Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-06
FELTON, TALKS TO CLUB MEN
Business Men Hear President Of the
Great Western.
ASKS SUPPORT FROM OMAHA
Bays Great western Helped 20 Or
ganise Grain Exchange and 90
Make This Leading
Grain Market.


Fully 900 OF the business men OF Omaha
and a large number OF women OF tho
city greeted President FELTON, OF the Chi
cago Great Western Railroad company
when yesterday he spoke at theluncheon
rendered him by the public affairs COM
mittee OF the Omaha Commercial club.
The luncheon was spread in the clubs
large banquet hall. which was filled to
capacity.
The speakers table was at the west
side Of the banquet hall, and with Presi-
dent FELTON, sat directors and officers OF
the Great Western. other railroad men
OF the city and a number Of the business
men. He was introduced by President
Mohler OF the Union Pacific, who re-
Trained from making an extended
speech. saying that he did not desire TO
steal any OF the thunder OF the speaker.
As Mr.. FELTON, arose he was greeted
with loud and long olspping OF hands.
He briefly reviewed the early history OF
The Great Western ard the incidents
leading up 20 Its being built into this
city. He pointed to the fact that in 1904
Omaha was without a primary grain
market and that there was but one grain
elevator here. At this time II was. he
that Omaha should oe placed, upon the
map as a grain market for the vast
agricultural contry tributary. adding;
omahs's Natural Location.
1T was to the interest of the through
lines to retain tue long haul on grain to
Chicago and the south and this proved
a distinct disability 80 far as Omaha wRs
concerned because II deprived this point
81 he arto - a.
Upon completion OF the Omaha ex-
tension the Great Western had line TO
the Mississippi river Chicago and the
Twin Cities. and Immediately proceeded
10 publish proportional rates. with view
to putting this city on the map and es-
tablishing It as primary grain market
The first tariff was published in the
fall OF 1903, and. naturally. met with the
strongest opposition OF the existing
through lines. some OF them attempting
TO divide the grain from Omaha by low
ering the through rates to Chicago and
the Mississippi river. so that they would
continue 20 be less than the combination
of the local rates via Omaha. At one
period in this contest the Great Western
established a rate OF 3 cents per 100
pounds from Omaha 70 Chicago. which
petition. where they controlled the grain.
to move 1t at this low rate. This led to
a settlement OF the controversy In 1904
by an agreement to give Omaha proper
tional rates"
Helps orEanise Exchange.
President FELTON, then told OF tho fur
Their work Of the Chicago Great Western
and pointed out that after the rate ques-
ton had been disposed Of. the Chicago
Great Western and its officers took an
active interest In the organization Of the
Omaha Grain exchange. at the same time
going on with the construction OF the
large independent elevator on Chicago
Great Western trackage between Omaha
and South Omaha.
The Chicago Great Western president
asserted that through the Independent
elevator and @. w. wattles. president OF
the company. their efforts having been
combined with those OF the Chicago
Great Western. local grain rates had
been 10 adjusted that while Omaha han
died but 15s7oOOO bushels OF grain In 1904,
the volume had reached eo.oOooOO bushels
IN 1914 an increase OF about 400 per cent.
Continuing. said Mr. Felton,:
Asks, Omaha's support.
tttot tlut you Heuticihon Will De
Impressed with the fact that the Great
Western has played a substantial part in
the development OF your grain MARKET
and that we are not unreasonable In ask
ing substantial support at yslHr hands IN
our efforts 70 develop our business and
makes our railroad more than self-sup-
porting
The systems OF roads reaching Omaha
from Chicago, not including the Great
Western. aggregate se,s60 miles. az which
the mileage between Omaha and Chicago
IL but per cent OF the whole, while in
the case OF the Great Western. one-thlrd
OF It's total mileage Is between the two
cities. In other words, we have a much
larger percentage OF our line which IL
dependent on the business of Omaha and,
for that reason. are we not justified in
claiming that the Great Western Ia more
distlnctively an Omaha liner"
President FELTON, referred TO the Great
Westerns extensive terminals In Omaha
and the elevator facilities OF the road
and show that the company's line be-
tween here ana Chicago is but sixteen
miles longer than the shortest and eight
miles shorter than the longest. "and," he
added, I'VE are the shortest line 10 the
Twin Cities by twenty miles" In con
cluEion he said:
Two do not ask that any business be
given us that we cannot handle as ex-
peditiously as any OF our competitors
but we do desire your substantial sup
port"