The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-17
j. r.. Koontz Produces Freight
Rates in Produce Argument.
Says Shippers Exaggerate in
Statement to MOhler.
"TERDS TO PREJUDICE PUBLIC"
Categorical Analysis of Farm
ers' Statements Reveals Leaks.
Traffic Manager Calls Hand OF
Complaining Producers.

Shippers became excited when they
recounted freight charges to ]. c.
Mohler, secretary of the state board of
agriculture, according to ]. R. Koontz,
general traffic manager for the Santa
Fe railroad In a detailed statement
regarding freight charges. Koontz
shows that in every instance cited, the
rates were misquoted and tariffs were
below those quoted by shippers. His
statement was issued to the Associated
Press, which carried the complaints
of stockmen and farmers as furnished
by Secretary Mohler.
Statement by Koontz.
The Koontz statement follows:
Take the first illustration, W. A
Scott, Piper, Kan. This point is located
on the Kansas City Northwestern, and as
| his wheat from EdwardsviIle on the Union
Pacific. You will note he states for 1,40o
bushels of wheat he paid s16O freight
rying charge per bushel wsuld be cents.
or for the 1.4o0 bushels the freight charge
would be Ssh instead of S160.
1.-THE second illustration, Fl. A. Mann,
Toronto. This point is common to the
Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific. Mann
a states f Kansas Rs pad per n rate fs9t Is & on
per cwt, or on a 40-foot car, minimum
81, 900, the freight charge would be 5000
instead of 500 as indicated
&C. W. Newton, Coyville, Kan, located
| on the Santa Fe, states it would cost S10O
to run car of hogs to to Kansas City
pounds per SO foot caf. or s34.s5 plus S1O4
war tax as against 500 as stated;
wv. T. Hammond, Ports. Smith county,
Missouri Pacific, states the freight on a
car of cattle formerly amounted to $50.
| City. The freight rate is $61.20 plus tax.
Missed Guess on Wheat.
| "w. L. Barley, Rush Center, Rush
county, states that it costs % cents per
bushel to market 1a his wheat eat r, Based az ~ ~
/ sas- City market would be 1917 cents per
| busheI.
Missouri Pacific, states he shipped load
of stock January "a, and his expenses
were s134. 81 The freight on the car was
w. A. Kiteh, Nekoma, Pawnee county,
states that it costs 20 cents to so cents
to get wheat to kansas City y as eompsMEee m Ms,e
| York, and that he has to pay the same
price to ship car of wheat so miles as
busheI of GO pound wheat from Nekoma tc
| Kansas City would be 1874 cents. The
rate for 50 miles is Il cents, for 300 miles
% cents per cwt.. Kansas intrastate:
"John w. Jones, Minneapolis. Ottawa
county. states that be shipped % pure
bred hogs a distance Of 6$ 5 miles and md
profits materially. In this instance the
freight carrying charge for the distance in
T815d WoodbDey De ot o1et age county
states he shipped a car of hogs and that
It cost him s14.s9 as against May. 1915
Kansas city is 1919 cents per cwt, OF
based on a minimum of 1900. S33.15 plus
tax 81 This man erred ed, III in his a., acc1un' IH
John W. Reid, Usage City, states that
week before last one of his neighbort
shipped fat cattle to Kansas City and the
freight and other expenses were nearly I
sos. whereas, formerly they were $40 The
freight rate is 1T13 cents per cwt., or on
| a 4O-foot car, S42 plus $1.20 tax.
| Counted Lumber Cost Too.
"John S. Hill. Melvern, states that II
costs S700 to ship car of lumber from
Washington to Melvern. Melvern is To-
| Gated on the Santa Fe in Usage county
Based on $1,000 pounds minimum freigh,
rate 761s cents, carrying charges would
be s2754o- This same party states It costs
| City to Melyern. The freight rate is l.
cents per cwt., minimum $1,000 pounds. .oI
s4O.s0 per car It's clear that this gentle
| man probably has theNcost of the lumber
| included in the freight rate. and possibly
he SO intended his statement. but 1t gives
the impression that the freight & carTyins El
him rather than the figures which l have
indicated.
county, states that it costs s16 per ton to
ship hay from his town to Kansas City
which makes IT impossible to dispose of
The carrying charges would be. 2312 cents
per cwt, or comparable figure with
that as indicated by Mr.. Cramer. per ton
S4.70 instead of SIC as stated. The carry
ing charges per car q, 900 minimum, 40
foot car, S5e4o instead of, as stated by
Mr.. Cramer. $500.
! Carload Cwt-?
pat Donahue, Centralia, e m 2
| county states he used to ship hogs for 3,
cents to 40 cents per cwt. Assume he
means $35 to $40 per car 1t now cost
500 per car, he says The freight rate Is
% cents per cwt.; based on minimum o.
Continued on Page Twol
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