Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-26
Il. n. A. COLUMN.
Review OF Work Accom- pitshod by the
Travellers Protective AaHOcia-
ton the Fast Year.
no. No pispntch.l

For the Dispatch.l
At the time The interstate commerce Law
went into operation, April !. 1SSS, there
were forty.four Of the prlncipAl trunk-lines
of the United States which issued TO members
OF this association exclusively milesge-b0oks
at two cents per mile. and nearly double this
number who were granting extra allowance
Of sample baggage and two and bali cent
mileage rate, and never since the building oil
the 6rst railroad had the relations between
the railroad managers and commercial travel
lers been on such harmonious and equila-
bic basis, and it seemed that the railroads
were warning With each other In endeayoring
10 be as near the head of the Hue rs possible
in recognizing the commercial traveller.
This was the position OF aii2iis at the time
when the law went into effect prohibiting
special concessions in favor Of any particular
class OF travellers, and thus with one fell
swoOp was destroyed what bad cost years OF
labor and money TO accomplish.
At this time the association numbered
10000 members in good standing, and in less
than two months afterwards the total MEN,
bership dropped 10 6500, loss OF l2.50O,
or nearly 65 per cent OF their total member
ship, and the early demise Of the association
was predicted. But with the usual vigor
and determination that only "drummer
possesses their remaining members deter
mined to stick together, and Notwithstanding
the Interstate law and the loss sustained
through it, this association is to-day stronger
than ever 10 WAS, and is the largest associa-
ton OF commercial travellers in the world.
Besides forty other railroads that have re-
placed their mleage-boOk st . cents per mile,
the following roads in this State are now
issuing mileage books at , cents per mile:
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, Richmond
and Allegheny railroad, Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, and Pennsylvania railroad. The
following roads are issuing the same at y
cents per mile Piedmont AIRLINE, At.
lantic Coast Line, Norfolk and Western,
Shenandoah Valley railroad. Seab0ard and
Roanoke railroad.
ON January 1st last II was determined upon
by the officers Of this association TO secure
50O0.mIe book for $780, which should be
good for passage over all railroads IN tbs
country, aud that these books should be
good for one person only and for one year
from date OF issue, each book TO contain
photograph OF the purchaser. On June 18th
this book was Issued and is good now over
the following roads, and additions are being
made thereto every week and the time is not
far distant when 1t will be accepted by the ma
jorIty OF all the leading trunk-lnes: The
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad,
Cleveland. Columbus, Cincinnati aud In
dianapolis railway, G. and G. Il. r., O., l..
and w. y. r., e. and l.. II. r., Column
bus, Hocking-Valley aud Toledo railway.
Gin. II. aud ID. Il. II. (moun. route,
c. j., ST. l.. & G. Il. K. (Kapkaker route,
Cincinnati, Wabash and Michigan railway,
u. A. V. &P. L. r., +. & p. N. X. r., TT.
W.. Cincinnati and Louisville r. r., Indl.
ana and ST. Louis r. r., l.. L. n W. r. r.,
Louisville, New Albany aud Chicago K. r.,
Michigan Central Il. T., n. Y, C. d st. l..
r. r. (Nickel-Plste route), \. T., l.. f. Il W.
X. r., New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio
r. r., Pittsburgh and Lake Erie r. r., To-
ledo and OHIO Central Il. r., t., A. a &
n. NJ. II. r., Toledo, Columbus and South
ern X. r., Toledo, Peoria and Western X.
r., Valley railroad, Wabash railroad, aud
Western New York and Pennsylvania Z. II.
The attention Of the manufacturers and
iobhers OF this city Is called TO the following
pertinent facts which came out during an
interview withs committee OF the Trayeler'
Protective Association and one OF the most
prominent railroad officials OF the country
during the convention at Minneapolis:
"You NAV wonder, gentlemen, at what /
sm about 10 say, coming as IL does from 4
railroad. man, but they are nevertheless facts.
Had it not been for the efforts OF the Travel
lers' Protective Association during the past
year the price Of 1,000.mile tickets would
not have been reduced and the 5.000.mle
ticket never adopted. Furthermore, were
your association to disbard to-day II would |
not be sixty days before the price OF 1000.
mile tickets from Maine TO California would |
be advanced 10 S2j instead Of $50 as at pres
eBt. In conclusion permit me 10 say that II |
your association continues TO work as you |
have done during the past year you will gain |
more concessions duiing the coming year |
than you now dream OF. They are |
coming your way aud l know whereof L |
speak" Merchants OF Richmond, consider |
what an advance OF i've dollars on each |
mile ticket will cause In your ex-
pepse account in one year. "lu union |
there Is strength" An effort is being made
TO enroll every trayelliDg-msn In the city in
the ranks OF the Travellers Protective Ass0-
citation. You can help materially by making |
sure that your statesmen are members by pay
inc the small cost OF their dues, three dollars
per year. Show your recognition OF an ss-
ISOLATION that has been working for your in
terests at their own expense during the past
years.
On "wednesday evening next a special |
OF this ASSOCIATION will be held at
FoTd's Hotel at $3.50 O'Clock. 10 which ali mer-
chants, manufacturers, iobbers, and travel
ling men are Invited. At this meeting a
president Will be elected to succeed Mr..
John S. HARDWOOD, who resigned owing TO
other pressing business engagements, and II
IS also proposed 10 organize a local association
10 be known as the Commercial Association
81 Richmond, snd we trust that our mer-
chants will attend this meeting, thereby
ENDING their presence and at the same time,
we hope, their influence TO an association
who are lsboring for the commercial pros.
perlty OF our city and State.