The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-14
GULF RATE SITUATION.
A Director Of the Atchlsoa Becomes Some
what Stirred Up Over Il.
SAYS SECRET IS THE PEEGEE IS FOR SALE
The Arkansas Railroad Commission
Has Issued Some Important Or
ders to Check Rates.

A director OF Atchison says; 1.-THE gull,
rate war has reached crisis. and unless
The Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf
changes its attitude Immediately. the
greatest rate war the country has ever
seen will be precipitated within the next
fifteen days Relations between the va
rious companies are very badly strained
since Burlington and Grand Trunk cut the
rite from New York to Kansas City to the
normal basis of Chicago Kansas CITY
rates.
This simply means that the tariffs Of
nearly half the country are mutilated be-
yond recognition. Although Burlngton and
Grand Trunk are not blamed much for this
decisive act of hostility, it is the mmedi-
ate cause of the crisis. Their action and
the sentiment of lines associated or COM
peting with them towards 1t. demonstrate
clearly that the gulf rate situation has
assumed a new and more serious phase
than was anticipated natural Develop
ment of the rate war could not have re-
suited in such crisis so ulddenly.
The question that all the railroad Of
hcials are asking themselves today is:
Who Is the man behind the fence and
what does he want?'
AT the conference of Western presl-
dents in New York recently the gulf diff
ferential controversy was placed in the
hands of President Ripley of Atchlson and
Receiver Fordyce of Kansas city, Pitts
burg and Gulf. There was talk of arbitra-
ton. Mr.. Ripley spoke hopefully, but Mr..
Fordyce intimated very plainly that Pitts
burg and Gulf would not recede fNu it's
position. They failed to reach any UNDER
1T can not he that Ripley is to blame,
because Atchison is equally interested on
both sides and In case of fight would BIZ
attacked from, both directions. The OBJ
stinacy of the Pittsburg and Gulf is the
indirect cause of the present crisis, as
well as the direct cause of the general de-
What does the Pittsburg
and Gulf want?
1t Is limited pretty openly that Pitts
burg and Gulf is just lying to sell out;
that Receiver Fordyce has taken advantage
Of the gulf rate war to provoke such hos
tility as would produce the present crisis
Perhaps when Pittsburg and Gulf has
demonstrated its power as rate breaker;
when its obstinacy has torn to shreds all
the basic tariffs of the United States; when
u loHS iioL VI ICSptcldDlt TdliTOduS SNOW
hard times earnings, during a period of
prosperity, somebody will
buv it up. Most likely that somebody will
be the Alton. There seems to be no other
solution of the Pittsburg and Gulf prob
lem, certainly not in the minds of the
Pittsburg and Gulf management"
In this connection the general freight
agents OF the Burlington and Missouri
Pacific have formulated the following
answers to queries propounded by Freight
Traffic Manager Hanley of the ,Pittsburg
ished in Southern paper:
1. That it is true that the water line
of the Kansas City, Pittsburg
md Gulf road did Issue a tariff OIL or
'bout April 49, 1897, which carried rates
Via the gulf at a differental less than
hose effective via Atlantic port routes at
he same time.
.. 1t is a further fact that the other
'oads which are mentioned as appearing
IN the tariff as parties thereto, with the /
possible exception of one or two, gave I'm |
Mediate notice that they would not partici- !
ate in or in any way recognize, the tariff |
eferred to.
8. 1t is also a recognized fact that this |
arif, nominally in elfect via the gulf, did /
lot accomplish the purposes for which 1t I
vas intended, because of demoraIized con- /
itions prevailing practically until the end .
# 1898, which neutralzed this tariff. /
these conditions have not prevailed this
ear.
4. 1t is a further fact that no active So
icitation for seaboard Missouri river traf-
&c was engaged in under this tariff until
he fall of 1898, this inactivity due, prob
bly, to the Spanish American war, which
interfered with the ocean serv-
co, and to the other conditions which are
eferred to elsewhere.
5. 1t is still further fact that negotia-
ions were pending as between the rail
mes and the gulf routes as to the proper
djustment of rates from seaboard terri
Dry to the Missouri river, the larger por-
ion of the year 1898. The final conclusions
cached and which are now concurred in by
he commissioners of the Western Trunh
.ine association did not grant the gulf
QUITE a dilierential under the Atlanta
outes, and rates which are current Today
la the Pittsburg ard Gulf road and Its
onnections were accomplished by arbl-
rary action, disregarding the recommen-
alton of the commissioners OF the West
I'm Trunk Line association.
1t is unfair to the st. Louis and Chi
ago jobbers, and to the lines which serve
nose interests, to charge them with the
lame for the present condition of affairs.
he facts in the case, which are well
nown to these people, do not bear out any