The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-22
Driven TO WALL.
Facts About Kansas Salt Trust
Coming Out.
E. s. Moore of Ellsworth on the
Stand.
STIFLED COMPETITION
Gives List Of Concerns Forced
Out of Business.
Joy Morton Paper Railroad and
How Tt Operated.
STIFLED COMPETITION

T. s. Moore of Ellsworth, head or
The Ellsworth Salt company, and for
II years in the salt business in kan
sas. proved to be a frst-class witness
for the Kansas salt producers in their
fight for better freight rates, which op-
ened up Tuesday afternoon before the
state board of railroad commissioners
Mr.. Moore was one Of the kind of
witnesses that pleases the crowd be-
cause he was always at himself. and
handed back some hot retorts to the
railroad attorneys when they pressed
him too close. Mr.. Moore proved him
self to be wen posted in the freight
rate situation 50 far as it concerned
salt. and told some interesting history
of the celebrated JOY Morton paper rail-
road by which the salt trust drove COM
petition out of business.
1t was a severe ss-examination
that Mr.. Moore underwent, opened by
a A Hurd of the Santa Fe, and fol-
lowed by NJ. A Low of the Rock Is
land, J. H. Richards of the Missouri Pa
ciflC, ]. c. Lincoln of the Missouri Pa
cidc and II. A. Scandrett Of the Union
Pacific. MI Moore was on the stand
from o'clock until o'clock in the af-
ternoon. The hearing then adjourned
until this morning.
The case opened with short state
Mr.. Moore was placed on the stand and
started his testimony with a long list
Of concerns which had been driven to
the wall or bought IN by the salt COM
bine. Among these were the two plants
a wellington. one at Anthony one at
N1ckersOn, one at Mcpherson, the Dia-
mOnd Salt company, Pennsylvania Salt
company, Crystal Salt company, River
side Salt company, Western Salt COM
pany, Queen City Salt company and
others. He said that this was due to
the rate of 10 cents which was put in,
of which the Joy Morton paper rail-
road, called the Hutchinson & Arzan-
6aS river line, was paid 25 per cent, or
80 cents on each ton of salt. This
Hutchinson q Arkansas Valley, he tes-
tilted, was merely a sidetFack 1eading to
the salt trust plant Mr.. Moore stated
that he had been at Ellsworth since
1902 He gave as a summary of the his
tory Of salt rates fhe following sehe-
dule;
From 1888 to 1891. published rate II 2-s
cents actual rate % cents
In 1892 the % cent rate was ub-
Hshed by the Rock Island.
Tn July, 1897, rate Of 6 2-3 cents was
Dut in.
In August, 1900, rate was raised to 10
and - cents.
Mr.. Taylor offered to introduce into
evidence the testimony and decision of
the Interstate commerce commission in
the case when the JOY Morton rebate
was exposed. A. A. Hurd objected.
This is a hearing" he said Ito de-
termine the reasona bIeness of rates on
salt. Suppose somebody did violate the
lave of the United States or the laws
of Kansas. Suppose somebody did com
init crime. This should have no
weight with the board. This is not COM
petent evidence" "
Mr.. Taylor waived the introduction
of the Objectionable matter, saying he
would get the evidence before the
board in some other way.
MY Moore then presented a large
number OF tables which he had pre-
pared to show past and present salt
rates In comparison with rates of other
states He filed with each table the
taritIs from which it was compiled
m not going to be caught the way
Resing was, he remarked.
Hurd Cross Examines.
A. A. Hurd then undertook to prove
on cross examination that the inability
OF Kansas salt producers to get into
Missouri and Nebraska is due entirely
70 competition from Michigan salt
The fact is simply this said the
witness in response to questions
"H our road has built a wall at the
MISSOURI river, and we can't cross that
wall. and can't knock it down"
Hasn't your business iucrea sod
during the past ten years." asked Mr..
Hurd.
Possibly it has during the past ten
years, but not during the past FIVE
years. Five years ago, it was 200 600
Darrelsi last year it was 1,169.OOO bar
rels. And this in spite of the in
creased population in this section of
the country We figure that the settle
ment of Oklahoma and Indian terri
tory has been sufficient to just about
onset our loss OF Missouri and Ne
braska. sent out 1000 postal card
quotations on salt to Nebraska las
year and sold one car load of salt. I
thlnk L have sold six car loads. of salt
IN Nebraska during the past three
years"
THE reason you don't sell there is
because somebody undersells you.
'It is because the railroads have ad-
yanced our rates to that territory. and
lowered the rates from Michigan IT
costs US the same to ship salt 200 miles
as Goes Detroit to ship salt 500
"At the time the low rate 81 eal
cents was in effect, there was a war on
between the Michigan and Eansas
sail producers, wasn't there" asked
There was not. It was fight be-
tween the railroads. The railroads D1It
IN that Is cent rate, and kent If in
three years. They seemed to make
money all right. They kept it in until
JOY Morton had bought up all but two
salI companies in the state"
Divided the Territory.
Mr. Moore made some reference to
an agreement for division Of terri
tory.
What was that agreement" asked
Chairman Robson of the board.
II was an agreement entered into
in 1893 by which Kansas salt pro
ducers were to have all the territory
west of Jefferson City and Michigan
was to have all east of that point.
Who made it?" asked Robson.
aaFWnIT Frank N7fnnnr7A a
Kansas politician. was one; then there
were John Wood. Willis Moore. Mr..
Price and others. It was the object to