New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-17
FIGHTING FOR IMMIGRANTS.
WILL IT END IN QUITTING RATEss
NO BENEFIT TO THE IMMIGRANT so FAR-ecALPERs
GETTING BIG COMMISSIONS.

NO BENEFIT TO THE IMMIGRANT so fAR-eCALrERe
GETTING BIG COMMISSIONS
The war between the trunk lines competing for i'm
migrant passenger traffic wagcd by their icpre
scnvcs at Castle Garden yesterday with great vfgor
An arrangement is stated TO have been made between
tho steamship and railroad companies by which tho
business is divided as follows: Tho Baltimore and
Ohio is TO take the passengers of the Hamburg Amer
can and half the business az the Thingvala limos the
West Shore gets the passengers OF the 1nman, White
Star and Red Star lines and II Is said viii also malsc
arrangements take the business OF the North Ger
man Lloyds and French companies; tho Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western gets the Cunsrd and Anchor
line traffic. and tho Erie Road will get the Guon and
Netherlands Steamship passengers. Tho Ontario
and Western Railroad tales all the immigrants booked
by foreign private agencies
Yesterday the representatives. Of the Eric Road
boarded the steamships Alaska and Leerdam and took
all their passengers, while the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western captured 900 Immigrants on board the
scrvia. All the railroad officials outside of Castle
Garden were Ietcent to the alleged rate cutting,
but It was learned that immigrants were receiving
second class tickets to the West at net rate Of $40
to Chicago while the regular rate Is SIT for tickets
Of that class. 1t has been customary, however, to
allow rebate OF 81 TO Of the smaller lines, and
the steamship companies have been allowed 10 per
cont commission their immigrant passengers from
the various lines. Tho agents of tho various roads
board the and take up the passengers orders
for railroad tickets, giving tickets by their own lines
and as an extra induccmcnt they do not weigh the
passengers baggage. The result Is that the mm-
grant gets better travelling accommodations and moro
rapid transit for less money than tho usual Immigrant
ratio OF S13 to Chicago.
The officials OF the Ncw-York Central and tho Penn
slvanla railroads have determined to keep out of tho
fight at present. General Passenger Agent Monett,
Of the New-York Central Road, said yesterday that
the West Shore and the Ncw-York Central roads arc
Independent factors in the fight, each road being we'll
able TO take Of its business He stated that
the primary cause OF the trouble was the fact that
the Delaware, Lachawanna and Western Company
wanted larger percentage OF business from the pro
POSED second class agency OF tho trunk lines, and
alt hough 1t made definite demands 1t voted against
the establishment of the agency at tho meeting held
at Commissioner F1nks Office last week. The officials
OF that road corroboraed this statement, but would
give no reason for their adverse vote. Tho New
York. Ontario and Western Company began paying
commissions TO boardng-house keepers and outside
passenger agencies which is contrary to the law, and
then the Delaware. Lackawanna and Western followed
suit Complaints then made and the former COM
people declined to do so and followed this up BY their
action a. The trunk lines meeting as stated above
ton Of tho old rate wars, and tickets to Chicago will
on the subject and was asked he had seen the ref
crence to the Castle Garden difficulty in the morning
thought there a good deal of misapprchcnson as
to the facts In the case, adding:
The present has not yet benefited the immigrant
in single instance, far have heard There is
reduction in fares but simply between contendng
scapers to which shall the greatest amount of bust
and the largest commission. The commissions
paid by the Western lines second class tickets have
finally to be large that those parties afford
buy second class tickets and pay the difference between
that and the immigrant fare The Castle Garden agency
Is still selling immigrant tickets immigrant tariff accord
ing to law, and far advised, second
class other tickets have been sold immigrants less
than is charged in Castle Garden All the noise thus
has simply been because commissions paid boarding
house keepers and immigrant by Western roads
and regret that these corrupt and Illegal methods
receive and support any respectable
newspaper in New-York-
But will not these methods have the effect Of
breaking the pool7"
There is no pool of immigrant business, and never |
was. That IL VIII break up the Clearing House or
Castle Garden joint agency Is not in the least prob
able"
But will not this excessive commission finally |
result IN break In the rates7'
Undoubtedly. / do not understand that II Is tho |
policy OF the trunk lines encourage commissions
and II IS fair TO presume that
viii be taken TO give the Immigrant the benefit
Mr.. Person added that meeting of the trunk limo
officials will be hold In few days to cndeavor to
he difficulty.