The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-22


road commission convened in open hear
ing this morning to take up and consider
the matter OF an application submitted
by the Houston and Texas Central rail-
road, the Galveston, Harrisburg and san
Antonio railway, the Texas and New Or
leans railroad, the Fort Worth and New
Orleans railroad, the Central Texas and
northwestern railroad, the Austin and
northwestern railroad, the Galveston.
Houston and Northern railroad, the New
York Texas and Mexican railroad, tho
Gult, Western Texas and Pacific rail.
road, the San Antonio aud Gulf railroad
and the Hearne and Brazos Valley Rail-
way companies, to cancel rule No If
oI circular No. 1908 OF rules governing
| the stopping -graln-in trainsltW In SO
Tar as II applies to shipments moving
over those lines. Said rule is as fol-
lows;
Rule H. Minimum Balance.---In no
case shall proportion or balance
charged from reconsigning station be
less than five 90 cents per 100
pounds plus differential If destined
to point in differential territory.
Tue commission viii also consider the
ACCESSIBILITY OF withdrawing and cancel
ing rule No. IL altogether
In connection with the above, the COM
mission Will also consider the matter OF
an amendment 10 commodity tariff No.
"a, applying on grain products, seeds.
hay. straw, ETC., the proposed amendment.
to be as follows;
Shipments of grain and grain prod
ucts. in mixed carloads, may be taken
al the carload rate applicable to each
pdft,, L.
ject TO actual weight, provided that
all or all but one of the articles are
In sacks or other packages, the UNI
derstanding being that the minimum
weight for the entire car shall be the
highest minimum applicable on
straight carload shipment OF any
commodity in car. failing in which
the weight of the lot taking the low
est rate will DE increased an amount
sufficient TO preserve such minimum
weight.
Chairman Reagan of the commission
was absent and thu hearing was conduct
ed by Commissioners Storey and May
field.
A stack of letters were read from grain
men and freight agents with reference TO
the circular
General Freight Agent Jones of the
Houston and Texas Central stated that if
the grain is reeonsigned from Dallas It
would not interfere with the grain deal
ers of North Texas. Any point taking
over Z IL, cents in will affect the price
of the grain, His object was Co mako
better markets along his lines of road
Did not desire to interfere with other
peoples business, but the cent rate was
unfair to his line and all other lines.
Commissioner Mayield asked if the
grain could be concentrated at Waco or
some nearby point, il it would affect the
| earnings.
MI. Jones said that it would not
| Mr.. Johnson of the Santa Fe asked II
I there was not a minimum balance on In
terstate grain, and if the Texas lines did
not get proportion Of such balances.
/ Mir. Jones said that such was the case.
Mr. Charles r. Shearn of Houston, rep
resentng the grain dealers in his city,
made the following statement.
We are opposed TO rule II requiring
minimum balance of cents out of re-
consignlng points for the reasons thai
it is unjust. it discrimInates favoring =
few places and eurtails the business O
others, while it completely destroys the
grain business at other places it kills
competition and leaves the farmer at inc
mercy of his local dealer, 1t has the Of
! feet to localize the business and shut gu
compettiop and as far rs l can learn ii
was conceived by few mercenary deal
ers OF North Texas, assisted 10y the Mis-
souri, Kansas and Texas and the Cult
| Colorado and Santa Fe railway COM
panies. These roads are interstate
/ lines and have always opposed the re-
consignment Of grain in Texas, but .hey
| freely grant all privileges on interstate
business, l say mercenary dealers be
cause they are SO narrow that they car
not perceive justice or the rights " otA-
ers In anyuhlng that does not directly
put money in their pockets. As con
centrating and reconsigning point, Hous
ton is as important as any in the State
for the reasons that all Of the lrupl
lines originating in the State have tbell
base in Houston, thus making II pOssio.'
TO concentrate at Houston not only grail
hut all the products of the state. II l.
at Houston that connection Is made Oh
a direc, route) with all the lines runniai
east, west and south and It is the ndtir
al distributing point for all territory
reached by those lines This aroitraT.
rule not only destroys the already es al
lHshed business OF Houston, in which
large amount of money has been Invest
ed nut the people in the territory reach
ed by Houston will have 10 be burdena'
tn nay this arbitrary rate or DC com
PEELED TO seek credit rom the few FAVOR
ed points. ! said that the en5et o
this rule was to lJcahze the grain tusi
ness. and it is for phis purpose Ina, th
dealers in the grain producing district
favor such rule. They well know tina
with such a rule they have the fariHe
or producer at their mercv and VIII pa
him lust what they please for his pro
duct. Il draws circle rodad ever!
section of the State and gives him an ao
soiute monopoly within that circle.
Is not necessary to say how the fsi ne
who raises this grain VIII tate win s'icl
conditions. and / iel yoL, gen iemen
the only true reason for asking YOU =
maintain this unjust rule is that leca
dealers in the grain sections Of I'M
state can have the power to con'iol tn'
pr,ces they want to nay The h,riner 10
~ Grain and by Il ar .ht oalabee o
the state from being his competitor. Tn
nan who produces is emu ied 70 az ~
the sharpest composition van ave mn
ana I hope this hon1~aole cJlanN sioi
vim agree With me on tbs poln'
II Is necessary TO establish eoict nil az
,ng ana distributing pola-s IN the Stnt
ear he reason that 1t viii make mar
tat Tor the Farmers grain at hArves
,i,,,a and enable him to sell his grain q
ne very best places sharp eomastl iol
VII mako. II there was no teror sign
Wa ,r,.--. --arfad there W0ulf re a