The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-22
just What Was Said on Both
Sides in Now Famous Hearing.
HIS ERRORS NUMEROUS
Mr.. Koontz Points Out Total
of Fifty-one Mistakes.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.


going around as to the testimony and
oss-examination of Mr.. H. L. Resting
before the board of railroad commits
sioners last week in their Investigation
into the freight rates on commodities
handled by grocers. No two Of these
versions agree as to just what was said
by both sides and an interview with
Mr.. Resting, printed in yesterdays pa
per, seems to throw an additional cloud
over the facts and figures that were
brought out at the now famous hear
ing.
Mr.. Resting. as chairman of the Wich-
tia traffic bureau appeared before the
commission as the chief witness for the
grocers and after qualifying as an ex-
pert in rate matters offered compila-
lions purporting to be rates into and
out of jobbing centers and indicating
what rates in his opinion the board of
railroad commissioners should promul-
gate in order to remove alleged dis
examinations against the interior job
berS and place them on a freight rate
parity with the jobbing houses at Atch-
ison Leavenworth. Fort Scott and To-
peka.
Following is a transcript of the stem
ographer's minutes of the testimony of
Mr.. Resting covering this point.
Where did you get the information
contained in those tables Mr.. Resting?
asked Col. J. K. Richards, attorney for
the Missouri Pacific.
course"
From tariffs that are on file in this
Officer"
Mr.. Mr.. Carr Taylor, attorney for the
mr.. Resting, explain what relation
ought to exist between the rates from
Missouri river points and the interior
jobbing points,.
MY proposition would be like this:
Those articles that We are complaining
about depart from the class rates at
about 80 miles out of the Missouri river
points. From there on they run for over
100 miles on a blanket rate of 20 cents
NV idea is to give the railroads a rate
of $50 per cent on the short hauIS
based on the rate per ton per mile they
get for their long hauls-that is in the
Territory where their commodity rates
prevail-and to grade them up and ap-
ply the straight two cents per ton mile
on the longer distances. On distances
less than so miles apply the $50 per cent
and over so miles the two cents per ton
You think that would bring an
equality in the relation between the
Ftwo?"
Il think that proposition would ap-
ply to wichita Hutchinson, CoffeyvIlIe'
independence and all - the towns COM
planning in a satisfactory manner and
give them fair protection"
By the board:
'tThen, 1t is not question OF lower
rates that you are fighting for"
mo, it is the removal of discrimina-
ton
Union Pacific.
ssWhat is the rate from Wichita to
Emporia, fourth class, on sugar
''TWenty-three cents.
ssWhat should the rate be accord
ing to your way of making rates? %
ut should be 10 cents"
what is the rate from Kansas City
to Emporia 2"
And according to your idea the rate
from Wichita to Emporia should be
10 cents?"
what n. si is the distance from Wichita
to Emporia ?"
lone hundred miles,"
ssWhat is the distance from Kansas
/ City to Emporia?"
''Would you think the rate from
Kansas City should be 90 cents and
the rate from Wichita 10 cents %
''I think that principle should be ap-
piled in order to protect the interior
| jobbers."
THAT is the principle upon which
you made the rates in this table that
| you suggest the commission should
adopt2"
BY Mr.. Koontz, general freight
agent OF the Santa Fe:
You know that all Kansas distance
tariffs carry a clause that the rates
| between any two points shall not be in
excess of the higher Missouri river
"Yes SIR
From your knowledge Of the rate
situation in Kansas would you not say
] It. .~5xyc hos C
has been in full force and effect in
Kansas for the last o years, except on
particular articles such as sand and a
few others?"
YES sir
Knowing that, why did you omit to
apply that higher Missouri river basis
in compiling these rates p
Because the tariff from which
took the rates applied from and to
points and not between"
LAS a rate man you know you have
| to go the distance tariff in the first in
stance to obtain your basis for figuring
rates ?"
Eyes, sir
Don't you know that the higher
Missouri river basis would make the
rate to Abilene 20 cents and didn't you
testify that according to your way OF
/ figuring rates it should be q 4 cents
4 Why should the rate as fixed by you
be higher than that fixed by the rail
roads2"
Il didn't know that the tariffs would
apply in that manner
s.Then this statement so far as il
! purports to show the true conditions
in existing freight rates is in man
ner worthless, is it not2'
Where the rates shown are over 2(
cents that is true, but you will fine
very few points where that condition
| prevails"
.Take Burton, you show the cor.
rect rate to be Is cents. Do you
know what the L. c. L. rate on sugar
from Wichita to Burton is? Dom
you known that it is u cents instead
of 13 cents p
No don't know, it may be-
Take the rate to Bucklin, you show
/ the correct rate to be ~ cents. Is no
j the correct rate 81 cents 2,