they
are getting the worst nf 1t by several thou
sand pounds to the car.
Secretary Van Boskirk OF the c1ttlemen's
association wac the first witness at the after
noon session During the time he was on
the witness stand he compelled the repre-
sentatiyes OF the Burlington road to admit
that on seventy-nine cars of cattle shipped
from Alliance since the new regulations went
inF ha fraf fvht oh h.,A aNnr aoal
s1G49 per car more than uEder the old sys-
ten. Mr.. Van Boskirk asserted that nearly
all Of the live stock men in his district,
which comprises the territory in the vicinity
OF Alliance. had the same complaint to
make Continuing, Secretary Ven Boskrk
slid that these complaints were not so gen.
eral along the line of the Union Pacific, for
the reason that the cattle were not so heavy
He further asserted that Instead of % 900
pounds being u fair weight for a car thirty
six feet long. which wes the kind of cars
mostly used for long hauls, he had frequently
shipped 10000 pounds with perfect safety
ami had even gone as high as 81 900 pounds
without any serious results.
ON THE RAILROAD SIDE.
Following Mr.. Van Boskrk on the stand
came William E. Hall OF Alliance. He cited
one Instance where he shipped steers weigh
ing 81 ,450 pounds in three cars, and fire.
quently loaded thirty steers Of 900 pounds
each or thirty-two steers of 800 pounds
each in a single car.
This closed the taking OF testimony from
the shippers and the railroad representatives
were given an opportunity to state their
side OF the case. All of the rolds, with the
exception of the Burlington, filed statements
showing their receipts of live stock at this
point since August 10 and up to October 81.
The charges under the present system and
what they would have been under the old
scale were shown. Either a freight or live
stock agent of each OF the roads making such
showing were sworn and identified the state
men;s offered in evidence
The Union Pacific shows an increase of ST.
569.97 on 1,227 olrs; the Missouri Pacific. an
increase Of $l0.99; the Omaha, a decrease of
$9G on $50 cars; Rock Island, an increase of
$46.57 on ninety cars. An expense OF 90 cents
per car for weighing is entailed and should
be deducted from the increase shown.
In rebuttal of testimony given by shippers
W. B. Cheek of the Burlington produced a
statement showing that Cudahy's receipts for
one day from Kansas City, numbering over
seventy cars, mostly thirty -four-foot, aver
aged from 20.500 pounds to 81 GOO.
a resident buyer for Nelson Morris stlted to
the board that his orders were to load in
thirty-siX-foot cars fIom 2200O to $4,000
pounds. That weight he considered the best
when good results were aimed at.
After the railroad representatives had Of
fered a quantity of documentary evidence to
dispToye the statements of the shippers the
investigation closed and the secretaries of
tho state board leH for Lincoln on the after
DOOn train.