The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-02-16
BURLINGTON L. NORTHERN,
Reasons Given by an Official for
Withdrawing from the Western
States Passenger Association.


General Passenger-Agent Kenyon. OF the
Chicago, Burlington 4 Northern, sat az
quietly in his office as though he were per.
fectly unconscious OF tho fact that his road
was in the midst Of great tempest. To the
usual inquiry, ANY news?" he answered:
Eyes; a little"
''What is it,"
"Weli. in the first place, you are aware
of the fact that the Burlington will. ON tho
9th OF tho month, withdraw from tho
Western States Passenger Association;
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"
Twill you please indicate the nature OF
this competition. and why you cannot
| meet it as we'll while member OF the asso-
citation rs 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 oh.
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 can be placed in this
class; the fifth has never made good time
between these points, and the sixth has 90
! much longer route that it can hardly be
road. be it said to it's ersdit. has moro
nearly lived up to the spirit and letter OF
its agreement than tho 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
methods in order to secure it. Our great
l. q -
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
| sigma lures, the way was open for all kinds
OF trouble. Now, there is one road which
has scalpers Office right under its regu-
lar ticket Office. (And I 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 a 1000 mile ticket,
you are told to wait q 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 amy way. Hence we ARE at u decided
| disadvantage.
| 1.-The Burlington has no local interest at
| stake. The country through which we run
is sparse!y settled by class OF people who
w uOU VIbVCl IluCu, AIlu WHO uO utll0 OF
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
gratitied. 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 II 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 through 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 ourselves in an Independent po-
sition.''
| "What do you propose to do now? Will
you commence cutting rates at once?"
| Not by any means. Rate wars do not
pay. 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 a position to name our own figures,
no matter what tho others may do. Our
Intention is not to cut rates, as l 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 be govern.
ed by circumstances. More of this can.
not say until after the 9th OF February.