The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-14

has had any intimauon that you wanted
anybody else subpoenaed-
TT is hard to issue subpoenas. said
Mr.. Taylor, because they nave TO pc
signed by some member of the board
ssThe board has no disposition 70
withhold subpoenas,' said Commission
If the board would sign up some
subpoenas," said Mr.. Taylor, ana leate
them with me, it would simplify mat
you seem to be complaining because
the board hasn't issued subpoehds Ao4 @
YOU" said Commissioner Robson.
want to ask whether the board mas ever
refused to issue a subpoena
only in the salt rate case" said MI
Did we do so then?" inquired Mr..
I understood So" replied Mr.. Tay-
After talking the matter over. the
board decided that it would issue suo-
poenas for the chief engineers as de-
sired. and adjourn the hearing till some
future time to take their testimony.
It was finally decided, however, with
Mr.. Taylor's consent, to take the tesu-
mony of W. B. Storey, chief engineer
Of the Santa Fe, and let the others go
for the time being.
". B. Storey Called.
Mr. Storey, whose. Office is in Topeka,
was sent for and placed on the witness
stand He was called upon to testify
concerning the grades and curves OF
the Santa Fe in various states, for the
purpose of showing that grades and
curves are less in Kansas than else
where, and the cost of operation there
fore less.
Mr. Storey admitted that grades and
curves were somewhat less in Kansas
than in Illinois, Iowa. Missouri ana
Colorado, but asserted that the cost of
building lines in Kansas was as great
as in any of these states. He also testl-
fed that the Santa Fe had reduced its
grades in Kansas by the expenditure OF
vast sums of money.
Early in the afternoon Mr.. Taylor
placed e. j. Smiley and Ed Sinner on
the stand. Smiley is secretary of the
Kansas Grain Dealers association, and
Sinner is the stenographer for the
Mr.. Smiley testified concerning the
100 pound arbitrary reduction in
weights which the Kansas City eleVa-
tors make on grain shipped to them.
He intimated that this 100 pound reduc-
ton was indirectly an advantage to
the railroad companies, and operated as
sort of a rebate in freight rates.
Mr.. Sinner produced tables showing
that the grain rates in Iowa and Iii
nOlS are materially lower than in kan
sas, for similar distances. These ta-
bles were about the best evidence that
had been presented to the board.
On cross examination, Mr.. Low call
ed for the tabulated statements of
grain rates fled under the provisions of
the Stone resolution He showed "
these tables that the rates in Nebraska,
/ Texas and Colorado are considerably
higher than in Kansas
AIHlers Presenting Their Evidence.
The whole of this mornings session
was devoted to taking the testimony of
{ two witnesses on behalf of the uaillerS
I who have filed 4 fTrny4Faiaa in
I The first witness was F. D. Stevens
! manager of the Southern Kansas Mil
/ lers' Commercial club; the second was
A. J. Hunt president of the New Era.
/ Milling company at Arkansas City.
The general purpose of the fntroduc-
I ton of these witnesses is to show on
/ behalf Of the millers that a reduction in
! grain rates leading to a cancellation of
the milling in transit" privilege would
/ force all the -four mills in the state of
Kansas to quit business. Mr.. Stevens
/ went even further. and said:
If the railroads should reduce the
[ rates on grain, and there should be no
/ change in existing rates on -four. it
would drive US out Of business, because
/ we could not compete with the eastern
| mills which would be able to get their
grain at a lower rate than we can ship
-four It would deprive US of the ex-
port trade"
This developed the fact that Mr..
Icy AJ- ICA4eA0l LOl d EE4uGLluM III
grain rates did not provide for SINH
lar reduction in grain products. The
result would be, the millers claimed.
that a cheaper grain rate would result
In putting the Kansas millers at the
/ mercy Of the eastern millers. who
! could get their wheat at lower rates.
1t developed at the hearing that the
Kansas miAers handle each year Ia
f their $50 mills about 10000, 00O bush
els Of wheat. or about one-half Of the