The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-05
STILL TALKS FREIGHT.
Southwestern Grain journal in New
Home Discusses inequalities.

F. w. Frasius, editor of the South
western Grain Journal, has moved the
office of his paper to Wichita and it is
now published there. He has also en-
larged it's scope and now calls it the
Southwestern Grain and Four Journal.
Mr.. Frasius announces, however that
one of the main features of his publica-
ton will be a fight on existing railroad
freight rates. In the current issue of
his paper he says editorially:
1T would seem that with wheat in
abundance and coal beds containing the
best of coal for steam purposes within
the confines of the state, the Kansas
millers could defy the world and pro-
duce flour cheaper than other by nature
less favored mills. But this is far from
being the case. Dozens of mills through
out the state are for sale at much less
than what these mills can be rebuilt
for, because many of them can not
make expenses and compete with mills
outside of the state using Kansas
wheat and Kansas coal.
THE favorable natural conditions
for manufacturing wheat into flour are
absolutely contravened and neutralized
by the arbitrary action of Kansas rail-
roads. Take the item of steam coal
from the Pittsbnrg coal fields for in
stance, as it effects the millers of Kan
sas.
THE rate of freight on slack coal
from Pittsbrug to the city of Wichita is
$1.35 per ton, yet the railroads deliver
this same coal to Kansas City mills
about the same distance, for so cents
per ton.
AT many towns in Kansas the dis
crimina ton is still more glazing, and
not only are the mills sufferers, but all
other Kansas manufacturing institu-
tions using coal are being held up in
the same manner Nor are the factories
of the state the only victims. but every
family in the state is thus being I'M
Justly dealt with by the railroads for
A n
lavish hand has placed at our doors.
kansas people are not allowed to
use the bounties of providence on equal
terms with other states How much
longer will Kansas people stand this
discrimination?
Mr. Frasius has also had personal
experience in freight rates from which
he makes the deduction that the Kan
eas railroad law is faulty. He tells 1t
as follows:
Last week the editor had a taste of
going up against the railroad octopus
in Kansas. We shipped our furniture
over the Santa F'e railroad from Topeka
TO Wichita. Kan. a distance of 155 miles.
The freight bill which we were COM
PEELED to pay at Wichita before goods
were surrendered to us reads as fol-
lows:
For freight on 425O pounds, Topeka to
Wichita. 1855 miles ......-......... $50. 90
1T will be seen by the above that the
rate is figured at 1912 per 100 pounds.
BY way of contrast. the freight on this
shipment of goods had it been carried
by the same railroad, the Santa Fe, in
the state of illinois. would have been
1905 per 100 pounds. and read as fol-
lows:
To freight on 1850 pounds, 1856
miles .--.-. SIS. %
Discrimination against Kansas on
this small shipment is...-...-....S 13 IS
There exists no reason whatever why
the Santa Fe railroad cannot carry
freighO as cheaply in Kansas as IT does
in Illinois. and the only reason the rail-
roads have for charging, in many cases,
more than double in Kansas, is because
the Legislature of 1901 gave them the
right to plumber the people,