Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-25
FREIGHT RATES ON CATTLE
Commissioner Prouty Hears Complaints Of
etockmsn in Denver.
TARIFFS ARE ALLEGED TO Be TOO HIGH
witnesses Say There f. Long Delay in
Furnishing Cars and that ship
ments Are Longer on
the Road.

DENVER, Jan. Albright rates on
stock shipments from the west TO the Mis-
souri, river and Chicago markets was tho
subject OF a hearing In this city today
before Charles A. Prouty Of the Interstate
Commerce commission. The hearing was a
continuation of the one opened In Chicago
a few weeks ago in the case Of the Texas
Cattle Growers association against various
railroads.
The stockmen ask for a reduction In
rates on live stock and want the extra 81
terminal charge made in Chicago for
switching abolished. They also allege that
stock rates are excessive and that the
service is poorer than ever before.
s. II. Cowan, attorney OF the Texas Cat
tie Growers association and Of the Amer
lean National Live Stock association, con-
Quoted the examination Of witnesses.
A r. De Riches, general manager OF
the American Live Stock company Of Den
YER testified that the time consumed In
the transit Of cattle from the northwest
had increased from twenty-four to thirty
six hours. He considered the service of
the railroads worse now than ever before.
He declared that the stock growers were
always prompt in loading and unloading
and that the railroads were wholly respon-
sible for delays.
Mr.. De Ricqles thought this condition was
due to the want of discipline. The service
seemed to be demoralized, he said, by an
effort on the part of the railroad superin-
tendents to make a showing. He com
planned that stock cars were used by tho
railroads for the transportation Of coal and
other commodities, and said this was one
OF the causes of the shortage in cars for
stock In many cases, carloads of coal
we're carried in trains of cattle cars, con-
trary to law.
Operating Department Blamed.
Murdo Mackenzie, president of the Ameri-
can National Live Stock association, said
that he believed that the traffic depart
ments Of the railroads wanted to give good
service, but the operating departments tried
to haul every ton they could possibly put
on a train, with the result that slow time
is made.
When asked II he observed the use of
cattle cars for hauling coal or other COM
modities, witness replied:
They haul everything except cattle"
Mr.. Mackenzie cited cases where ship
pers were compelled to hold their cattle
for long periods, in one case for two
months, before cars could be secured for
shipment. He said rates were more un-
reasonable today than several years ago
on account of the poorer services. He de-
clared that unless the railroads would do
something to help the stockmen to get
their stocks shipped it would be just as
well for the cattlemen to go out of bust
ness. He said that during the past years
tens OF thousands of cattle and sheep in
Texas, New Mexico and Arizona had been
on the range because the raisers could not
get cars for shipments.
James A. Lockhart Of Colorado Springs, a
cattle shipper and vice president of the
American National Live Stock association
said 1t averaged four days for a shipment
to get through from Rocky Ford, Colo, tc
Kansas City. distance of less than eOt
miles, while ten years ago shipments would
go through in thirty-six hours
Several other prominent cattlemen gave
similar testimony
The hearing was adjourned to Amarillo
Tex, where 1t will be continued tomorrow
Later testimony will be taken at Fort
Worth, Tex.