The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-23
MAY KNOW SOON.
Decision in HOckaday Case Ex-
pected October 3.
Interior and Missouri River
JObbers on Anxious Seat.
HE WANTS 1T BACK.
A. j. Kinney Writes for His
Freight Tariffs.
Agent Bachelor, at Salina,
Criticises His SuperiOrs.

According to the announcement made
today by the state board of railroad
commissioners, the decision in the Hook
aday hardware case will be announced
on October 3. In this case the fight is
between the Missouri river and interior
Kansas hardware jobbers.
The attorneys for both sides were
given until Tuesday, September 26, to
file with the board any additional in
formation, statistics or tables which
they desire. 1t is expected taht I. N.
Hockaday the complainant, will file a
revised map with the board, showing
exactly the amount of the freight tariff
out of Wichita, as compared with the
rate from Missouri river points. "A SIM
liar map was filed at the time of the
hearing, but it had been prepared ac-
cording to the rates of an old tariff, is
sued prior to the much talked of "ad-
justment of April 20" Under the April
20 adjustment, the distributing rates
out of Missouri river points were raised
to some points west of the interior job
bing centers, in order to place the Mis-
souri, river jobbers on an equality IN
that territory, instead of giving them
an advantage. 1t would seem that the
only ones who knew anything about
this adjustment were the people VINO
made it in the general offices of the
railway freight departments.
A. ]. Kinney, the Atchison man who
was put on the stand as the represent
ia tive of the Missouri river firm of Bllsh,
Mize & Silliman, has written to the
secretary of the railroad board asking
for the return of his book of freight
tariffs, which was presented in evidence.
It is not known why he wanted the
book returned but the secretary refused
to comply with the request without an
order of the board, and the board ad-
journed without taking action in the
matter.
Freight Agent Bachelor, the man
who represents the Santa Fe at Sal1na,
has "come back" at the Santa Fe Off
cials in Topeka for their discovery that
Bachelor furnished incorrect freight
rates to the Lee Hardware company OF
Salina when they were preparing eVl.
dence for the Hockaday hardware
case. It seems that instead OF quoting
from the latest tariffs, which seem TO
have beer. embodied in what the
freight officials call the April ~ ad-
justment." Bachelor took the ngures
given in an old tariff.
1t was rumored that the Santa Fe
might punish Mr.. Bachelor for ms
neglect by dismissal, but nothing mas
been done yet. Mr.. Bachelor does not
seem to be much worried, however, for
he has come out with this statement
in which he rips" the officials OF the
general freight department as follows
1T would take a Philadelphia laYyel
this morning. Il was asked to prepare
a schedule of freight rates by MI Cow
den some time ago. 1 asked the clerki
in the freight office to prepare it.
supposed it was right. I did not checl
It over when it came to me, because
would have required a days time.
THE railroad men themselves do no
understand freight schedules. neve
attempt to quote rate of importance
until / ask the general freight office a
Topeka about it, and then it is no
right one-half the time
Recently 1 asked Topeka for a rat
on household goods from Lamar, Col.
received a message that it was SIz
cents. I knew that was wrong, ant
looked the matter up myself. l fount
the rate was 80 cents.
so it is altogether probable thai
had Mr.. Cowden gone to the genera
freight office for his information tht
result would have been the same
There are so many complications gov
erning freight schedules that it woulC
take one man all his time to keep III
with them. We get stack of change
every morning. If 1 attempted II
check them over every morning,
would be able to do nothing else
Il just received a bunch of then
this morning" he said. when l ge
time l will go over them. l will finC
that after I have carefully checked
them over, will still have very little
authentic information on the subject
for there are too many complications
When the shipments run into Kansa
City territory, the rates are annulled
and Kansas City rates govern.
tariff schedule in railroad office i
hedged about with more ifs NOR
'corrections.' amendments and ha
more strings tied to it, than any othe
proposition on earth.
81 never heard of this 'adjustmen
of April 90 I may have it some
where: probably I have; but it is ais
probable that 1 have the 'adjustmen
of April 21. %, %, "a, 25, and ever.
other date since then"