The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-02-23
BURLINGTON g. NORTHERN.
Reasons Given by an Official for
Withdrawing from the Western
States Passenger Association.

General Passenger-Agent Kenyon. of the
Chicago, Burlington & Northern, sat as
quietly in his office as though he were per.
fectly unconscious OF the fact that his road
was in the midst OF a great tempest. To the
usual inquiry, ANY news?" he answered:
Eyes; q little"
"What is it,"
'Well,, in the first place, you are aware
OF the fact that the Burlington will, on the
9th OF the month, withdraw from the
Western States Passenger Association;
but you a. not know the reasons that
led us to take this step. We do it, not
for the purpose OF cutting rates, but sim
ply to put ourselves in a position to meet
any competition that may arise"
this competition, and why you cannot
meet it as we'll while 81 member OF the asso-
citation As when out Of it,"
"Certainly. AS long as we remain in an
association OF this kind we will endeavor
to live up to it's requirements. We want
our share OF business, but we want to OBJ.
tain it in a perfectly legitimate and bust.
ness-like manner Now there are six lines
OF road between Minneapolis and St. Paul
and Chicago. Three OF these are first class
roads; the fourth needs considerable
work before it al be placed in this
class; the fifth has never made good time
between these points, and The sixth has 80
much longer route that it can hardly be
called q competitor. And yet this last
road, be it said to it's credit, has more
nearly lived up to the spirit and letter OF
it's agreement than the others, and has
been very clean in all it's dealings with the
association.
'But all these roads want business, and
some OF them resort to very questionable
methods in order to secure it. Our great
est trouble is with the 2.OOO-mile tickets.
If the restrictions placed around their is-
sue and use were only faithfully adhered
to, there would be no trouble. But when
John Smith can ride on Tom Jones's tick.
ct, and conductors pay no attention to
signatures, the way was open for all kinds
OF trouble. Now, there is one road which
has a s~calper's office right under it's regu-
lar ticket office. (And l may say that it is
because the greater part ofthese tickets are
in the hands of scalpers that the trouble
arises.) II you want a 1000. mile ticket,
you are told to wait a minute, and a boy
is sent down into the %scalper's Office to get
one. We do not sell our tickets in that
way-in fact, do not countenance scalpers
in any a Hence we Me at IL decided
disadvantage.
1.-THE Burlington has no local interest at
stake. The country through which we run
is sparsely settled by O class OF people who
40 uOU UFGVcl IuuCu, anu VINO uO llUIlo VI
no shipping; so our through business is
what we mustguard and foster. During the
past year our traffic between Minneapo.
lis and Chicago has been heavy, and we are
gratifed. But we must preserve it. When
we entered the association we thought it
would be a protection, and we were. the
first line to enter such an association with.
out first kicking up a muss. But no soon
er had we done so than we found our rivals
resorting to all manner OF devices to cut our
throats. One sold tickets througha scalp
er in it's own Office at reduced rates while
another one charged tariff figures, but aft
er a long lapse OF time refunded part OF the
money. So we concluded to get out OF it,
and place oursel YES in an independent po'
sition."
What do you propose to do now? Viii
you cutting rates at once?'
Not by any ean Rate a do not
pay. When only two lines are in compe
tition it may do, but where six roads
| are concerned it is simply suicidal. W.
will make good rates, but we will not al
low our rivals to get away with us. We will
be in q position to name our own figures
no matter what the others may do. Our
intention is not. to cut rates, rs l said be-
lore, but to meet the rates, low as they
may be, that are made by our competitors,
no matter whether it is lone by under
handed devices or uot. We will begovern.
ed by circumstances. More of this I can
not say until alter the 9th OF February.