Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-17
HOME NEWS ON THE WIRE
FLORIDA AGENTS AROUSED ON
THE TICKET QUESTION.

Threats to Turn Tourist Travel to Cali
fornta if the New Plan is Carried Into
Efrect-Burning of "a Hotel-Happen-
ings at the Georgia Lowell.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, April 16.-The
recent agreement OF all the railroads ana
transportation companies doing business
here to abolish, after July 10, the sale oil
their tickets at all tourists and OUTSIDE
ticket offices, has been a leading topic OF
discussion among railroad and transport
tation men generally. The officials OF the
roads say they have given much tnougnI
to the subject, discussed it In ali It's pear
ings. not only as regards the better mdIn-
tenance of their W rates ana Iae Weeu-
ing out of scalpers and irresponsible tIcA'
OF men. but also the accommodations
and convenience of the travelling puDIlc'
They saw that some such measure was
absolutely imperative on their part 10
CHECK iIeeitImate ticket-brOkerlng and
nrotect the passenger revenue OF tue
roads. 1t is regarded as a talr ana cor
rect move by all regular railroad men,
hut the tourist agents and ticket brokers
are, OF course, indignant. They decry the
wisdom and policy OF any sucn step, de-
eIaring that their business was strictly
legitimate and that the withdrawal from
their Offices of commission tickets e
the lines leading TO and throughout Flor
ida will greatly iniure the tourist travel
next season. At the same time they Affect
20 laugh at the probability of such an
agreement between rival transportation
companies holding good. just wait. say
the agents of Messrs. Thomas Cook d
Son and the World Travel Company, until
passenger traffic gets brisk next fall and
competition sets in in earnest and you'll
see this new-fangled treaty go to pieces
like pie crust. "Why, sir" said an agent
10 the NEWS man, sit will, if adhered to,
not only greatly injure the tourist bust
ness, but it will iniuTe the roads them
selves in it by the heavy loss OF passenger
business that must necessarily follow.
The tourist agencies will Of course work
together to defect travel from Florida
towards California and other like winter
resorts, and you may rest assured they
will succeed to an extent that VIII be ap-
precIably felt not only by the railroads,
but by the hotel and other large business
interests of Florida. The roads and CON-
entering the agreement are Savan-
nah. Florida and Western, Florida Rail
and Navigation, Jacksonville, Tampa
and Key West, South Florida, DeBary-
Merchants Line and Peoples Line
Of steamers.
CHEAP EXCURSION RATES.
1t is said large number of excursion
will visit this city sunday ext from
Charleston and Savannah, taking advan-
tage of the very low rates now being
to this point by the Savannah,
and Western. A second big
cheap excursion will arrive about that
time from Cincinnati, Louisville, and
other points.
An excursion party Of Philadelphians
route to Havana left here last evening
for Tampa, where they will arrive to-
day. Sailing thence tomorrow on the
steamer Whitney for the tropical isle.
The party is composed Of several of the
members of the Common Council,
and prominent politicians and business
men of the City OF Brotherly Love. They
are under the capable charge of Maj. j.
6. PangbOrn, Assistant General Passen-
ger Agent of the Baltimore and Ohio
railway. They will return here about
April %.
Information comes that the elegant
house, at Crescent City, was de-
stroyed by fire early Thursday morning, !
together with all its contents. TIL partic-
have not yet been learned here. 1t
had closed for the season. 1t was n
sured.