The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-12

CHICAGO, Dec 12.-The large assem-
bly, room of the Central Traffic Associa-
tion, in the Rookery building, was liter
ally packed with railroad officials yes
terday afternoon at the hour appointed
for the meeting with Judge Cooley and
Colonel Morrison, of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. There we're pres
idents, vice.presiden.s, managers, gen.
eral passenger and freight agents, repre-
senting not only all the roads entering
Chicago, but many outside lines.
The Texas Association, in the session
at the Grand Pacific Hotel, adjourned,
that its members might hear the whole.
some advice, which no one doubted
would be freely given by the venerable
chairman of the commission. 1t was
evident, when Judge Cooley entered the
room, that he was ''loaded for bear"
and there was a feeling prevalent that he
would bring down the game.
When he took the floor he kept 1t for
about an hour, and it is safe to say that
never since the Interstate Commerce
Commission began its existence have the
railroads had the law laid down to them
in such forcible terms. He confined him
self to the passenger rate situation and
addressed his remarks especially to the
roads west and northwest of Chicago,
condemning the practice of some of the
general passenger agents in placing
| blocks of tickets In the hands of ticket
brokers to be sold at rates below those
charged over their own counters.
This he said was a discrimination
against that portion of the public which
procured its tickets from the regular
| agents of the roads i'll question and was
a clear violation of the interstate law.
1t was a pernicious practice; it benefited
| nobody In the long run; 1t kept rates in a
demoralised condition and brought on
wars which were always disastrous to
the roads engaged in them. The Inter
state Commission, he said, had hitherto
| dealt leniently with the railroads, giving
| them time to adapt their affairs TO the re-
quirements of the law, but the time had
| come when heroic measures must be
taken, if necessary, to stop the abuses
which arise from the encouragement
given to scalpers by the passenger agents
themselves.
Evidence was not wanting that such
abuses had been carried to excess in Chi
cago and elsewhere. The markets were
flooded with cheap tickets to various
points and the traveller who patronized
the brokers' Office instead of purchasing
his ticket from the authorized agent of
railroad company saved money. This
was contrary to law and 1t must be
stopped. The railroads were advised to
make none but open rates, and they
were given to understand that IL they re-
| fused to heed this advice the law would
be strictly enforced wherever violation
was detected.
The Judge explained the construction
to be placed upon the provision of the
law in regard to discrimination, and in
timated that in future no excuse would
be accepted for an infringement of its
provisions.
The remarks of Judge Cooley were
listened to with marked attention.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the meeting the general passenger agents
of the Western and Northwestern lines
convened in the same room, with John
n. Abbott In the chair. The Burlington
road was the only road not represented.
1t was agreed that with the consent of
the absent road ten days notice would
be given to-day of the restoration of rates
from Chicago to Omaha and st. Paul.