The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-11-25
THE GRAND CUT.

4 w
its latest developments, is the subject OF
conversation in this city to-day. In retail
alton for the aggressive warfare pursued
by the Chicago. Rock Island s. Pacific
road in that part Of the northwest which
recognizes st. Paul and Minneapolis as its
| principal centres, the Chicago, Milwaukee
s. st. Paul resolved to carry the war into
Africa" on their own hook In other
words to cut into the territory a monopoly
of whose business the c., r. I. s. P. has
hitherto claimed end possessed. To that
end bills were printed and newspaper no
tees ordered late on Thursday night, ma
king announcement to the people of this
section that they would be carried to Chi
cage for fifty cents each on the rebate
principle by the G. III. & St. p. Co. That
is, requiring each passenger to pay full
fare, and upon presentation of the ticket
stub at the Chicago office, all the money
paid for The ticket, save and except fifty
cents, would be refunded This rate, how
ever, was good only upon one
train, the one which leaves here
at S:25 A. M. Yesterday morning the
people generally were not fairly awake to
the proposition, but this morning every
thing was changed. AS early as 745
crowds of gentlemen, some of them with
their wives, their sisters, their cousins and
their aunts, began to congregate in the vi
cinity of the c., M. & ST. P depot, remind
ing one of the place after the first opening
of fair Or exposition, at Chicago or else
where, when the railroad companies en-
courage a large attendance by of
fering reduced rates for the round trip
Before the time arrived for the departure
of the train Conductor Kitch-
lngman found it necessary to put on seven
or eight extra coaches. which were quick
ly filled with the excursionists, the mum
Der of rebate tickets sold being about three
hundred. The crowd was good natured
one, but it has been suggested that if the
cut were to end summarily tonight or to-
morrow night, not a few of these cherp
travellers would have a chance to try the
walking or borrow money of more favored
associates to get home with.
The inactivity of the G. r. l. & p thus.
far seems to bode no good to its COMPETE
tor. 1t was rumored late last evening that
the Rock Island road would or
der a twenty-five cent cut to and
from Chicago but at date of present writing
no orders to meet this unexpected cut in
rates have been recorded by the officials
here.
HOW THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
This conflict of two or three great rail
road giants of the day had its origin sew
eral weeks ago, as heretofore noted in the
ARGUS but hostilities actually broke out
about fortnight ago. Ever since the O.,
R. /. 81 P. acquired control of the Albert
Lea route to st. Paul there have been ON
nous mutterings from the c., NJ 81 St. p.
and C. dG N. w companies which in many
respects resembled resentment at an intru-
sion upon territory which up to that time,
had come to be regarded by these compa-
MES as their own by virtue of something
akin to pre- -emption But the outbreak
was deferred for several days, until there
seemed to arise. in the judgment of the c.,
NJ s. st. p and the c. s. N. w companies
a sufficient reason for movement. All
this time, however, the Rock Island road
steadily kept On knitting" and seemed to
be getting something like it's full share of
both the passenger and freight business
when it occurred to Manager Cable that it