The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-30
TALK ON RATES
John MarShall'S Argument in
Interstate Case.
Makes Interesting Statement
About Division.
He QUOTES MANY FIGURES
Attempts to Show Kansas Gets
Worst of Tt.
Brief Is Exhaustive and Covers
E QUOTES MANY FIGURES
Brief Is Exhaustive and Covers
Disputed Points.

tiles commission, has prepared his
| argument in the states suit before the
| interstate commerce commission for
better freight rates between Kansas
points and the gulf. 1t is an interest
ing and elaborate presentation of facts
regarding the alleged injustice of these
rates to the shippers and consumers of
this state. Mr.. Marshall declares that
of the $3.50 rate per hundred on mer-
chand1se shipped from New York and
Atlantic seaboard points to Wichita the
. steamship companies get So per cent
and the railroads IS per cent. This
ratio is for more than five miles of
water haul to one of rail haul.
For years Kansas has been fighting
Tor better freight rate from Calves
ton, the states nearest seaport. A
lower rate means chance to get east
ern manufactured products at a price
that will enable Kansas jobbers to
compete with Missouri river basing
points. This gulf rate means great
things for the state and is one of the
most important and far reaching cases
IN which the state has been the plain
Mr.. MarshaHs argument. for a rate
case document is plain and to the
point He has not wandered into a
th1cket of technicalities and figures bur
rather has hammered out his point in a
plain, practical way.
Inc argument covers seventeen type
more important extracts form, a mart.
The Rate.
First class, from Galveston to Wich-
lta' is $1.47; from Norfolk, Va the
rate IS $199 " from New York, all
rali, the rate is $2.07 II; from Chicago,
$1.oS " from St. Louis, $1.1913; from
Kansas City, 66 cents.
From New York to Wichita by rail
and lake, the rate is $1.971a.
FROM New York to Galveston. the
rate is IS cents.
From New York to Wichita via Gal
weston, the rate is $3.50.
From New York to Wichita via Sa-
yannah and other South Atlantic
ports, the rate is $3.50.
From Norfolk to Wichita the rate
From Savannah to Wichita the rate
is $2.107z.
Distances to Wichita.
Wichita is situated in the south CEN
tral portion of Kansas. 722 miles
north of Galveston on the Santa Fe;
Las miles west of Savannah via Cen
trail of Georgia, through Birmingham,
thence over the st. Louis & San Fran
cisco railroad Wichita is 1,488 miles
west of Norfolk, via c. & O., through
Cincinnati, the B. & o. S. w. to St.
Pacific railroad. Wichita is 1902
miles west of New York via the Bal
timore & Ohio railroad to ST. Louis
and the Missouri Pacific from ST. Louis
" w lCIIld. vienna Is OIL miles
southwest of Chicago via the Santa
Fe and 739 miles via the Rock Island;
sos miles southwest of st. Louis via
the Frisco and 479 miles via the Mis-
souri, Pacific; 215 miles southwest of
Kansas City via the Santa Fe and 222
miles via the Rock Island, and is III
miles north of Oklahoma City on the
Santa Fe.
From New York to Wichita by rail
and lake, it is 2,O62 miles. This is
up the Hudson river. through the Erie
canal and through the lakes to Chi
cago, 1881 miles, and over the Santa
Fe from Chicago to Wichita. 671
miles.
Other Distances.
The distance from New York to
Galveston by water in statute miles. is
2,190 miles; from New York to Sa-
vannah by water it is 845 miles.
Ratio of Water Miles to Rail Miles.
The rate from New York via Calves
ton to Wichita is $3.50. This is divid-
ed So per cent to the steamship and
IS per cent to the railroad, making
63 cents to the steamship and SLY &c
the railroads. SLY carries 100 pounds
of freight from Galveston to Wichita,
722 miles over the Santa Fe, one cent
carrying 100 pounds GIT miles; then 63
cents, the division to the steamship,
will carry this 100 pounds of freight
SO times GIT, or 1888 miles. This di-
vision of the rates from New York to
Wichita via Galveston is upon a basis
of more than five miles of water haul
to one Of rail haul.
Let me briefly say that these rates
from New York to Wichita and other
Kansas points via Galveston should be
reduced and a differential in favor of
that route be fixed for the following
reasons:
F'irst-Because under the present
system of rates, Wichita and Kansas
are Disseminated against in that Wich-
tia and Kansas are paying higher rates
of freight than they should pay il
order to benefit other communities and
protect the rail carriers from each
other.
rates and system of rates we are pay
ing the price that keeps the peace be-
tween the railroads.
Third-Because Galveston is our near
est seaport and we should be assisted
to get there and not be prevented from
going there by a system of freight
rates
Fouth-Because the Galveston route
gives to Kansas the longest possibl'
steamship transportation with the
shortest rail haul from New York, the
combination of which water and rail
carriage makes the shortest route ex
pressed in rail miles.
Fifth-Because under the present
rates the steamship lines receive as
their division of the rate an amount
ES01y III SAC0SS VI W4dL Is justly re-
munerative to them and an amount
largely in excess of that for which they
will perform the service.
Sixth-Because it costs less to ship
goods to Wichita via Galveston than
by any other route.
Municipal Phones for Frisco.
San Francisco, March 30.-Munici-
pal ownership of q telephone system
was approved by a two to one vote
in San Francisco. 10000 voters going