Show Ili e ON fREIGHT 1 1 Hend He cf of Local Traffic Bureau Submits Views on Water Competition Felt Felth PAY BIG DIVIDENDS h ore rrY el points as os to In Shipment of or Cattle East EIst ne And Ind ml Cotton Vc cst t Discussed by b t uri Former Man Uan 3 Y Ya a The editor of The rhe sews is il in but Oni receipt of or a communication bearing date of Nov 26 6 and signed by S SS SJ SH t k J 1 H II Babcock commissioner of oC traffic tra of or ortho fW I tho the Salt Lake Jakc Commercial club traffic c calit alit I bureau The communication is as tot fol tots ole s lows t ta Your Tour editorial columns in tho Issue a of Wednesday Nov 10 21 I contained a n ett somewhat lengthy th article under the theas as caption of or Railroad Freight Charges Chal es r o and from the various y r US somewhat ques questionable questionable ot statements contained therein ther ln it is doubtful If Its Its real authorship I rests rosta with any an member of your regular el editorial staff Water ater competition as adversely af affecting ii the transcontinental freight a rates TateR of the raIl call carriers has long since tM f ceased to be he much If IC anything more moro moroa morek k than thau a mere pretext or 01 subterfuge on the part of or those carriers as aR Is us quite Heady evidenced from the fact that the thenet thenet thenet net earnings per mile mite of the Union and I Central Pacific u are higher than those of any other othel railroads In the county country coun west of Chicago and their t earnings for each ton of or freight handled greater Ir than those of any an other Important Important tant taut railroads In the entire country count s so 50 o i far as has ha been developed cd by b a some somo somewhat somei what extended examination into tho the i subject t Tho Union Pacific company compan pays pa 10 I 1 per cent dividends on Its common and 4 4 i t per cent the e fixed fi ed III limit on its pre preferred p furred stock annually a l and n after the Uie payment of oC which for Cor the thc fiscal year cal ending Juno Tuno 30 0 1905 1305 being the last for which wo we 0 ha have the official figures thorn t remained a In Its S treasury 1 O from Its I geni gen general i eral operations a oI a total f surplus of 12 1 while tho ilio Southern Pacific company with Its ita vast aft mileage Including ing the tho Contra Central Pacific railroad from Ogden Oden west pays 7 per pel cent cont dividends Jon on its preferred and C G per cent on Its ts common stock annually and for tor the same year ear as stated for tho the Union Pa Pacific ell there thore remained a surplus from its it general operations of Dur Dm Ins tho the fiscal year stated the tho panle panl period of 1907 and an Its following season of business depression slon occurred hut but the net earnings of both those thoo great creat companies for tho fiscal year ear last ended end ended ed d June 30 1909 1 09 oro much greater than for the tho year given above The Tho ratio of or operating expenses to earnings of c the tha Union Pacific aStern is lower than that of or any other railroad of which record can ron be bo found and that of or tho the Southern Pacific company compan Is IR also alao c lower r than that of or an of the r tent tant railroads mIl roads east of ot the Missouri hI hIso r i so BO far ar as known It may mo therefore quite readily be seen eon that great lines whoso whom earnings sire are m derived d Very el largely from rom transcontinental traffic arc are suffering not at all nil from Crom any an cle ele element clement clef f ment meat of ot water vater or other form of or compe competition compel C l titian The writer of or your article sought to unfavorably contrast the freight reve revenues revenues on wheat heat and cattle moving to the Missouri river markets from points about miles west wert The Tin I carload minimum weight of wheat or other grain aln usually ranges from to pounds and the actual weights I Generally b approximate those thoNe figures and not pounds or more as al stated stat stilt stated stilted ed hence tho the actual earnings on n a car carof carof of or grain would by no moans mOMS reach the figures given The owner of the tho grain Is III only ohly Interested In the rate rata per pounds and an not in the tho tonnage carried in any anyone ono one car gar SHIPPING OF CATTLE The charge of ot for or the car of or I cattle as stated which would yield a n trifle trIne more than 18 IS cents per car milo mile would be very to the tho carrier 0 particularly when It is considered that lle m stock Is generally moved in train f loads Tho The suggestion that tho the owner of ot the cattle creates his own competition i tion presumably from his hla ability to 1 drive tho the cattle to market la Is unworthy un unworthy unWorthy worthy of or consideration since in the ther region r glon indicated the tho country countr being fenced It would be bo entirely to drive fat tat cattle going to the markets of or consumption along pubU highways destitute of ot pasturage and probably water since tho the loss In weight In the cattle from frogs about one days drive dive under such sueh circumstances would more morn than absorb nb rb tho the entire freight charges on tho the carload to say nothing of or the cost of ot feed teed and other expenses en n route The empty car movement In the grain traffic In that region is 15 vastY vast vastly ly Y creator in extent than that for tor live ato Eck t ck k As the movement of ot live stock prom from 1 Utah to Los Angeles and thence again eastward presumably to the tho Mis 1113 Missouri river would Involve the payment of ot tho the higher actual tariff rates from l Los s Angeles to tho the Missouri river than are aNI currently In effect direct from Utah to the river as well as av other controlling disadvantages In time ole etc the tho state stae statement ment that a a Utah cattleman discovered last summer ummer that he could ship his cattie cat cattle cattle tle tie to Los Angeles Ang and thence busk bak bake eastward e for tor less loss money mone than from Utah direct t to the eastern destination la Is too absurd for tor comment MOVEMENT MOVE fEtT OF COTTON COTrON The movement of ot the cotton from the southern states destined to Asia via Seattle referred to was secured J through the tho energetic action of or the wattle traffic representatives of ot tho the Kill lines and ond somewhat to the tho of ot similar officials of ot tho lines operating through the port of San Francisco Franc None of or the earners carriers an are leck ng unprofitable business and as asa a aa asa a matter matteI of ot fact tact there thero Is probably no unprofitable freight traffic of or any an char character character Character acter now moving in any part of or the tho country ho The practically suggested idea In the tho article that the traffic of ot tho People of or Utah should bo be burdens burden with grossly unreasonable rates and 1 used as an Insurance for fOl tho the carrier against alleged loss In their traffic else elM elsewhere elsewhere where Is one that will scarcely appeal with V favor to tho the people of ot this state Both Bolh tho the people and the tho railroads should have a square deal nothing more nor less Is wanted |