The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-30
REASONS FOR THE RATES,
a Synopsis Of the Brief Of Defend-
ant Railroads
n THE DALLAS RATE BUREAU CASE
showing Why Houston ana Calves
ton Rates Arc Lower aud Why
They should he.


Galveston News.
Messrs, Baker. Bolts, Baker a I,oyeit q,
houston and Messrs. Terry q nal,ingor al
ua'veston, attorneys for the Houston and
rexas Central Railway company. The Inter
national and Great Northern Railroad com
pany. the Gulf. Colorado and Santa 20
railway company and the AtchIsou. To-
peka and Santa Fe Railway company, aave
iorwurded to the Interstate commerce CON-
mission their brief and argument IN What
Is known az the dallas freight hnicau
case For the reason that this case has
attracted great deal OF attention In
both ends OF the State, aud because the
brief presents many nice points in some
what QUART and original way, a synopsis
Is made.
The bill of complaint presented two
grounds for relief. first that the iefen lants
had established territory called Com
mon point territory" and had Established
the same rates TO all points in said ter
ri'ory, except Galveston and Houston and
certain points named in the tariffs al taxi
ing Galveston and houston rates, The
ground OF the complaint was withdrawn on
the hearing, but it is presented In The
Drlet as pertinent TO the other branch OF
,he case That said system OF group Or
blanket rates In Texas does, in sact large
~ give TO each distributing or market loint
III texas the control OF trade in the i'm
mediate surrounding country and there by
many local dealers and consumers are in
great degree deprived of the benefits which
result from the competition OF nearby
markets. >
The second ground OF tho complaint.
briefly stated, is that the railroads had
established rates OF transportation Tor va
rious kinds of freight from st. Louis End
points stated as taking st. Louis rates.
and from number OF other sections OF
the United States designated as terri
torres, which are the same from each OF
said sections to Houston and Galveston and
TO Dallas and other SO called Texas com
mon points on articles embraced in classes
J, 2 ., 4, o. and L, but the rates on
classes A, y and c to Dallas and other Texas
common points are from to 5 cents a
hundred pounds higher than the rates on
said articles 10 Houston and Galveston
a similar allegation Is made as to certain
commodity rates. II Is charged that IN all
rail transportation of freight from st
LOUIS and the territories mentioned freight
is carried through or near Dallas to Hous-
ton and Galveston over a much greater
il alleged that the rates to Dallas arc ex-
eessye unjust and unreasonable &c Dallas
and constitute unjust discrimination and
undue and unreasonable prejudice, etc, and
that said rates over the defendan. lines
through Dallas to Galveston and Houston
are greater for the transportation OF IKE
kind OF property under substantially similar
circumstances and conditions. for sbor,
than for longer distances ever the same
line In the same direction, all OF which
is in violation OF tho act to regulate com
mcrce. and especially OF sections 1, and
thereof.
on bearing certain merchants Of Fort
Worth interviewed. 1t was admitted Ky the
lines running through Dallas and Port
Worth to Galveston and Houston that lower
rates Were charged to the latter poin r.
and the complainant offered no testimony
The testimony OF various merchants and
traffic men showing the effect of water
competition in the making OF rates TO Gal
weston and Houston and the manner in
which such rates are built IS quoted 4;
some length.
In the opening OF the argument II is
shown that all the lines in making lesser
rates 10 Galveston and Houston than to
Dallas are not charging a greater compcn-
sation in the aggregate for the transportn
ton OF shorter than fer a longer dis
lance; that the lines reaching Houston and
Galveston via New Orleana. Shreveport,
TeXarkana or Beaumont do not The guilty
lines are the Santa Fe- Frisco line, entering
the State at Parts: the Missouri, Kansas
and Texas. entering at Denson. the Santa
Fe. entering via Purcell and Gaines He.
and the Rock Island and Its connections.
entering via Terrell aud Fort Worth. IL Is
shown that each of these lines could send
their business by sacrificing a portion of
their haul, to Galveston and Houston with
out violating the letter OF section s. most
strictly construed. The Santa Fe for In
stance, could receive its Galveston Houston
business from the Cotton Belt at Nc
Gregor. or send It's business from Gaihas-
Vile. via Denson. Greenyille, Terrell, In
mis- and Waxshachic returning to Its own
line at Midlothian. Other illustrations ere
given, showing how each Of the lines might
pass its business around Dallas and Fort
Worth.
Tho argument continues:
I'm all probability, rather than s'iomit
to the very severe reductions IN their rese-
nues which would follow the reducing OF
the Dallas Fort Worth rate, these lines
through Denison Gainesville and Terrell
would sacrifice a small amount of net rev.
enue by diverting their st. Louis Kansas
City, Galveston Houston business of their
own rails for a distance In the manner
above indicated. Hence, II the complaint
were sustained It would psssibly result IN
an injury TO these three routes without
any corresponding benefit to Fort Worth
and Dallas, and In a minor injury TO CAL
weston and Houston which would result In
delays in the handling OF such business
as the lines mentioned could control on ac-
court OF the same being diverted over
somewhat longer route. n all Of The rail
commerce Of Galveston and Houston passed
through Dallas and Fort Worth. We could,
~ least npon the surface. see some nag
nltude In the complaint. but when nome
Of II need necessarily pass through Dallas
and Fort Worth, and when very light
part. possibly 50 per cent, OF such COM
merce does not and need not naturally pass
anywhere near Dailss or Fort Worth the
fling OF the complaint is suggestive Of
the idea that the agents OF freight bureaus
mrst earn their salaries.
The argument quotes Judge Cooley to the
eject that every railroad should, whgn
practicable, arrange iis tariffs so that the
burden upon freighss should BE- proper
tIcnal on MI rartS Of It's line and With a
view 10 revenue sufficient 10 meet all the
-. .ta...