Omaha daily bee., 1884-12-02
THE LONG HAUL.


The private circular recently issued by
the passenger department Of the Sioux
City & Pacific, and Fremont, Blkhorn &
Missouri Valley railways ia o striking
proof of the outrageous discrimination
exercised in order to get "the longest
haul possible" The circular is q, fol-
lows:
Circular No. "a.
Sioux City 4 Pacific aad Fremont, Elkhorn
Z Miss uri Valley Railways. Passenger
Department.
Missouri VALLEY, November 2s, 1894.
1t is tho interest of these companies that all
business from tho east or southeast shall come
to US 80 as to give US the longest haul posi-.
BILE. We make always as good, and for busl.
ness from Chicago and east thereof, a better
connection at Missouri Valley than by any
other junction. This for all business except
from Omaha.
This, accordingly, is to inform foreign roads
that from and after December lat, 1881, we
will not honor or accept any foreign issue of
tickets coming from the eastward and TO us at
Fremont or Norfolk. This business, coming
directly from the east, should come via the
Chicago y Northwestern Railway to us at
Missouri Valley.
/ hVuiu ~ SthttT Ou SOuHCll DluIB from the
south or southeast, 1t should come via Mis-
souri, Valley. From Omaha it may como via
Blair.
Conductors are instructed to dishonor any
and all foreign tickets rs above on and after
December LIST, next. j. II. BUCHANAN,
General Passenger Agent.
This is certainly a discrimination
against Omaha, Fremont and Norfolk.
Mr. Buchanan, acting under directions,
insists that all business for his lines shall
go by the way Of Missouri Valley, and
not BY way of Omaha. A passenger hav-
ing q ticket to points on his system, by
wsy OF Omaha or Fremont, would find
that ticket dishonored. He must 20 by
the Missouri Valley route in order to
give Mr.. Buchanan's lines the longest
haul possible. Should any business orig
nate at Omaha it may come via Blair,
says Mr.. Buchauan's circular. This Is in
deed very kind, but nevertheless it is
what we call forcing things a little, and
we presume that the s,me policy Is to be
pursued with regard to freights.
1t certainly Is very cheeky
proposition. The Idea of competing
for the trade of Omaha by the way of
Blair Is asking o little too much. The
trouble with nearly all railroads 10 that
they are working for the longest haul, no
matter how they get II. 1t now becomes
q question whether Omaha Ia to allow her.
self to be made the victim Of the long
haul. She has enough business to-day to
bring these long haul roads to time. If
our merchants would patronizs only those
roads that are at all friendly to our inter
ests and treat us fairly, they can soon put
an end to such unjust discrimination as
is being carried on by the Chicago &
Northwestern and the Sioux City s. Pa
cific roads. The discrimination ia the
passenger business dooa not hurt us half
so much as tho discrimination against us
In cattle, hogs and grain. The trade that
rightfully belongs to Omaha Is being al
verified to Sioux City, Chicago, Kansas
City, st. Joe and elsewhere. We are be.
ING cut off on the south as we'll az on tho
north, aud all because OF the desire
to get the longest haul possible.
IN order to compel our people to give
them the long haul, certain roads like
those mentioned above, maintain OK.
travagant local rates In Nebraska, and
Offer inducements in the Dhapo of reduced
rates for the long haul. This of course
forces our people to ship their grain, cat.
tie and hogs to Chicago, and for the same
reason they are compelled to buy their
lumber and other heavy supplies in that
city instead OF in Omaha. 1t will be
that everything possible is being
done in favor of Chicago and against
Omaha, all on account OF the long haul.
stands to reason that this policy
IN the part of certain railroads
ID infioting a serious drawback
ipon our Wholesale trade, aud Is a great
in the way of our building up a
,attle and graiu market here. 1t seems
us that the remedy, to n great extent,
S in The hands of our people. A direct
abroad line from Omaha to Norfolk and
Up the Elkhorn Valley, owned and oper.
ted in the interest of Omaha, would
compel the other roads to give this city
IS good q show as they do Sioux City,
1t. Joe. and Kansas City. Another
or as we have already
minated, is to pstronize only those
Dads that arc inclined to give Omaha
air treatment.