The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-11-13
RAILROAD MATTERS.
TUE RAILROAD wAH.

! luIc III lnc 'uuln"CStcIn ANSOcluIOn, rs u
Is called, Of railroads having each indcpcud
ent connection with Chicago -. Louis, Kan
sas city Toledo &c The principal roads in
volvcd are the Wabash combination, The (m
cago and Alton, the C., b, Il Q, the llinoI'
Central, and G. L. l. & r. the last three IN q
much less degree, however, than the Wabash
and Chicago and Alton The war ragged bit
tery for several weeks, during which tickets
from Chicago to ST. Louis were sold at any
where from "a to so cts, and TO Kansas city
from ~ down to 81. Tickets were not only
sold at these rates but were unlimited as to
train and time. The result was that many
thousands were bought by spectators and
scalpers, enough to keep the roads mainly
the Chicago & Alton and Wabash-pretty
well supplied with passengers for month or
two to come. The competition became so hot
and ruinous that finslly-on the cpd of Octo-
ber-a meeting Of the presidents of the prin.
cipal roads involved was called at New York,
who proceeded to patch up a peace. The
terms of that peace, as understood by Presi.
dent Humphreys and Jay Gould, of the
Wabash combination, were, that the st. Louis
and Chicago business was to be pooled,
One,third going to the Wabash and two.thirds
to the Alton and Illinois Cehtral and as Pres
dent Osborne, of the latter road, was not pres
eDt at this meeting of presidents, the presi
dent of the Alton road-Mr r. b. Blackstone
was to arrange the terms of division with the
Illinois Central Things moved along smooth.
ly on this supposed understanding until week
ago, when the Illinois Central, which had
heard nothing from Mr. Blackstone about the
alleged agreement, finding the bulk Of the
travel between Chicago and st. Louis going
over the rival roads on the cheap unlimited"
tickets they had sold, dropped Its fare from
Chicago to st. LOUIS one dollar. This made
the Wabash folks mad and they put out a
single Offering to carry passengers between
Chicago and st. Louis for 81 less than any
other road" Thereupon the Alton got her
blood up and offered to carry passengers for 81
less than the Wabash. And so the war goes
on. Anybody in Chicago desiring to go to
st. Louis, Kansas city, &c, can get railroad
ticket for about any sum he chooses to pay, al
though the foOllshncss Of selling unlimited"
tickets in this second outbreak has thus far
been avoided. The Wabash folks of course
put the blame of the renewal of the war on
through his neglect to fix up terms
with the illinois Central, according to the
New York agreement; while Blackstone dc
MES that the New York agreement had any
reference to the business between Chicago
and Alton, Of which his road does SO per cent,
but maintains that it referred solely to "pass.
enger business between Missouri river points
and Chicago, Toledo and Detroit" and there
ore had no reference to the Illinois Central
md with whom he therefore had nothing to
fix up"
And so the war RACES with unabated fury
The Alton, Wabash, Rock Island and Illinois
Central continue the sale of cheap fares to
md from all points in the southwest. On
Wednesday few tickets from Chicago to Kan
las city, by both the Wabash and Alton routes,
we're SOLD for 81, the ruling figures during the
lay, however, were 81 anu 49, though man
With but 81 in his pocket was not allowed to
20 away ticketless. AS, however, the tickets |
IRE limited to day and train, the sales are like
wise limited, the only buyers being actual
travellers. The Chicago Burlington and Quin-
y was on Thursday still adhering TO tariff rates,
tut evidently can't hold on long in that way.
The number of travellers who are willing to
Jay $l4SO for a fare from Chicago to Kansas
City when tickets may be had for one-tour-
zenith part of that sum must be very small