The Portland daily press., 1891-12-09
GRAND TRUNK SAYS HALT.
Can adIan Pacific Passenger Agent
Kept off steamers.
Rivalry of the TWO Great Roads
Becomes Interesting.

For some time II has been known that
there exists considerable rivalry between
the Grand Trunk Railroad and the Canadi-
an Pacific railroad In the getting Of pas
sengers from the steamers. Hitherto tho
Grand Trunk has had monopoly Of the
steamer business. both for freight and pas.
sengers. The elevator and the wharves
where the steamers Ioad.and unloadIare all
the property Of the Grand Trunk. The
Canadian Pacific Is a newcomer, and has
neither wharves nor elevators OF its own.
But by its alliance with the Maine Central
the Canadian Pacific has got connection
into Portland, and Is becoming lively
competitor with the Grand Trunk for Dusi-
ness at this port as well as nearly every
where else on the line Of the latter road.
Since the steamers began to come this
winter the rivalry between the two roads
for passengers has been very sharp, Most
Of the competition has been In Europe
where the agents Of the two lines sell
through tickets TO the West. But some
passengers are ticketed only to Portland;
and these have to be looked out for BY pas
senger agents Of the two roads here. The
Canadian Pacific sent their agents here a.
soon as the season opened, and they have
been very active. boarding the steamers as
soon as they arrived at the wharf.
Several days ago the Grand Trunk ofi.
clals stopped Mr.. Lambkin. Canadian
Pacific passenger agent. as he was going
aboard an Allan steamer that had Just ar
rived. They did this on the ground that
the premises were theirs. But the CanadL
an Pacific railroad agent appealed to the
officials Of the Allan line and got aboard.
Yesterday the same thing was repeated.
Mr.. Lambkln started TO board the Sarnia
when she arrived. but was stopped by a
Grand Trunk official. He at once appealed
to the Dominion line officials, and was by
them put aboard the Sarnla.
Yesterday Mr.. Lambkin left for MOntre-
al, and II Is rumored that he Is on his way
to lay the matter before the oficials OF the
Canadian Pacific.
Superintendent Stevenson. Of the Grand
Trunk, was In the city yesterday, and both
he and Mr. Frederick Smith. local agent OF
the road, were seen by PRESS reporter.
They said it was true that they had pro-
hIbited the Canadian Pacific agents solicit
ing passengers on their premises. This
the Grand Trunk has perfect right to do
All the wharves and sheds where the
steamers land, and the elevator. belong to
the Grand Trunk. The steamers all come
consigned to the Grand Trunk. There Is
an arrangement with the Canadian Pacific
whereby the passengers tlcketed through
by the latter's line may have their baggage
attended to ON the wharf and their ticket
cards exchanged for coupon tickets. The
Canadian Pacific have every facility for
handling the passengers who are theirs,
but the Grand Trunk insists that the Cana
dian Pacific railroad agents shall not come
on to Grand Trunk premises and solicit
business. This Is the position Of the
\ Grand Trunk. stated hJ- Aoss-s 49,
son and Smith.
There are 10 Portland no corresponding
officials OF the Canadian Petite, but some
OF the steamboat aud railroad men here
think the trouble Is very likely to end by
| the Canadian Pacific having small steam
er come alongside the dig steamers when
they arflye. to take Ofi-passengers and car
nv them to the Boston & Maine wharyes.
This was the result OF a similar controyer-
sy In Quebec several years ago.
Neither road likes to allow the passen-
ger agent Of another TO ave his own way
among shIp-load Of immigrants, for the
immigrants are very credulOus and easily
| influenced An amusing story Is told Of
some Of the tricks played In Quebec. A
Grand Trunk agent one day boarded
steamer that had come into the dock along
side a very old and dirty coal barge. He
was a quIck-witted chap, aud at once
shouted: Passengers for the Canadian
Pacific take that boat" pointing at the
same time to the coal barge. or course
most Of that ship-load Concluded TO take
| the Grand Trunk.
But few days after Canadian Pacific
| agent turned the tables by pr0clalmlng TO
| a ship-lOad OF immigrants that "the Grand
| Trunk was the road that killed Jumbo"
But those days are past, and the agents
| OF the two roads respect each other AT
| this port the rivalry has been courteous.
| TIE Canadian Pacific have made rather
| the most efforts to get passengers. Their
| officers who have welcomed the Immigrants
have been neatly uniformed and eonspicu-
ously labelled.