The Sentinel=record., 1911-09-12
CATTLE RATE
 IN QUESTION
OKLAHOMA CITY ALLEGES DIS EXAMINATION AS A PACKING
 HOUSE CENTER.
Claimed That Railways Grant Lower Rates to Fort Worth and Wich- ita From Shipping Points
 in Texas.

Oklahoma City, Okla, Sept. H. With the introduction of testimony by the state corporhtion commis- sion, tending to show that Oklanoms City is being dscriminated against as live stock market and packins center, by the railroads the hearing of the comp aint of the Oklahoma commission to the Interstate Com merce Commission was begun before Commissioner Charles A. Prouty here today, c. B. Bee, rate expert for tho state corporation commission was tat first witness, his testimony for tht greater part concerning exhibits Ina were introduced.
 By the introduction Of the exhibits the rate expert endeayored to show alleged disellmination ih combined rates on live stock to Oklahoma City and on fresh meats and packing house products especially to the north and east. taking Mississippi river shipping points as centers.
 In comparison of rates for from 25 states on the Texas and Pacific Railroad in Texas to three packing centers. Oklahoma City, Fort Wort and Wichita, the rate expert showed by ilhe exhibits that with the aver age distance 10 Fort Worth 293 miles he rate is l2.2 miMs per ton per mile with an average distance of 49S mi es the rate Is 1S.9 mills and with an average distance of 66l miles to Wichita the rate is l3.6.
 Anrther exhibh int soduced show ed that the cost of shipping q car. load of cattle weighing 22,00O pounds from Texas points is: To Fora Wortf $43. IS: Oklahoma City S10S so; Wichita sS9.76.
 FuSther eyidienpel was submitted to show the cost of marketing the outgoing product to three centers named to Mississi River points. The exhibit was figured on car weigh ing ii,6eO pounds and showed a com paratiye rate of S4lS9 from Forr Worth; s36.92 from Oklahoma City and s2S 57 from Wichita.
 MT Bee offered a table of eompar tive rates on the cost of shipping fresh meats and packing house pro ducts distances of from 100 to 45t niles from the larger packing centers in the West He also made an aver age of the cost for alr distances iron different cities. The table, based or cents per hundred pounds fellows
 Sioux City. Iowa, S15 45; St Jos eph. Mo, $15,9S; Kansas City sl5. 97 Fort Worth, Texas, s15.57; Chicago $18.21; St. Louis S16.2S and Okla homa City s22.O7.
 Taking points on the Kansas City Mexico and Orient Railroad as ba- ais, the rate eUpeat testified that with an average distance of 397 miles tc Wichita, the rate Is 30.2 per hun dred on live stock. With an averalSs distance to Oklahoma City and For Worth of 2S4 miles. he said the OR lahoma City rate s 30.2. the sam. as the longer distance to Wichita The Fort Worth rate ia 23.5, for tn, same mileage.
 The hearing opened at 10 o'clocl this morning with statement b Commissioner Prouty regarding tn purpose and the scope of the hear ing. Mir Prouty said that the presen basis of this hearing is a combina ton of three complaints, previousl. made. Included in tlhe three com plaint are genersk inte Bate rate' on outgoing fresh meat products general interstate rates on live stoc into Oklahoma City and specific com plaints are general interstate rate dered last spring and which 1t is a legged would materially raise rate on live stock into Oklahoma City.
 These advances have been sus pended by the Interstate Commere Commission ending the outcome ( the present hearing.
 In statement following that ( MT Prouty, Commissioner Hensha' of the state corporation commissio explained what the state commissio expected to prove. MT. Hensha' said the total cost of getting hy stock into this point, and sendin products to the distributing center had handicapped olSiahonlsl packers