Barton, one of the independents, had a contract to supply all the bulk salt used by Swift & Co., at Missouri River points. The contract expired April 1, 1903. Before asking renewal of the contract Barton went to the coal people and the railroad to see what his costs were to be for the coming year. He found that coal was to be advanced 25 cents a ton and freight on it 25 cents a ton, making 50 cents a ton more on coal. As it takes 1 ton of coal to produce 2 tons of salt, the increase in coal cost meant 25 cents added to the cost of each ton of salt. Barton’s former contract was on the basis of $2.25 at Hutchinson, now he must have $2.50. While Barton was negotiating a renewal of his contract with the Swifts, Hon. Frank Vincent, State Senator, manager of the Salt Trust, and director in the Salt Trust railroad at Hutchinson, took a vacation from the legislature, went to see the Swifts, and offered them salt on the basis of $2.10 at Hutchinson, or 40 cents less than the independents could afford to sell it. The Trust got the contract with Swift. This gives an idea of the extent to which the railway favoritism enabled the Trust to underbid the independents. The owner of one of the independent salt plants was asked: “From where did you meet most competition, as far as you know?” “From the Santa Fe Railroad,” he replied. One of the most remarkable facts in the case is that the division of rates with the Salt railroad was made without even taking the trouble to find out whether or no there was any railroad at all of any kind behind the name presented in the request for a division. “MR. MARCHAND. Then you entered into this joint arrangement with the Hutchinson and Arkansas River Railroad without really knowing whether there was any road there or not? “MR. BIDDLE. I have done that hundreds of times.”[253] Another indication that the terminal railroad is not the real reason for the division of rates is found in the fact that it is not every large shipper who can get a rebate by owning a private railroad. One of the independent salt mills, the Matthews mill, had a switch built and paid for and expected to get a rebate of $1 a car on the strength of it. But the railroad refused to give any division of rates. Matthews did not belong to the Morton family, nor have any other special claim to hospitality at the hands of the Santa Fe.