The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-16
THE HEARING REFUSED.
Commission Refuses to GRAFT The Petition
oil Round Bale Cotton Firm.
CLAIMS HAT II WOULD BE DISCRIMINATION
To Grant Their Prayer, Cotton Pays
the same Rate Per Pound and
Must Continue to DO So.

Austin, Texas, November 15.--The fol-
lowing was issued by the railroad COM
mission this morning:
The railroad commission Of Texas hay-
Ing this day refused to set down for n
public hearing the application OF Messrs.
Weld & Neville, and other persons inter-
ested in the manufacture, sale and opera
tion OF what is known as the round hale
cotton compress, we deem it proper to
give petitioners the following statement
OF our views upon the subject:
For reasons set out In lengthy and
well considered arguments in the several
petitions filed, supplemented by able oral
arguments by able and learned counsel,
we are asked on final hearing to enter
orders radically changing the present
freight rates, rules and regulations for
the transportation and COMPRISING OF
cotton in this State. The propositions
presented by petitioners are:
/. To prescribe that $4,000 pounds
shall constitute the minimum carload OF
cotton to be hauled by the railroads in
this State. and
2. That the freight rate for the trans
portstion of cotton in round bales, from
common point territory in this State to
Houston, Texas. shall be $3.50 per car.
Under the present rates, rules and
regulations there Is no minimum carload
for transporting cotton. A few bales
can be transported at precisely the same
rate per 100 pounds as a S:.-r or trainload.
The rate from common point territory
to Houston is "a cents per LOO pounds,
out of which the COMPRISING is paid, not
exceeding 10 cents per 100 pounds. The
COMPRISING is done at the point of
origin. If there is compress there. If
not, then at the first accessible press en-
route to final destination in this State
seventy miles or more from destination,
And the shipper can have his cotton
transported compressed or uncompressed,
as suits him best,
For the purposes Of this consideration
we may assume that the allegations in
the petitions are substantially true. and
IL true. which we do not controvert, the
round bale is q great Improvement on the
square bale In many ways and must In
time necessarily force Its way to the
front in the estimation OF producers,
dealers and carriers without official aid
from this commission.
1t Is contended by petitioners that OF
the uncompressed square baled cotton
only about twenty FIVE bales can be placed
In an ordinary box car. and about nifty
compressed square bales can be placed
in the same sized car, and IL these bales
average 500 pounds only 1880 pounds OF
the uncompressed or $4,000 pounds OF such
compressed cotton can be placed in such
a car. While il is commended that $4,000
mounds of round bale cotton, as 1t comes
compressed from the gin house, can be
placed in the same sized car. 1t is also
shown that the various round bale presses
are handling about one-tenth OF the cot
ton produced in Texas this year
And we are told that we should MOI
stand in the way of this great Improved
machinery and improved method OF manu-
ling the greatest staple and product OF oui
state. The railroad commission OF Texas
is not standing in its way Every pouno
OF cotton from the same point in texas
to Houston and Galveston, or other port
is transported at precisely the same rat'
per 100 pounds, whether II goes throusf
round bale or square bale press u
II possesses density of 22ls pounds tC
the cubic foot What we are asked t'
do. ii seems to us, is to prescribe
minimum carload weight and rate there
for which can be reached by but lev
square bale presses in this State. An'
IT. seems to us that the question for u
to determine is this Is II wlse--ls !
Just for this commission by its soleml
act. to say that we will force the aorup
abandonment of very large number
gins and congresses in this State, an(
force the producers and dealers In cot
ton to adopt new machinery which nov
only handles one-tenth OF the o'ooo'uo
of bales produced in this state
We have not the charters or these Varl
| GUS round bale companies before US am
are not prepared to say whether any
| them are or could become monopolles
indeed IL is contended that all ofs.hen
| hut one company sells their machiner'
| and the right to use IT. and without con
| tending that we should not make rates
rules and regulations for the transporta
| tion of all frefyhts, whether produced
manufactured by monopoly or NOT
do saw that, in our Judgment, any oroe
| by this commission the erect OF whic
| DESTROYS competition between the rouh
and square bale people. and by tnis ia'
aid the che to drive out the othef' ooe
tend to establish monopoly IN clas
| of GENERATORS If this advantage 10 even
| tualiy gained by true merit. wen an
mood; but let it not be SAID tnat leAa
| Mas hv any act of this commission al
tamnted TO strike down any industry J
this state battling with its opponent
tor SUPREMACY in the estimation OF Tn
| ,eonla M the State. Equal faclillsi
| eouaI rates. rules and regulations
hone 10 maintain. 1t Is too early In IN
ne of This new machinery If ever Tfope
r. saw by act of this commission ina
rates, rules and regulations should :
made which can not be enjoyed except
the round bale people. "a,
we have therefore entered an orae
declining to set the application uo~n t'
further hearing
ruAUN RATES.