St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-13
RUMBLE OF THE RAILS.
The Cloud Grows Blaoker and Heavier and
Rate War Seems Absolutely
Unavoidable.
The Minnesota & Northwestern Declares
Itself and the Burlington is Pre-
pairing For Fight.
An Assertion That Phii Armour is
Sending Here For Men to
Work in Chicago.
The Transcontinental Lines at Log.
aerheads and No Prospect of An
Early Settlement.

There's going to be fun," said ore rail-
road man to another yesterday afternoon.
You bet YOUR life there's going to be
fun. - he replied, 'aud the widest kind of
fun. too" They were talking about the
meeting held Thursday by the Northwest
ern Passenger association. at which the
Omaha claimed that it was living up to the
managers agreement in letter and spirit,
yet at the same time acknowledged that it
was making a two-cent rate to labOrers to
local points on lis lines.
These two railroad men were only two
of a hundred or more who were discussing
the matter yesterday. 1t was the general
topic of conversation in railroad circles and
there were some hot" people.
The Omaha claims that its contract with
the intelligence Office was signed before the
managers agreement was made and con-
Sequently il is bound to live up to it. and it
attempts to defend itself by saying that the
two cent rate was maize to only those pas
sengers secured through this agency. The
other roads claim that the contract made
by the Omaha is not a year old by large
majority. and was made several months
after the managers agreement was settled.
If this was not the case. they argue that
the Omaha should have shown the contract
at the managers meeting, and given the
other roads some information regarding it.
There are Sew who think that. inaSmlch
as the Omaha road entered the agreement
of the managers. it should cancel its con-
tract with the labor agent.
1t is a sure thing that unless the Omaha
cancels the contract within two days a
full fledged rate war on secondclass travel
will be waging. and the Omaha gives it out
that it will stay by its contract and let the
other roads kick until they get tired, and it
don't see why this action should precipitate
a rate-cutting melee There is but little
doubt expressed that all the roads have
been cutting rates, but it was done on the
sly. and they had not the backbone to
acknowledge 1t, as tho Omaha did. 1t is
claimed that the rates cut by the Omaha to
local points affect rates west OF the Nj is
souri, river, because the Omaha sells
through tickets to points west of Sioux City
over lines other than its own. The cut is
made between st. Paul and Sioux City,
and regular fare is charged from the latter
place to Western points; but through
ticket. sold at these figures. of cOuse. cuts
the rate.
The Minnesota & Northwestern people
are red headed. and have notified the com
missioner that cents mile would be their
second class rate until further notice. and
the Wisconsin Central and Minneapolis q
st. Louis says if the other lines want to get
the pool it will try and keep along with
them.
Probably the widest man in the paSsen-
ger department is w. j. G. Kenyon. of
the Burlington & Northern. He claims
that he has proof that the other lines have
nd vyh fho Inn q hi q rod
itself in the association meeting. and the
Minnesota & Northwestertern came out
with its open announcement thata two-cent
rate for second-claSs travel was good enough
for it, Kenyon prepared quarter
sheet hanger with war printed
at the head of it in flaming
red letters, and announcing that
the Burlington was dealing in frst-class
labor" rates, and wanted the public to
come in and examine its stock. Kenyon
intended to hang these posters up through
out the city yesterday. but he concluded to
wait another day, and if the matter was
not patched up, the Burlington would then
fill the air with chips.
The. present trouble is over second-class
rates. but when the battle is well Oh and
the militant forces get smell of blood, a
furious hacking of frst-class rates may be
looked for.
1t was claimed yesterday by some of the
roads that Phil Armour, of Chicago, had
sent to Minneapolis and st. Paul for labor
ers, and Phil being heavy stakeholder in
the Milwaukee road, it is alleged that the
men sent to him are taken to the Milwau-
kee road. where they are obliged to put up
50. full second-class fare. When they get
to Chicago. if they are employed by Ar
mOur, this money is returned to them and
Armour pays small rate, generally
claimed to be- one cent per mile, for their
transportation. This, of course, adds fuel
to the fame, as the other roads claim that
it is nothing less than cutting of rates and
that the fact of Armour being interested in
the Milwaukee road does not entitle that
line to that trade.