Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-11-27
WILL LOOK INTO
LIVE STOCK RATES
Charges For Transportation In
Kansas Too High.
STATE COMMISSION TO ACT
Figures Furnished Utility Board
Show That Kansas Shippers
Pay $5.15 a Car More Than
Surrounding States.


Kansas City Connecting railway be-
Ing allowed to transact business in
Kansas may bring upon the railroads
some big reductions in the live stock
rates into Kansas City, H. G. Wilson
transportation commissioner of the
Kansas City Commercial Club, told
the Kansas Utilities Commission that
the rates were $5.15 car higher than
in Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Ne
braska. He furnished the figures on
1t, too, and these figures have been
turned over to the rate department
of the Kansas commission with in
structions to verify them and report
at once.
Mr.. Wilson's figures showed that
from Dodge City to Kansas City, 339
miles, the rate was $44 car, while
for similar distance in Missouri the
rate was $3.50. From Blue Mound
to Kansas City, 100 miles, the rate
is $23.10, while in Missouri for a SIM
liar distance it is $1750
Except for short hauls in Nebras-
ka and Iowa the Kansas rates are
higher than the rates in Nebraska,
Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas" said
Mr.. Wilson.
Some time ago the Kansas utilities
commission indicated that it thought
the stock rates were too high, but at
that time gave no indication Of an in
vCstigation or Of any proceedings to
reduce the rates. But now as soon as
the rate clerks can make up the COM
3arative statements of rates it is ex-
pected a suit to reduce the Kansas
stock rates to the same basis as in the
other four states will be started.
@
Governor Hodges has issued proc
lamation fixing the last two weeks
Of this month and the first two weeks
Of December as the time for the gen.
eral burning Of the winter quarters Of
the chinch bugs. He called upon all
farmers and farm organizations
throughout the state to cooperate.
1t was estimated last spring that the
chinch bugs caused not less than
million dollars damages to the crops
of the state and most OF that loss
could have been avoided by the burn
ing Of trash and bunch grass in which
the bugs hibernate. The university
and agricultural college entomologists
say that burning the grass and trash
now will save practically the entire
loss from bugs next year and that is
the only way to eradicate the bugs.
The governor was asked to- issue the
proclamation by the entomologists
and several farm organizations. In
the proclamation the governor said
in part: do hereby designate and
appoint the last two weeks of Novem-
Der and the first two weeks OF De-
cember as "Chinch Bug Burning"
weeks, and call upon every farmer,
every land owner, every tenant, every
road and overseer and every local or.
ganization to cooperate in the burn
ing of bunch grass and bluestem
along roadsides and ravines and waste
places, according to the plan worked
out by our state experts.
Governor Hodges has issued a re-
ward of $4,000 for the arrest and con-
viction of the assahant of Mrs. John
Turner at Great Bend, on the night
of November 3 last.
Charles Sessions, secretary Of state
is hunting for several hundred Kan.
sas railroads which have been incor-
porated in Kansas. Two years ago
about eighteen thousand corporations
were declared defunct because of the
failure to make the annual reports
as the law requires and now the sec.
rotary of state is going to put sew
eral hundred railroad companies out
of business.
Kansas second class cities which
disregarded the 1912 session law relat-
ing to paving, upon the advice of John
S. Dawson, attorney general, have
pursued the proper course, according
to the ruling or the supreme court
The new law is held invalid in the
decision of test case brought by Wal
ter Zeigler, paving contractor.
o
The act of 1913 makes 1t the duty
of the attorney general, after January
1915, to turn over all fees paid in to
the state treasury. The supreme
court held that the specific and sweep
ing language of the 1913 act implied
that the attorney general is entitled
until that date to these fees under ex.
listing legislation.
| o
The stockmen of Kansas will meet
In Topeka December TO- The call
was sent out by the president of the
Kansas Live Stock Association, State
Senator Thomas Potter of Marion
following a meeting of the special
committee on reorganization which
held a short session here. A perma
nent paid secretary and claim agent
is one Of the things that the com
mittee win recommend to the asso
citation. This man would have an OF
flee probably in Kansas City, and