The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-09
THEY CAN'T GO ON
Railroads Ask Continuance of
Freight Rate Cases.
Mr. KOOntz, Principal Witness
Is Quarantined.
TAYLOR DETERMINED.
Proposes to Push Fight for Bet
ter Coal Rates.
Calls Attention to Wide Differ
ences Now Existing.
TAYLOR DETERMINED.

Owing to the fact that J. r. Koontz,
general freight agent Of the Santa Fe,
IS cuarantined at his home on account
of the sickness Of his little daughter
with diphtheria, the state board of rail-
road commissioners will be obliged to
postpone the hearing of the coal rate
case, set for October 10; and the grocery
commodity case, set for October u. For
NAL application FOR a continuance of
these cases will be made by General
Attorney w. r. Smith when the board
meets tomorrow, but Carr Taylor attor-
ney for the board, is notifying all the
interested parties today that it viii be
unnecessary FOR them to come to To-
peka.
Judge Smith says that Mr.. Koontz is
the man who has been looking up all
the evidence on behalf of the Santa Fe
and viii be their principal witness. He
says it would be impossible for the
Santa Fe to go to trial without him.
and as there seems to be no way out of
1t. the continuance will be granted.
Attorney Carr Taylor says that it is
his purpose to so ahead with the fight
for better coal rates.
Under the reduction Of rates offered
by the railroads" said Mr.. Taylor,
ssthere is too much difference. or spread,
between the slack coal rates and the
Jump coal rates. For instance, the slack
coal rates have been reduced to Topeka,
Wichita. and a number of other points
but there has been no reduction to these
points on lump coal. Lump coal is just
what the private consumer is interest
ed in. and he ought to have reduc'
ton"
The present rate on steam coal to
Wichita is s1.00 and on lump $3.50. The
difference on the lump and slack rate
to Topeka is almost as great. Through
cut the whole eastern portion of the
state there is no reduction in the lump
coal rate. In western Kansas, there is
some reduction in lump rate, but COM
plants continue to come in.
This morning 2. long petition was re-
ceived from the people OF Seneca, ac-
compamied BY a. formal action Of the
city council. protesting against the eX-
fsting rates on coal from Weir City,
The present rate to Seneca is $3.50 per
ton, and the people of that town think
they should have q $1.50 rate. They
say that the present rate from Center
vile, Iowa, coal fields is Is cents lower
than the rate from Kansas coal fields,
thus practically shutting Kansas coal
out of the Seneca market.
Up to this time, the Santa F'e has
not fled its new coal tariff with the
board Of railroad commissioners,
though it is said to be completed and
ready for fling.
The delay in the hearing of the gro
Gerry commodity case viii cause anOth-
er pOstpOnement of the decision in the
Hockaday hardware case. The Mis-
souri, river tariff issue is at stake in
both and the board decided to hear
the grocery case before rendering a de-
cision I'm the Hockaday case
Replies to Railroad Organ.
In reply to the criticisms of his ac-
tion i'm the editorial columns of the
Kansas City Journal, Mr.. Taylor said
toda='.
u am not frightened by what these
papers say; I realize that I am up
against such fight but I propose to
stay by it. and / believe the people Of
the state will stand by me
THE statements in this editorial are
entirely false and misleading. We con-
sidered the 16 cent rate from Kansas
City which is mentioned, and we were
not to be blinded and led astray by
such an illusion. The IS cent rate is
put into the tariff books for appear
ances 1 suppose; at least it is a rate
which is never used. Kansas City ships
it's grain on the proportional rate of II
cents and on every ounce of grain,
Kansas City gets a better rate than
the farmers of Kansas who want to
ship their grain direct, without billing
to Kansas City
A large amount of evidence is being
collected by Mr.. Taylor as a result of
his letters of inquiry sent out to the
county clerks concerning the grain rate
case Mr.. Taylor says that this win be
one of the strongest rate cases which
he has commenced. 1t is said that the
railroads may try to secure a cOmprO-
mise of this case by Offering some re
ductiOns in their present grain tariffs