The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-21
Much Larger in Kansas Than
in Missouri.
H. R. LAKE GIVES REASON
Rates in Sister State Figured
on Different Basis.
Here the TranscOntinentaI
Business Is Not Included.

Declaring that it costs two and one
half times as much to haul freight in
Kansas as in Missouri, expert rate men
are testifying today in the freight raj
hearing before Examiner Mackley. 1t
is on the ground of increased operating
expense that the 80 different railroads
oppose the rate reductions in Kansas
and ask the interstate commerce COM
mission not to interfere.
For more than an hour this morning
H. r. Lake, chief clerk to c. ]. Parker,
general superintendent of the Santa Fe,
told of operating expenses in Kansas
as compared with the Chicago Kansas
City and Fort Madison-Kansas City
hauls. 1t was in the course of his cross
examination that Lake admitted that
the trans-continental business included
in the Missouri operating expense
sheets, is not included in compiling
Kansas City -Emporia business. This
admission was considered by attorneys
for the utilities commission, as one of
the strongest points shown by the
state in the days examination.
Five solid car lot distribution trains
leave Kansas City daily over the San
ia Fe, Lake testified, to care for the
Kansas business in jobbing centers.
Frequently these trains are run in sec
tionS, the witness said, but this was
trains from Kansas City, Lake recall
ed but one train from Chicago to
Kansas City, which carried Kansas car
lot shipments. This train, like the
Kansas trains, frequently runs in sec
tionS
Asked by attorneys for the state to
tell where the remaining four trains of
goods were collected each day, Lake
said much of the business was turned
over by other railroads, while the ton
mage was not as heavy in Kansas as in
Missouri, due to faster Kansas sched-
ules. Then, too, Lake said, nearly SO
per cent of the Kansas car lot business
originated in Kansas City.
High Cost of Operation.
The witness then explained that the
Kansas rate was necessarily higher
than the Missouri rate, because of the
heavy expense of operation in this
state.
''The expense per mile from Kansas
City to Emporia," said Lake, lis ap-
proximately two and one-half times
more than in Missouri. This is based
on a table of 10000 pounds gross ton
age per mile. In Missouri the cost for
the haul is $1452 per mile"
Does that include the trans-conti-
mental business ?'' was asked.
1T does.'
rs it included in the Kansas City
Emporia haul?"
No. The Emporia division cost is
made up from all business, but does
not include the rans-continental
trains
Lake said the Southern Kansas divi-
sion included through traffic and car
lot trains for Kansas distribution.
From a table showing cost in the
Southern Kansas, he said that the cost
to the Santa Fe was $2S.S4 a mile haul
as against $14.52 in Missouri 1t was
admitted, however, that none of the
trans continental business was carried
over the Southern Kansas, although
there is a daily car lot train to Chanute
and Winfield from Kansas City.
By the complaints it is believed
that the admission that through ser
vice is included in compiling the Mis-
souri, cost is a discrimination against
the Kansas rates. when the transcon-
mental cost is not included in the EN-
is admittedly much faster than in Mis-
souri, and it is claimed that if the same
service were included in both Sched-
ules, that the cost of mileage haul in
the expense east of the Missouri
river.
DeBernardi Corroborates Lake.
General Superintendent A. DeBer-
nardi, of the Missouri Pacific, was on
the witness stand at the morning ses-
sion. His testimony was similar to
that of Lake. From figures compiled
by Missouri Pacific officials, DeBer !
nardi showed that the Kansas haul
cost his road more than a similar haul
in Missouri.
At the afternoon session, other wit |
nesses were called by the defendant |
railroads to show the expense of
freight traffic in Kansas as compared |
with that east of the Missouri river. !
There are but few more witnesses to
be used by the railroads and it is pos |
sible that thu nearing will close late |
Friday afternoon.