The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-11-24
THE RAILROADS STILL AT 1T.
Quitting and Slashiug Without Regard to
Corporation Interests.

Last week We noted that the st.
Louis road had cut rates from Waseca
to Chicago to 30, and tins little episode
in the history of northwestern railways
has proved the most prolific for gen
eral scalping escapade that has ever
occurred west OF Chicago.
Saturday night the Omaha road scat
tered bills throughout the city, notifying
the expectant public that they would
sell tirst-class tickets from Mankato to
Chicago tor $3.50, which at the time,
was considered very liberal, but not SO
now. Indeed it might be considered
high for through ticket to Paris.
The first news We had here of a
wholesale slaughter III passenger and
freight rates was Monday morning early,
when the agent of the Chicago, Milwau-
kce & st. Paul road notified us
that his line would sell tickets from
Mankato to St. Paul, Minneapolis,
Sioux City and all points intersecting
with the Omaha road for % cents, and
to Milwaukee and Chicago for 81.
Freight had taken a tumble from 90,
IS, 80 and 40 cents to Chicago to 10
cents irrespective of class, and also on
wheat from 30 cents per hundred lbs,
to 10 cents. When the morning papers
reached this point they were eagerly
grasped and perused with great interest.
The c., NJ. Il st. p. depot was besieged
with would-be tourists for maps and time
cards, and every one you met was laying
out route for visit to relatives.
Rates were cut from st. Paul and
Minneapolis to Chicago to 81 and on
Tuesday the St. Louis road hung out a
Single stating that parties could get
transit to the great metropolis for so
cents. I'VE don't know whether any
chromos were offered or not.) Owing
to the break in freight rates wheat
took jump of 10 cents per bushel
Monday morning and the prices paid
at this point Tuesday and Wednesday
were: No. | 90 cents aud No. .
IS cents. Thus it will be seen that
the farmers received some benefit at
least from the war. Owing, however,
to bear operation in the eastern mar
kets Wednesday which reduced prices
of northwestern railroad stocks, as also
on wheat, our buyers were forced to drop
4 cents on wheat fiom the prices above
quoted. But this decline was only
as our market quotations
show prices at S5 and 80 cents.
The Milwaukee road is the only one
in the present fight that has seen
proper tC cut passenger rates from
this point to st. Paul, while we believe
the other two-C. & n. w. and Omaha
have both met her in the freight cut.
1t is pretty safe TO predict that the
rates have reached bottom all around,
and those who wish to take advantage
Of the situation had best wait no longer.
The Milwaukee road is already giving
and the immense crowds that
are grasping the opportunity to go and
visit their wife's relations indicate that
either the 25-cent rate or the chrome,
Or both, are catching them by the hun
ireds.
The Rock Island road is now carry.
ng freight from Chicago to Mankato
At Is cents per 100 pounds, regardless
IF classification. These same rates are
observed TO all common points where
the Rock Island and Omaha touch the
Chicago, Milwaukee IL st. Paul. The
c., NJ. Il st. p. and the c. d N. W. not
10 be outdone, announce that they will
give ten-cent rates from Chicago here.
Now our merchants will have Use for he
"freight cut"