The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-03
IRON HIGHWAYS
The Result of the Reduction in West
Bound Freight Rates.
Rumors Concerning the Future OF the
Indianapolis and Toledo Road
Other Items Relative 70
Railroads and En-
ployee.

Several new passenger cosches will be
placed on the Bee Line in few days for
through service.
The business OF the Columbus, Greensb urg
and hope Rosd is increasing rapidly, so say
Big Four officials.
The agreement adopted By the General
Msrspers OF the Chicago and Ohio River
POOL went into effect day before yesterday.
1t is expected that a considerable amour
OF important business will be transacted at
the annual meeting of the Western Associa
ton Of General Passenger Agents next week
a large number of Indianapolis railroad
men will be in attendance.
80 begins to look as il The war between
ne trunk lines will be even more bitter and
destructive this year thsn ii was in 1884 8"
said local railroad man yesterday. There
never was time when the railroads could
less afford to lose money than now, and IL is
singular that they DO not come 70 some IN
Outstanding as 10 rates"
There was meeting OF the various lines
comprising the Indianapolis Eastbound
Pool yesterday, st which time It was agreed
to rescind the recent action in restoring
rates, it being clearly demou4tra,ed thai
other cities lad not restored rates The
special joint rate adopted January D vas
restored and charges OF rate cutting against
the Wabash were considered, bat there was
no evidence to sustain tue same and 10
action was taken relative thereto.
The projectors of the Lafayette, Burling-
ton and Western are much elated over the
prospects of their road on which worK will
begin again Just IS soon ss the frost leaves
the ground. This promises to be one OF tbs
most important coal roads in the State of
Indiana and VIII make direct connection
with several Chicago lines, at which point Il
will find ready market Tor the superior
article a portion of the road was built
before the advent OF the cold wea.her.
Every body who is interested in railroad
business at all is we'll aware OF the fact that
the Toledo and indianapolis Road is to be
sold on February p, under decree of fore
closure granted by the United States Circuit
Court. and many rumors concerning the fu-
ture Of the road are being circulated, many
of them, no doubt, being without shadow
of fOunoation. The latest is that the Toledo
and Indianapolis will fall into the hands OF
q syndiCate OF eastern capitalists, who will
spend a considerable amount of money in
improvements and new rolling srOck, event
ually building il through to this city. Il
will be remembered that the minimum price
Of the road is $4,000, Of which the pur
been said that the Indianapolis, Blooming
ton and Western people would secure this
road, but il is not now generally believed
that they want it very badly.
When a read carries al the same rates as
other lines it can command, and, therefore,
is entitled TO such share OF the business as
its facilities connections, etc, enable il to
obtain, without regard TO the business which
- a p. i.
that Il may take II little time . OO1aia
this position II II is a new road or to rec ,ver
1t II II has given up the business for me-
and 10 is also true that ii the Il mss are fire.
QueDt when IL declines TO meet the rates o.
It's competitors, 1t viii always De st a disad-
vantage; bat as things are. when the rates
ordlDSriIy leave some profit to all the lines
this consideration need net weigh. 1t
would ejgb If ordinarily, CT darIng 4 isrge
portion OF the time. the rates left profit
only 10 those lines which can carry
~ iesst cost Then, properly, these lines
would get the larger part OF the business, add
finally Substsl TALLY the whole. But acta
ally, # for i!Ae the Vanderbilt roads tase
height . IA chicago TO New York flr dfte an
ceals per 100 pounds, and the Penn lvania
or Toe Grand Trunk refuses 10 accept les
Than twenty cents, and then the rate by al
lines is advanced TO twenty five cent. IL Ger.
tsinly will not be expected that the Wander
traffic which they had when leading roads
did not compete for 1t, nor should it be ex
pectsd that these roads viii be cantent with
a smaller share tnan their facilities ens1le
them TO secure at equal rates, and whicn ex
perience has proved that they can secure At
such rates.
The reduction in vest bound trunk-line
rates determined upon last week was a meas.
ure which must have been very unwillingly
adopted, as it a. once sweeps away the great
er part OF the profit on the only part of the
through business which had remained profit
able. 1t vas the consequence Of cut rates
and contracts at cut rates by the Lscka-
vienna Road, difficult to explain as the de-
hberste act Of sane men. Cutting rates by a
line which is behindhand Ia its percentage
seems unwise in pool like that of. the New
York roads, where the road which is behind
receives pay at full rates for its shortage froR
those which are over; but it is sometimes
urged that it is so important for trunk line
to give westbound freight to western con-
nections which are able to give il
esst-bound freight, that Ii is better to
carry it and receive somewhat less than
ordinary profit on il, than to get the full
profit if competing lines carry it. But in
this case it appears that the Lacka1anna,
thought it may have begun cutting rates
when it was short for many weeks before
this reduction was ordered had carried more
than its share, and consequently owed the
other roads, and was frequently notified OF
that fact. II the cuts had been made only
on current shipments, il would not have
been necessary to reduce the rates. probably;
but contracts had been made which would
enable certain shippers to have their bust.
ness carried at q considerable reduction, and
TO be fair to other shippers it was necessary
to make the open rate equal TO this con
tract rate until the contracts have been fai
filed or otherwise disposed OF. How lone
the contracts have to run, nobody seems %