The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-17
AS A BASING POINT
FREIGHT RATES Is THE ONLY SUB
JEOr OF AGITATION.


Common Point - wichita Merchant
Gives Some Interesting Data Regarding
the Discrimination Made Against This
City-sugar shipped From New Orleans
to wiohiia is 35 Cents While Kansas
City Only Pays 20 Cents.
Since the Santa Fe railway has abol-
ished the iobbers' rates into Oklahoma
and the Indian territory, there has been
several merchants who have been con-
sidering the question in its most serious
light with view Of finding solution
to the vexing freight rates that have
for the last fifteen years been the sub
ject Of much adverse criticism on the
part Of the wholesalers and merchants
OF Wichita.
a lawyer in this city who has been
railroad attorney and is thoroughly con-
versant with the rate question, was seen
in his office yesterday. He said:
Wichita business men have for years
been striving to get Missouri river rates
without any success, and Furthermore
they never Will be able 10 accomplish
their ends in this direction. 1t is alb
solutely impractical, as the haul from
central Kansas points TO the Missouri
river is too long to ever get the railroads
10 grant such concessions. There is no
question in my mind that both the
Santa Fe road and the jObbers here
have worked an irreparable wrong to
one another. In the first place, the job
hers were asking for something that it
was very nearly impossible for the road
10 give, while on the other hand the
Jobbers were trying to get the road to
make rates in way that - say the
least was not business like Ii would
surprise you if 1 were to tell you the
exceedingly small business that the San
ia Fe has done in shipping goods into
Wichita for the past few years. 1t is 50
Insignificant that nothing but the COM
pany's books would convince anyone.
l think that there is a way whereby the
railroad companies entering Wichita
and the Joboers may get together and
both will be benefited. That is provid-
e the jobOers will abandon their fight
for Missouri river rates, which the fu-
tile efforts Of the past few years ought
10 satisfy them will never be made
My idea is this. and Il is a simple
one, and is in vogue in many states
Colorado, for an example: Invite all the
traffic managers to Wichita and have
the business men meet them and lay
their proposition before them They are
business men and they all want BUSH
ness and they will do whatever is right
and equitable TO all parties concerned.
Have Kansas common point rate
This would include Wichita, Winfield.
Newton, Hutchinson, Mcpherson, Sa-
lima and Arkansas City on the Oklahoma
border, and Superior. Neb., on the ex-
IRENE north. Wichita would be the bas-
ing point, as II is the largest city, ana
is in direct line from north TO south
with the other cities named. The points
named are in direct connection with all
the roads that enter Kansas and would
be affected. Some OF the eastern roads
which only come TO Kansas City might
object, but this is not their territory
and consequently their objection would
not be seriously considered. Having a
1AeAi-dAS NpiAl4iISil punt NOUlu TelIc6 the
rate lower than it has ever been before,
taking everything into consideration.
Topeka would be unable TO get the ad-
vantage as she is now unable to get
Missouri river rates.
From my standpoint ii is just as i'm
possible for Wichita to get Missouri riv-
er rates as it is for Chicago 70 have the
rates that New York gets from Liver
pool, or for Kansas City to demand the
rates that Chicago has from New York
! do not know the exact rate on first
class goods per hundred pounds, but as
an Illustration say that it cost $1.00 TO
snip goods from New York to Chicago.
Sl.O0 from Chicago to Kansas City. and
sl.00 from Kansas City 10 Wichita.
Under my plan with Kansas common
points K would be something like this:
Surprising that goods were 10 be shipp-
ed from New Yorw direct 10 Wichita
Y llh the rates between the points as L
have stated. From New York to Chica-
so s1.0o. to Kansas City s1.75, from Kan
sas City to Wichita S2.25, making a saw
ing OF 70 cents on the hundred. If the |
common point was established in Kan |
sas as l have suggested, undoubtedly |
the Santa F'e would then feel in duty !
bound TO put the j0b5ers' rates in force |
again. Wichita would then be able as |
basing point to ship goods in all direc- |
tons much longer distance at re- |
duced rate than is now done This |
would enable them to compete with
Kansas City, ana other Missouri river /
territory. now under their exclusive con- |
troll"
One of the leading wholesale men OF |
the city was shown the above article |
and he said:
THAT is certainly the view taken by |
some of the railroad people, but il con-
yeys a wrong impression. The jobbers \
Of the city do not dispute the question |
OF rates from the east. No one expects
to have goods shipped from New York f.
or other eastern points as cheap as |
they are to Kansas City. But we do OBJ |
lect 10 having goods come from the /
south and west and pass through Wich-
ita 70 Kansas City "a a less rate than
Wichita can have. This is manifestly
unfair. The Santa Fe AMI Rock Island I
reads do not want 70 see any large towns
along their lines. They prefer 70 have
q number of small towns which they
can have under their thumbs. They
are trying 70 crush Wichita, but this
they viii never be able 70 do.
''Tne sugar rate is What has brought
this question to the front, and 1 wiu.teu