New-York tribune., 1884-11-16
RATES GOING TO PIECES.
PASSENGER FARES UTTERLY AT SEA-
HEAVY CUTS To EVERY PRINCIPAL POINT BETWEEN
A Ii In.


HEAVY CUTS To EVERY PRINCIPAL POINT BETWEEN
HERE ArD SAN FRANCISCO.
Inc railroad Offices In Broadway fairly hummed
with business yesterday. They were strewn with
broken passenger rates to tho West. At the offices
OF the ticket-brokers activity reigned and the
hh'ie was put to fares wherever necessary. Rates
were more dcmoralIzed, and demoralized
10 more places than at any time
SINCE the passenger began. The New-YOrk
central set the ball in motion in the morning. Act
ing General Passenger Agent Richards issued cir
cnlar cutting fares to these figures: To Chicago,
Tlo oO flr't class, $40 second class; Cincinnati.
SlO oO and $40; indianapolis $12 and $11 so;
Detroit, S9 90 and $s so; ST. LOnis $l3 and
$l2 90; Cleveland 50 80 and SO %; Toledo. $40
ana ~ Do; Kansas City, S21 10 and $40 so.
The open rate to Chicago at the Central's Offices
heretofore has been $l2 and the reduction of So on
the ST. Louis rate is the first serious extension of
the war to that point. The NewYork Central is
determined 10 make its rates low as those by
any other line and it will not parley over resora
tion OF the tariff until the West Shore, which it
claims was the aggressor has put up its figures.
Alter the issue OF the new rate-sheet
all the roads except the Pennsylvania lent
hand to the fight. As one witty
railroad man put it. "you could hear the rates
snap every half hour" The West Shore was fore
most in meeting the cuts that were made. 1t re-
duced its formal rate to $lO but at the offices
customer was allowed to go out if he was willing
TO give fair price. Here is sample conversation
which occurred at many offices. Tho genial and
good-looking f. V. Skinner, general
eastern agent Of the West Shore. was asked bv
man in the office at No. 1863 Broadway: whats your
rate to Chicago 7"
"Ten dollars was the reply.
| e. do bpftpr Sn-aud-so oftpred M n ticket
at 80.
"All right said Mr.. skinner "you can have
ticket for So
1ICKET-BROKERs FIGHTING EACH OTHER.
At the Erie, the Central and the West Shore
Offices lower rates could he obtained than the formal
schedule and the latter in many instances was
farce. TO add to the Generalization, the ticket
brokers have abandoned their agreement to maintain
rates, aud thus cut loose one from the other each is
competing for custom Independent basis.
Until to-day the brokers have held together on
agreed reductions from the rates made at the rail-
road Offices. but now 1t is every man for himself.
The result yesterday was that rates were as much
at If they had been down to the basis of 80 TO
chicago Heavy made of the fares to inter
ior points this side of Chicago l. Frank, the broker
at the Astor House said Here my rates to-day,
frst-class tickets: 10 Chicago. SO; Cincinnati.
50 80; indianapolis, $40; Detroit, Hj 30; St Louis,
$l2 Cleveland. SO 20, Toledo, SO 80; and Kansas
City, Omaha aud other Missouri River points, FL
! intend to sell just "A low If not lower than my
competitors" And the same wat-lilSe utterance
came from the months of Lansing, Call and other
brokers' An important step taken by the scalpers
was cn in the rate to Buffalo from ~ % tQ SO 30
As regards the rates to points beyond chicago
the wat that IL ragtig between the Northwestern
ruais has trdured the rate from Chicago to Mis-
suuri River runs tn ~. Hence traveller need
only heat i,vn the Chicago rate o fDut 49, aud he
can go to Omaha. Kansas ity ut other such points
~ u roal madr NJ bt adlng the lolnt rate be-
You'd Chicago to the pricp ~ ha ticket tp hr latter
uinor Nv lhis too the brokers wstr enabled to sell
iirknia 10 san fthnpiapU ~ Htnf against srheduln
fain uf iipy a1 hni 80 NpWsltpnnl ht fYD AGAINST
H,ji, lhn NpWiluih Genital ani the vthpi ibhha,
pspnni The Nps, Rhn,n hnd IunhsNlNhhlh hin
aiinWiua oommiAainns ni ~ 80 lu the 1fnheipi Tie
WsAi hhnra u nui paving ounuiiaHiuns, ahh hehoe
,,rnis Tho onisiie iafea, nud VIII onn inun "a meet
ihnni nu matter how low They may ialL