The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-29
RAILROAD NEWS.
Grain Blockade at Kansas City
is Worse.
Santa Fe Facing a Dilemma Of
Difficult Solution.
MAY CUT KANSAS CITY.
Would Greatly Injure the Kan
sas City Grain Market.
Santa Fe Official Explains Cause
of the Trouble.
MAY CUT KANSAS CITY.

One OF the prominent Santa Fe
freight officials gave this explanation
yesterday of the grain blockade at
Kansas City:
Grain is purchased by grain dealers
and commission men at Kansas City
and shipped from the point of origin IL
Kansas TO themselves in Kansas City
ION the arrival of the grain i'm kan
sas CITY the dealer seeks for a pur-
chaser for his grain. Meantime no in
dfcatiOn is given on the bills as to Wnal
disposition is to be made of the grain
after its arrival in Kansas City 1t IS
simply held in the Santa. Fe cars tn
the dealer finds a purchaser Tor ms
grain. This purchaser may want the
grain shipped out over any OF the con-
Meeting roads at Kansas City
Now the trouble is that the connect
ing roads contract with dealers for
shipments in excess OF their AFFINITY 20
handle the grain. The original con-
signee. having by this time furnished
the Santa Fe with an order for the dis
position Of the grain, is not at any ex-
pense for the use of the Santa he cars
as a storage place for the grain, and
the Santa F'e is unable to move its
grain to connecting roads because they
are flooded with other business
The trouble is not altogether caused
by heavy grain shipments. Movements
of other classes OF freight are also very
heavy. This inteusifies the difficulties.
The Santa F'e is seriously consider
ing the advisability of ceasing TO con-
sign grain to Kansas City during the
present blockade. We have practically
stopped consigning grain to the Frisco
the Chicago & Alton and the Great
Western. because they can not take
care of il promptly. They announce IN
the morning that they are open. but
within a few hours they have again be-
come blockaded.
lit would be very unpleasant to the
Santa Fe to do anything which would
hurt Kansas City as a grain market.
but we must protect our own interests.
Our seven cent rate to Chicago is
being continued from day to day 1t
viii be so continued as long as the
present situation exists"
This mornings Kansas City Times
says OF the situation there:
Douglas Dallam, commercial agent
of the Santa Fe. left last night for Chi
cago. where he viii confer today with
Traffic Mana ger Biddle in reference to
the grain situation at Kansas City As
q result of this conference it is prOba-
BILE that instructions viii be issued to
country shippers TO consign grain to
Kansas City only in cases where desti-
nation can be shown or when the orders
are for the direct delivery to other
lines.
such action, as has been stated. viii
amount to making effective Mr.. Bid
dies threat to cease consigning graAS
10 Kansas City
Although there were ATS cars of
wheat on the Santa Fe tracks yester-
day morning. the open rate of cents
from Kansas City to Chicago was not
put in The Santa F'e people are conf
dent that other lines are making as
low as 6 cents on wheat from Kansas
City to Chicago. and the open rate of
7 cents may not again be made effec-
tive. said a. Santa Fe freight man yes
terday.
We are satisfied that wheat is be-
ing hauled from Kansas City to Chi
cago at cents. We decided not to put
in the 7-cent rate today. in order to
note what effect. If any it would have.
Our people have as yet taken no action
on the question of making an open s.
cent rate.
If the Santa Fe traffic department
decides to issue the contemplated in
structions to agents the road will of
course, secure the long haul to Chicago
on the bulk of its wheat from Kansas
and oklahoma However, the freight
men deny that this fact has any weight
in the matter. They say that ten DAYS
Is the average delay to grain cars in
Kansas City and that at this time the
cars are easily worth SO per day. They
also declare that If the prompt return