The Mena weekly star., 1898-01-12
ROADS ALARMED.
The Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf Stir
 ring Up Railroad Circles.
A NEW METAL DISCOVERED.
Thomas A. Edison Finds Something New While Experimenting-Respo for Loss of Shipments-Kansas
 City Ahead In Hogs.
CHrcAeo, Jan. 1a The Fri bune says

CHIcAeo, Jan. 12.-The Fri bune says to-day:
 Much alarm is manifested in western rail- road circles over the attitude of the Kan sas City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad Un- sess this road can be checked in it's rate-de- stroying career earnings of western roads will be most seriously affected and expected divi- dends will vanish into air, Announcement is made that the Kansas City & Gulf has put into effect rate on corn of l2 cents per 100 pounds from Kansas City to Galveston and New Orleans. In addition 1t will bsorb the eleva- tor charges, which amount to two cents per 100 pounds This is the lowest rate ever made to tide-wate from the Missouri river Against such rate as that eastbound roads from the Missouri river cannot compete. The Gulf road apparently cares not whether 1t makes money on the transportation of freight It's promoters expect to reap rich harvest In land specula- ton. The situation would not be quite so bad for the roads east Of the Missouri river if the Kansas City & Gulf would get no further east than Kansas City. But 1t has acquired lately lines into Missouri and Iowa, and is extending them to a number of points This enables it to take corn from the heart of the western corn belt to the gulf.
 A New Metal Discovered.
 NEW YORK, Jan. 12.-The Herald says that Thomas A. Edison has acciden- tally discovered what he believes to be a new metal which will do away with the slow and costly process of making malleable iron. Exhaustive expert ments will be made, and if they are successful it is promised that full de- tails will be given to the public. 1t is claimed that after a lot of iron had been run through magnetic ore sepa- rating mill the pigs" were taken from 4ha Inc cf fx.~ f.1 ho la1 and broken up. The pigs" resisted all efforts of the men with heavy sledges to break them The fact was submitted to chemists and the theory was formed that there was some hith- erto unknown substance in the iron used. and this is believed to be new metal.
 Responsibility for Loss of ShIpm ents
 TOPEKA. Kan, Jan. 12.-The su- preme court has rendered decision to the effect that a railroad company iu Kansas is liable for the full value of shipment lost or damaged in transmission, notwithstanding the pro- visions of the usual agreement signed by the shipper and the representatives of the railroad to the contrary. Will liam SnerlOck, or WllSOn county, shipped some freight over the Frisco railroad. Damages were demanded for the full amount of the shipment, which was lost, but the company ex- hibited an agreement signed by the shipper in which, in the event of loss, he would accept certain sum. The court holds the company is compelled to pay the full value of the property.
 Kansas City Ahead In Hogs.
 KANSAS CITY, Mo, Jan. l2.-The Armour Packing company not only broke it's own records in it's purchases of hogs last week. but the total bought by the Armour house here was 5000 greater than the number purchased by the Chicago Armour house, and greater than the purchases of any two other Chicago packers. Armour bought 46,- 400 hogs here. Armour & Go. in Chi cago bought 37, 400, Swift in Chicago bought 26,000, and the Continen tai Packing company, the third in the list, bought i6,000