The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-23
COME TO AN END.
Salt Rate Hearing Terminates
Rather Abruptly.
None Of the Attorneys Make Ar
guments.
LINCOLN ON THE STAND
Railroad Rate Expert Talks of
Present Rates.
Must Be High Because of Road
Construction.
LINCOLN ON THE STANL

After a strenuous days work the
hearing in the salt rate case before
the state board of railroad commission
ers came to rather a sudden termina-
ton about 5 o'clock Wednesday after
noon. J. c. Lincoln, assistant freight
traffic manager of the Missouri Pacific,
the old reliable freight expert who has
testified in so many rate hearings that
he has tables prepared on almost every
subject, was the only witness called by
the railroad companies in defense, and
as both sides waived arguments, it did
not take long to finish the case when
the compliments testimony was all in.
we want to take plenty of time to
consider this case" said George Wheat
ley, member of the board. land there
fore we can't say just when we will be
ready to announce our decision
Carr Taylor, attorney for the board,
says he is well satisfied with the show
ing which has been made. He thinks
the salt shippers may get reductions.
Inc examination of J. c. Lincoln,
VINO, by the way, is a distant relative
OF Abraham Lincoln, was conducted by
j. II. Richards of the Missouri Pacific
and NJ. A. Low of the Rock Island.
State whether any rebates have been
paid since 1903, said Mr.. Richards.
We have no knowledge of any and
have every reason to believe that none
have been paid
IS there any reason why rates should
be higher in Kansas than in eastern
states? ?" asked Mr.. Low.
There is The railroads of the west
are passing through the construction
period; they have light rails light
bridges, light motive power The tom
mage has been light Now the ton
mage is increasing rapidly and roads re-
quIre reconstruction I doubt whether
the roads ever went through such an
expensive period. The density OF popu-
lat1on has much to do with it. New
York has the lowest rates of any state
IN the union and there the population
is 10 to the square mile. In Kansas it
IS Is. In Nevada, where the highest
rates prevail, the population is only 1 to
the square mile. Even in Kansas I
think local business is handled at a
loss / know that is the case in west
ern Kansas. Take it in the month of
July, 1905, and L have reports from the
auditor showing the total tonnage to all
destinations originating in Kansas was
29,4l2218 pounds while the local traffic
was only 3,240, 283 of this total"
is there any similarity between flour
and salt as a commodity for ship
ment?"
There is none whatever. Flour is
produced at about 800 points in Kan
sas. Local competition is very strong.
By making a low local rate, the rail-
roads induce competition. and get
more tonnage. Salt is produced at
comparatively few points. and there
is no local competition to speak Of"
rs there any reason" asked Com
missioner Robson, "why it costs more
to haul salt than to haul flour ?"
at does not cost any mOre-prOb-
ably not as much. so far as the rail-
road is concerned Competition in
-four is what makes the low rate"
do you think" asked Mr. Richards,
sit would help the Kansas salt pro-
ducers any to reduce their rates to the
Missouri river %
mot bit" was the reply, because
the Ines east of the river would meet
the reduction, and it would simply be