Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-31
Holding THEIR OWN,
The Pennsy Will Reduce
Fares Beyond EastLiberty
TO MEET THE CABLE RATES
A Shrewd Move to Steer Traffic From
Traction Roads.
THE EAST END LEFT In THE DEAL

The PENNSYLVANIA Railroad has finally
decided to meet the traction roads on their
own ground. Ever since the cable lines be-
gan operation the fine local traffic OF the
great trunk line has dwindled into insignif-
cance The railroad officials do not deny
this fact, and TO the public and depot re-
porters it is apparent. On April 1 new
set of reduced rates for two-day excursion
tickets for local points beyond East Liberty,
as far out as Larimer, will go into effect.
The cut all round will be material, and the
result will be that much of the passenger
traffic from places beyond East Liberty that
is now secured by the cable roads, will be
retained by the railroad.
In the struggle for business some facts
have been overlooked. One would imagine
that the cable lines competed with the rail-
roads only to the East End, but the officials
soon discovered that many passengers bought
round trip tickets to East Liberty, and then
got of there and took the cable road into
the city, thereby saving some money.
HOW THE SCHEME WORKS.
The PENNSYLVANIA road will make no
effort to compete with the street car lines as
far as they run. 1t wouldn't pay the road
to carry people to East Liberty for 8 cents,
so hereafter regular tariff rates will be
charged to this place, but the rates will be
SO reduced to the other points that 1t
wouldn't pay the passenger to get on and
take the cable line.
Yesterday the railroad issued circular
to agents announcing the cut rates to take
effect April 1. The first objective point is
Torrens. The present round trip rate there,
good for two davs, is % cents, the new rate
will be 20 cents; Dallas, present rate, q
cents, new one, q cents; HOmewood 2o
cents now, will he "a cents; Brushton, 81
cents. Cut rate a cents; Williamsburg 81
cents now, new rate %, Edgewood 81, will
be 25 cents: Swissvale 40 cents, new rate will
be % cents; Hawkins As cents. cut to 80
cents: Copeland As cents, reduced to SO
cents; Braddock so cents, cut down to 80
cents: Bessemer 81 cents, reduced to 42 CENTS
Brinton 56 cents now, will be 46 cents; Wall
"A cents cut to 81 cents, and so the reduc-
tion runs as far out as Larimer. The above
rates will be for the round trip, good for
two days to the places mentioned.
SOME OF THE NEW RATES.
The present reduced rates to East Liberty
will be abolished. The regular rate is IA
cents, and the round trip will be % cents.
1t will thus be seen that a passenger can go
to Swissvsle for the same rate that he can !
60 to the East End. OF course the road e1-
poets that East Liberty passengers will buy |
tickets TO Torrens, and thus save cents on |
the present rates in force.
An official of the road, in speaking of the |
change in rates last evening, said: ''Since |
the scent fare on the cable lines went into |
effect our local traffic has fallen off very |
much. These street lines actually cut big |
swathes into the local revenues, so we have |
concluded to stop it. Many people would |
stop at East Liberty and take the cable |
road from there to the CITY, preferring to |
put up with the inconvenience for the diff |
ference in price. By making our rates in |
proportion as low as the cable roads we eX- |
pect to hold this business. The present |
number of fast trains to Walls station will |
be maintained.
A NEW SCHEDULE COMING.
eve are now at work on a new schedule
which will 90 into effect shortly, but so far |
as know no new trains will be added. 1t |
is possible many Of the trains will make |
fewer stops than now to East Liberty, and |
this will be an immense advantage to our |
patrons further out the road. We realize |
that we can't compete with the street lines
10 the East End, but the traffic that belongs |
to US we propose to hold.
''To show how we lost every day, take, for |
example, the round trip rate from Wilkins |
burg to the city. 1t is 81 cents, and will be |
% cents. The passenger could buy round |
trip ticket from Williamsburg TO East Lib
erty for 15 cents, and, by taking the cable |
road there, could go to and from Pittsburg |
for 25 cents, saving cents by the change of |
cars. By making the Williamsburg rate 25 |
cents instead of 81 cents, we will retain the |
10 cents that now goes, in so many instances, !
TO the cable roads. You wouldn't think |
people valued cents so highly, but when |
they have to make numerous trips it |
amounts to considerable. The reduction all
along the line is such that the passenger |
won't make anything by changing lines at |
East Liberty, and it will save lots of incon-
veniences'
NO LAW AGAINST IT.
The new schedule of rates was made by |
Special Agent Erringer after a number of |
conferences with Superintendent Pitcairn |
and Division Passenger Agent Watt. Rail |
roads running between States are not allowed |
to charge a higher rate for a shorter distance !
than a longer one, but the interstate law
doesn't apply within States. 1t was claimed |
last evening that State law forbade such |
action on the part of the Pennsylvania |
Railroad, but several LAWYERS consulted
couldn't remember that an act of this kind |
was in force. 1t was stated that the Supreme
Court had decided that it was illegal, but.
on the other hand, II is argued that If such |
a case existed the Pennsylvania officials
would know it, and the reduced rates
would not have been made. The |
result is that the splendid local |
service of the Pennsylvania road will |
be improved, and very low rates will be Of
fered TO nearby towns. The cable roads will |
not lose much, and it will have tendency |
TO reduce the crowded condition of the lat |
ter's cars. The people in the towns affected |
are jubilant over the prospect, and they al |
ready see their places enjoying a smaIl-sized |
boom. The general effect will be to develop |
the territory beyond East Liberty, and the |
liberal policy of the Pennsylvania road will |
be appreciated.