The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-19
WAR ON PASSENGER RATES
Mr.. Charlton Serves Notice of So Cut
on Kansas City to Chicago Tickets.
To Go Into Effect Monday if ShOrt-Lins Rates
Are Not Wiihdrswn-Mr. Ford Says the
Pennsy lvsnia Will Not Pay Commissions.


notice which had been served on him by
General Passenger Agent Charlton. of the
Chicago * Alton, declaring that, unless the
short-line rates from Kansas City to Gin
'cinnati, by way Of Chicago. were with
drawn within twenty-four hours, the Alton
would make q reduction Of 81 IN the rate
from Kansas City to Chicago. No little
excitement vas created by the notice, and
some of the Atoms competitors made
no attempt to conceal their anger, The
roads chiefly affected bJ the promised blow
are the Atchison and Rock Island. neither
of which has st. l. ouls outlet TO southern
Ohio and Indiana points. and can only
handle such business by way or chicago.
The complaint made by General Passenger
Agent Charlton 10 that rates are becoming
seriously demoralIZed by the manipulation
of these clrcuitous route tickets by bro
kers. he says the Alton must protect it
self. and the only legal way to meet the
duce the rate from $40 to IS from Kansas
City to Chicago, which he has decided to
do unless the short-line rates via Chicago
are Withdrawn.
The discussion of the matter at the meet
ing was stormy. but brief. It ended in the
absolu ute refusal of the Atchison road to
withdraw the Objectionable rates. The
representative OF that road said: I'VE VIII
not give up this business simply because
the Alton demands it. There Is no reason
In such demand. The Alton people talk
loudly about the manipulation or tickets
through scslpers, but we can produce evil
dence to show that they have been furnish
ing blocks of tickets 20 scalpers at Denver
and San Francisco on which il realizes a
net rate of only $3.50 for the ride between
Kansas City and Chicago. against the regu-
lar rate of go"
After the meeting General Passenger
Eo1 mo INN
Finley that be would wait no longer than
Saturday night before putting his threat
into execution. The Atchison refuses to
yield, and the Tar will begin with the be-
ginning of the new week. An official OF
one of the interested roads said he would
not be surprised To see the rate drop to 50
from Kansss City to Chicago. The roads
that are anxious 70 see the Alton gain Its
point are the Big Four and the Pennsyl-
yania as that result would settle their
fight with the Monon.
Tho Commission and Other Questions.
Mr.. Ford, general passenger agent of the
Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg, was
in excellent humor yesterday. and ready
20 define the position he takes on some of
3he important questions now creating dis
turbance in passenger circles. Regarding
the pay ment of commissions. Mr.. Ford said
that tae Pennsylvania lines would not un-
der any circumstances return to this ex-
pensive method of getting business. The
payment of commissions had not affected
their business near as much as have differ
entail rates. and an advantage given some
of their competitors which would, were 1t
alleged that their lines were in any respect
inferior to the Pennsylvania line in the
same territory, think it cause for calling q
special meeting of the Central Traffic Asso-
citation. Still the Pennsylvania would get
\ g.
In speaking of the trouble in the Chicago
& Ohio River Association, he said that Mr..
Barker was unduly excited over the mat
ter: so far as the Pennsylvania line was
concerned that company was not In 1t; the
trouble was between the MOnon aud the
Big Four chiefly. and grew out OF the put
ting on of tickets from Cincinnati and In
dianapolis via Chicago to Kansas City. He
said that when Mr.. Barker proposed 1t he
remarked; You cannot prevent the scalp
ers using those tickets unless they are
made for continuous PASSAGE; II there is
one hours lay-over at Chicago the ticket
scalpers will get hold of such tickets But
an experiment. they were put on. and
not two days had passed before the ticket
scalpers In Chicago were using these tick
cts. which were put on to read both ways.
In cutting the rates to Cincinnati, Indian
apolis and to Kansas City. ID. b. Martin.
through detectives. found that such tickets
almost invariably read over the Monon
the attention of Mr.. Ford to the
mstter, and the latter telegraphed
Western lines to take off all tickets
between Kansas City, and Indianapolis.
they would not be honored on the Pennsyl-
wanna lines. Meantime, Mr.. Barker found
that some of the Big Four tickets reading
via Chicago had fallen into the hands of
Chicago scalpers. ID. B: Martin, general
passenger agent of the Big Four, learning
this. took the same steps which the Penn
sylyania people had, taking of sale all
tickets from Kansas City via Chicago to
Indianapolis ana Cincinnati, and it will
end, Mr.. Ford thinks. in Mr.. Barker taking
points can be put on sale which cannot be
scaiped. Aside from this. tho relations be-
tween the roads in the Chicago and OHIO
river Association Is harmonious Mr.. Ford
looks for light travel. except during the
holidays. until February. but he thinks the
prospects for good passenger business in
1892 arB very favorable. be says the Penn
sylvenia lines will take an advanced step
in the way of equipments within the next
few weeks.
On every side there Is evidence that q
majority of she roads have resumed the
payment of commissions on the sale OF
tickets, some doing it more openly than
others. and the effects of the boy colt of the
Chicago 81 Alton promise TO be more dam
aging IN the outcome than it would have
been If the Alton had been allowed to keep
on its course as prior to the boy colt, as.
even among what have been considered the
more conservative general passenger
agents, there 10 o feeling of distrust of each
other. The Chicago. Burlington IL Quincy.
for instance, has resumed paying commi s.
sions In Trunk-lIne and Central Traffic Asso-
citation territory, but instead of announc-
ing 1t through n notice to genaral passen-
ger agents. or through the press in an open
manner, the passenger department has re-
sorted to q novel scheme On o small slip
of yellow paper the passenger department
has had printed: Commencing Dec. /.
1891. 'and. as thisis sent to ticket agents over
the country. and no otner parties, it. of
course, means the payment of commissions
where not sent direct to ticket agents thew
are mailed with statement blanks to the
'Q's" travelling passenger agents, who
straiehtvay notify the ticket agents. In
speaking of this an old passenger man yes
terday remarked: 1T is sill right enough
for the % to pay commissions, but n road
of its character and backing should not at
tempt to surround the action with de gree
of secrecy which would indicate that the
road was doing something dlshonorabie.'
The palace" CattIe-Car War
A bitter and wordy warfare is in prog
ress among the private cattle-car com
panies which promises to develop into
something serious. The center of attack
would seem TO be the Street Stable-caI
Company. Arrayed against it are several
OF the largest cattle shippers, who own cal
lines OF their own, and some of the rail
roads which have gOno into the improved
catsie-car business on their own account
The origin of the unpleasantness was a de
cision OF Judge Gresham, some months ago