The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-14
Per Cent Increase
Would Hit State Hard.
Force Shippers To Pay S17,-
43O.S74 to the Roads.
4 BIG PASSENGER INCREASE
Hike Would Force Travellers To
Pay 8 Cents a Mile.
Figures Compiled by Nissen OF
the p. U. C.

Kansas gross freight and passenger
revenues of steam railroads would De
Increased, approximately, $2S,66O,92l
a vear If the 25 per cent blanket rate
advance recommended to W. G. NC
Adoo. director general, is placed in ef-
feet, according to figures compiled to-
day by G. P. NisSen, assistant account
ant for the Kansas pubic utlilties
com mission OF this amount ST.
43OS74 would be added by increased
freight revenues. $9,9O4, ,403 by in
creased passenger rates and $3.50, 043
by 25 per cent increase to general
incidental revenues
1.-The recommendations to Director
General McAdoo are that freight rates
shall be increased by at least 25 per
cent, and passenger rates to flat av-
erage of cents a mile.
1.-The freight revenues in Kansas for
the calendar year of 1916, the latest
figures available, were $50, 6,069. If
these figures were increased by rs
per cent it would force the people of
Kansas to pay additional freight
charges to the extent of ST, 7,2S1, SIT.
This freight revenue, however, does
not take into consideration 1886, 627
accruing from switching service. spe-
cial train service and other freight
train revenue annually. When these
amounts are added it gives total pro-
posed increase in Kansas in freight
charges of s17, 7,43O,S74.
Big Passenger Increase.
1.-The passenger revenues for the
year ending December 81, 1916, were
S19,6O7,32O The railroads in Kansas
during the calendar year of 1916
951,S76,915 passenger miles. The av-
erage fare per passenger per mile is
cents
Nissen interprets the rate recon-
mendations to mean that Kansas will
face a 3-cent passenger fare charge.
The recommendations are based on
the fact that the average rates in the
country are " cents Were they
raised on an average of 25 per cent it
would bring the Kansas figures to
near the scent mark
This" he said, will mean a SO per
cent increase in the passenger reve-
nues. or s9,8o3.66O. This. however
does not take into consideration other
revenues allied to the passenger serv-
ice, such as excess baggage, parlor and
chair cars, and revenues from hand
ling milk and cream. This amounts
to $4O2,973. Nothing has been said
in the recommendations as to just
how much these are to be increased,
but assuming that they will be in
creased by the same percentage as
freight revenues, it will mean an ad-
ditional S100,743 or a total increase
$9,904.403.
Mail and Express Revenues.
THE mail and express revenues in
Kansas for the year of 1916 were $4,-
711.129, but neither of these has been
taken into consideration in arriving at
the amount of increase.
The total incidental operating rev.
enues in Kansas for 1916 amounted to
S1,302.571 and a 25 per cent increase
in these would mean another addi-
tonal $325,643 so that the proposed
increase in Kansas would amount to
$28, ,660,920."
Nissen figures, using as a basis the
1915 revenues, that the state would
pay total of $S7,153,590 in freight
rates alone annually, not counting the
Incidental items of operating revenue.
McAdoo, press dispatches state, has
taken the recommendations under ad-
visement Shippers and others inter-
ested, have the privilege of protesting
to the routine way provided