The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-19

j. ID. Ludlow Attempts Explanation for
Express Companies.

The express rate hearing begun be
fore the state railroad board Tuesday
adter is being continued; An
adjournment was taken at noon
until this morning. A feature of
| the hearing up to this time was the
testimony of J. D. Ludlow, traffic man
| ager of the Wells Fargo Express com
pany, man who makes express rates
himself. Mr.. Ludlow in the course of
| his testimony mentioned the basis
| upon which express rates are con-
| Structed. He said that express rates
are not made with anv material ref
erence to what the commodity will
bear and move. but with reference to
maintaining a proper parity between
| express and freight rates This parity
being fixed at such a basis that the
legitimate express shipments will move
freely without loading the passenger
trains with express matter to such an
extent as to in effect make them mixed
trains.
The effect of a serious reduction in
express rates. according 10 Mr.. Lud-
low would be to depreciate the service
so it would be impossible to move
with the present dispatch the volume
OF business that would be attracted by
the low rates, and in the long run
there would be no. express service as
now conducted, but a freight service
With pickup and delivery added, sim
liar to the freight service of Great
Britain.
The railroad companies limit the
amount of car space which the ex-
press companies may have for use and
the amount of time consumed in load
ing and unloading such business at
stations. Mr.. Ludlow believes that if
additional express cars were put on
the passenger trains sufficient for the
accomm odation of all the traffic that
would move on rate approximately
as low as the freight rate, and the
amount of time given necessary to the
handling of such business at stations,
the effect thereof would he to destroy
the time schedule of the trains on ac-
count of their inability to get over the
road with the heavy equipment and
also because of the long stops at sta
tons.
The argument of the express COM
panies is that if there Is any one thing
that the ordinary passenger in the
United States desires when travelling,
1t is to reach his destna ton in the
shortest time possible and it is the en-
deavor of the railroad companies to
meet this desire on his part
John Dawson, attorney for the rail-
road board. who brought the suit
against the express companies for low
er rates. placed Wade Payne, bond
clerk in the state auditors office on
the stand to testify as to the large
express to the auditors office for reg
istration. According to Mr.. Payne,
there was shipped in 1908 bonds in the
total sum of three and one-half mil
lion dollars, four and one-half millions
I'M 1909, and six and one-half millions
in 1910, with six weeks yet to run be-
fore the end of the fiscal year The
express companies charged for car
riage on these enormous sums the
same as for the transportation of gold
coin. and yet the bonds are worthless
until after they are registered and re-
fused by the school tax fund commits
sion
Mr.. Dawson is asking for very ma
terial reduction in the rate on repair
work for farm machinery. The brok-
en- parts of such machinery have to
be shipped by express and returned in
that manner in order to save the delay
in most cases. and the cost is general
ly enormous.