The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-20
soutI1ern 81. Fastern RaiIroad snstens


Southern vs.. Eastern Railroad Systems.
In the fight between the southern and
the eastern roads and ports the latter
have invaluable allies in the cities Of
Chicago and st. Louis. Those cities are
the great primary markets at which
western products are concentrated for
shipment to the east, but if the traffic
is to be diverted to the south they must
give way to other cities-chiehy Kan
sas City and Omaha-which enjoy a
more favorable location relative to the
southern roads. Through preference in
elevator charges and other more OF less
legitimate means, the Kansas City
Southern, the Frisco, the Missouri, Kan
sas & Texas, and other lines leading out
OF these points have already brought it
about that practically all of the vast
shipments Of grain which now pass
through the Gulf go directly southwark
from Kansas City and Omaha without
ever reaching Chicago or st. Louis at
all. The same transformation in ship
ping routes, therefore, which threatens
to undermine the commercial prosperity
of all the greater Atlantic ports is strik-
ing scarcely less staggering blow at
the supremacy of the two largest cities
of the Middle West. The fight will be
the most intense for this reason. It will
be fercer, also because after all it viii
not be Waged on very unequal terms.
The advantages which the southern
roads and ports enjoy are not so decid-
ed as appears on the surface. In the
first place, most Of the western grain
for export originates in territory which
IS pierced by lines-the 'Atchison, Bur
lington, Rock Island. Wabash and 9th
ers-that have direct rail connections
with Chicago, but not with the Gulf
This in itself is enough to throw large
quantities of grain into the western
metropolis. when it can still be shipped
most cheaply to the east.
Then, in point of distance the South
ern roads have no great advantage. The
short line distance from Omaha to New
Orleans is ,069 miles; from Omaha tc
Baltimore, 1878. This difference of only
about two hundred miles, upon such g
commodity as grain is not enough tC
require any marked disparity in rates
In the third place, the ocean distance
to the European market from the uli
ports is from $500 to 5000 miles greater
than from Baltimore. and despite all ths
uncertainty characteristic of ocean rates
such doubling of the distance in
volved cannot but operate in the LONG
run to raise the average quite material
ly. Finally must be mentioned the SUI
perior dOckage and lighterage facilities
of the eastern ports as compared witt
the southern, and the greater density o.
traffic in the eastern territory which
largely eliminates the expense of NOV.
ing empty cars. Taking all of thesi
considerations together, it is quite ap-
parent that in the contest cor the con
troll of the western export trade tbs
eastern roads and ports. while seriously
menaced. are y no means hopelessly
outclassed. BY the exercise of the keen
est ingenuity, the most relentless en-
ergy, and the boldest enterprise they
may contrive to retain very fair share
of this trade. though already Their for
MGR monopoly is gone forever. and wheT
the Panama canal is completed a new
and perhaps an irresistible force will be
thrown into the scale against them
From Railroad Rates and the Flow OF
Our Foreign Trade" by Frederic Aus
tin Ogg, in the American Monthly Re-
view of Reviews eor April