The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-09-21
LOWER RATES FRaM BEEVER
REDUCTION OF 20 PER CENT on
PLANT PRODUCTS.
Colorado Manufacturers and JObbers
May Now Ship Into Western
Kansas

The Rocky Mountain News OF ven
recent date, in reporting the fact that
the Rock Island had granted a freight
rate reduction OF 20 per cent on all
plant products shipped from Colorado
points east as far as Levant. Kan.
says that millions OF dollars worth
OF business. heretofore uutouchable. is
thrown open to Colorado manufactur-
ers and iObbers- This gives them
egress into a section OF the country
from which they have been debarred
BY the high rates; IL throws open to
them the eastern part OF Colorado,
and gives that part OF the state an
opportunity to take its part in the
home industry movement
The announcement OF the horizontal
reduction OF 20 per cent was made by
G. w Martin. general agent for the
Rock Island The Rock Islands move
viii cause all the other roads to throw
down the bars, and II is therefore the
most important announcement to Co
dorado manufacturers and iobbers
which has emanated from a railroad
ONCE in many years. declares the
News
Thomas c. Scott. traffic manager of
the Colorado Manufacturers assOcia-
ton, IS given the credit for this new
condition Of affairs He worked IN
tiTingly to secure. and never gave up,
even when hope OF getting il seemed
small. The Rock Island is also to be
cOmplimented for its prOgressiveness,
and will undoubtedly reap a harvest
OF business as a result.
The reduction covers all plant pro-
ducts, and goes into effect on legal
notice
The effect Of it will be to give Den
yer. Colorado Springs and Pueblo
JObbers and manufacturers access to
a territory which has always been
closed to them Eastern manufac-
tuTers and jObbers have been supplying
this territory for years, even serving
the eastern half Of Colorado as a re-
suit Of the railroad rates which ex-
listed.
What has gone before is the view
OF the Rocky Mountain News, and il
seems to US here in the western part
Of Kansas to have been considerably
Overestimated- The 20 per cent would
have been an important reduction if
IT had covered all kinds OF freight
eastbound from Colorado shipping
and manufacturing points. But re-
duced to the narrow limit Of plant
products, il really leaves the Colorado
shippers almost as helpless as before.
The grocery merchants Of GOOdland
say It will have no important bearing
on their class Of goods, and about the
only things that may now be shipped
in cheaper would be potatoes, cabbage
and onions But, the cheaper the pO-
tatO can be laid down in GoOdland
from Colorado points, the more Sc
the homegrown potato here in west
ern Kansas, which has now reached a
point where home production is suf-
f1Cient for local demand. 1t IS need
less to say that the cabbage and onion
shipment from Colorado to GOOdland
would be insignificant.
In the summer season fresh fruits
OF various kinds come to Goodland
from Colorado points, but this class
Of products comes by express and can
not be shipped with safety by freight.
If the freight rate would apply
from GOOdland to Denver as well as
from Denver to Goodland, il might
encourage the grain men to make
some shipments to Denver, as the ate
under the new schedule would pos
sible be a little under the Kansas City
rate or on an even break at least. But
Denver is not as large a wheat mar
ket as Kansas City, and therefore
would feel the Over-supply the quick
er, which might unsteady the price.
From these suggestions it can be
readily seen that the freight reduction
OF which the Denver News makes so
much, is really incidental to the vol
ume Of trade and Of no Importance
either to Colorado or western Kansas.