Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-05
AMONG The RAILROADS
THE RAILROADS AND THE KANSAS
CITY GRAIN MARKET.
4 Few Facts offered at an Informal
Meeting-CIose Margin on Which
Grain Is Handled-The
Thirty-Day Rule.

meeting of the grain dealers and rep
resentatives of the various commercial and
manufacturing bodies of Kansas City was
called for yesterday afternoon in the direct
ors' room of the board of trade, to discuss
the grain embargo against Kansas City.
Owing to absence from the city, and other
engagements, it was impossible for a num-
her to attend. And in order to have full
representation, as the matter is regarded
as serious. it was determined to postpone
the meeting Until Wednesday evening at
o'clock, when a call will be issued to meet
in the assembly room of the Commercial
Club.
There were a number present who had
not attended any of the previous meetings,
and President ]. F.. Richards requested
Joseph Bookwalter, president of the Inland
Grain Company, and chairman of the
transportation committee of the board of
trade, to give a brief synopsis of the mat
ter under discussion.
Mr.. Bookwalter eXemplifled the discrim-
ination against Kansas City by showing
the disparity between the local and through
rates. According to the published tariffs
of the lines entering Kansas, Oklahoma
Territory and Nebraska, he showed where
the through rate was from l to 10 cents
lower than the combination of locals
through Kansas City. In other words, the
embargo against Kansas City was from 1
to 10 cents per 100 pounds in favor of the
st. Louis grain dealer, and was locally
prohibitive. The rates in each instance
were made through Kansas City, and in
order to reach st. Louis the grain would
have to be hauled through Kansas City.
grain is handled, he cited George E. Merry,
of Armour & Company, who, in reply to
a direct question touching the complaint
of the New York elevator men that they
were losing grain business. stated that the
elevator service at New York was made
quate and owing to the conditions that pre-
el would rob New York of its grain
business. If the margin is that close at the
seaboard. what effect would six-tenths of
a cent have, which is the lowest arbitrary
Kansas City grain men have against them
1t was asserted that of the entire crop
along the line of the Missouri Pacific in
Kansas. not one car can be traced to Kan
sas City, while the elevator at Coffeyville
handled in the neighborhood of 5000 cars.
A postal card from the Richardson Grain
Company to shipper at Concordfa, Kas.,
in the grain market. Concorda is natur-
ally in the Kansas City territory, on ac-
count of its geographical situation. yet
the Richardson Grain Company offer the
point with the proviso that it must be
shipped to Galveston via the Santa Fe
within twenty days.
j. W. Moore. of the Moore Grain and
Elevator Company, stated that he had in
vested about $4,000 in an elevator and that
during last fall he stored lot of grain for
the purpose of realizing on an enhanced
value, but arbitrary action of the railroads
in depriving Kansas City of the thrty-day
privilege, after the rates had been raised,
had caused him to lose 3 cents per bushel
on all grain stored, which amounted to
very nearly 100000 bushels.
Another instance of the arbitrary action
of the railroads was cited in connection
with the milling interests. A miller in
Northern Missouri could buy the flour at
souri, at a less cost than he could buy the
grain at Kansas City and ship it to his
mill.
The railroads talk about conditions that
prevail in certain sections but it is shown
conclusively that the conditions are all
brought about by the through lines and the
Kansas City lines acquiesce. in that they
the shipment through Kansas City and de-
liver 1t to a connecting line for delivery
in st. Louis, rather than accept an in
creased revenue by stopping the shipment
at Kansas City.
These are only few of the arguments
that the grain men have to offer to sub
stantiate their position. and at the meet
will be presented for the consideration of
the different interests, that will show that
Kansas City Is getting the warm end of
the poker on the grain question.
Some of the commercial men stated last
night that 1t looked like it would be neces-
sary to form strong combination in or
der to protect Kansas City against its COM
petitors. st. Louis and Chicago, and if the
grain men were in a position to offer any
stronger argument than that already pre-
sented, it would lead to an aggressive CAM
paign.