Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-10-13


ing charges In the same,
Q, Who passed this law
A, The popullst party In the 1897 Leg
islature,
O, Are there any public stock yards
In the State to which this law applIes2
A. Yes, the one ut Kansas city.
4. What reduction did the law make
in yardage charges?
A. IL reduced the charges for cattle
from 20 to 10 cents head, calves from
10 to 8 cents per head, hogs from 8 to
Q cents per head and sheep from 5 to
4 cents per head,
O. What reduction did II make In feed
charges?
A II eliminated the charge OF 81 per
bushel for corn and 81 per hundred for
hay and provided that the company
should not charge to exceed 100 per cent
above the market price,
O. Did the Kansas City stock yards
company comply with the provision OF
the law?
A. II did not, but went to the Federal
courts and secured temporary injunc-
ton against Attorney General Boyle en-
Joining him from prosecuting 1t for Its
refusal to obey the law.
Q. What reason did 1t assign for not
complying with the law?
A. II alleged that the rates were not
compensatory and that 1t would ruin Its
business
Q, What did Judge Foster do in the
matter?
A. Ho appointed Judge Geo. w, Clark
as a special master to take testimony as
to the cost and value Of the Kansas City
stock yards, and rs to the reasonable
ness OF the rates fixed by law,
Q, What did the special master do?
A. He proceeded to take testimony for
twenty-five days and made a report
which was accepted and adopted by the
court
O. What does this special masters re-
port shown
A. First, that the Kansas City stock
yards company started out In 1871 with
a capital stock of $4,000 paid In cash.
second, that up to February l., 1897, II
had expended upon the plant cash to the
amount of $2,iS4, 500; third, that dur
ing this time II had drawn out cash to
the amount of Si,66O,976; fourth, that 1t
had watered Its stock from time to time
until II had outstanding stock to the
amount Of S7,96S $50; fifth, that It's pres
ent value is S5,3SS. 00925.
q. Does the report Of the master show
TINT from an Investment OF only $4,000
che company, out Of the earnings OF the
plant, has expended f2,4S4,5Oo, divided
y ahdlstilIinas properly Worth Ovee
0AO,OOO upon which II IL asking the stock
raisers 70 pay revenueY
A. II certainly does.
Q. Whose money built up this tremen-
dous buslness2
A. The money Of the men who ship to
the Kansas City stock yards.
Q. What does the masters report
show In regard to the profits of the busi-
ness for 1896?
A. First, that the total receipts we're
S1,012271,22; second, that the total dis
bursements were 1856, 71249, leaving O
net income for the year Of $646,55S.73.
Q. What per cent. of profit would this
be on the capital stock?
A. The masters report finds that It
would be 1886 per cent but as nearly
35,Q00,O00 Of this stock represents moth
Ing but water, the actual return Is about
40 per cent.
@. What does the master find that the
profits of the concern would have been
In the year 1896 had the legislative rates
been Ia force?
A. S3i5 9O696. A rate per cent. of sos.
a. How much OF saving would this
be for the year?
A. 5000,
g., TO whom would this saving be
made?
A. To the stock raisers who ship to
the Kansas City stock yards.
Q, How would the business for 1891
compare with that Of 1896?
A. The twenty-seventh annual report
OF the company, for the year ending De-
cember 81, 1897 shows that more cat
tie, more hogs, more calves and more
sheep were handled in the yards in 1897
than ever before, and that the business
Of tho yards Is growing, So that this
one saving made by the Legislature will
annually exceed 100000
U. What per cent. Of the stock han
died In the Kansas City stock yar6t
comes from Kansas?
A. About 60 per cent
q. What has been the result OF the lit
jgation so far?
A. Judge Foster sustained the law IL
every particular. The company thel
carried the matter before Judge Thayer
who also sustained the law in every par
ticular and 1t has now taken an ap
peal to the Supreme Court Of the Unite,
States. where it will probably be hear,
next January.
Y. What provision has been made b
protect the interests Of the shipper Il
the meantime?
A The court, at the request Of Attor
4 ney General Boyle, has required tn
stock yards company to enter into bond
to return to every shipper the exces
charges over and above the law that h
may be required to pay during the pend
aAcy Of the suit, provided, Of course, tn
law is upheld by the Supreme court c
the United States.
@. What does this mean to the shiI
per?
A. 1t means that the company will b
required to refund upwards Of 100000
excess charges taken during the year
1897 and 1898 from the shippers, an