Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-03-01
BURLINGTON & NORTHERN.
Reasons Given by an official for
Withdrawing from the Western
States Passenger Association.

States Passenger Association.
General Passenger Agent Kenyon. OF the
Chicago, Burlington q Northern, sat as
quietly in his office as though be were per.
fectly unconscious OF the fact that his road
was in the midst OF II great tempest. To the
usual inquiry, ANY news?" he answered:
Eyes; little"
what is it?''
"Wel 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 may 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"
"WilI you please indicate the nature 81
this competition, and why you cannot
meet it as well while u 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 n 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 can be placed in this
NldsN, Iilt lltl ilstS ICNtI Soob
between these points, and the sixth has so
much longer route that it can hardly be
called a competitor. And yet this last
road be il said to its credit, has more
nearly lived up to the spirit and letter OF
its agreement than the Others, and has
been very clean in all its dealings with the
association.
But all these roads want business, and
some OF them resort to very questionable
L n.,..
est trouble is with the 2,000-mile tickets.
II 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 scalper's Office right under its regu-
lar ticket office. (Ani l may say that it is
because the greater part of these tickets are
in the hands OF scalpers that the trouble
arises.) II you want 1000 mile ticket,
you are told to wait 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 way. Hence We are at Il decided
disadvantage.
1.-THE Burlington has no local interest at
stake. The country through which we run
is sparsely settled by n class OF people who
do not trave' 100 ,r,l. and who do little or
no shipping SO our through business is
what we must guard and foster. During the
past year our traffic between Minneapo.
lis and Chicago has been heavy, and we are
gratified. But we must preserve it. When
we entered the association we thought it
would be protection, and we were the
first line to enter such an association with
out first kicking up muss. But no soon
er had We done 30 than we found ourrivals
resorting to all manner oideviees to cut our
throats. One sold tickets through a scalp
er in It's own Office at reduced rates while
another one charged tariff figures, but aft
err 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 commence cutting rates at once?"
Not by any means. Rate wars do not
paw. When only two lines are in compe-
tition it may do, but where six roads
are concerned it is simply suicidal. We
will make good rates, but we will not al
low our rivals to get away with us. We will
be in position to name our own figures,
no matter what the others may do. Our
intention is not to cut rates, as | said be-
fore, but to meet the rates, low as they
may be, that are made by our competitors
no matter whether it is done by under
handed devices or not. We will begoyern-
ed by circumstances. More OF this ! can.
not say until after the 9th OF February.