The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-30
THE DISCORDANT RAILROADS.
Santa Fe Causes Collapse of Pass Agree
ment-Meeting at Chicago.

CHICAGO, Jan. Especial. 1.-The new pass
agreement, which was TO restrict the indiscrm-
mate issue of free passes for the year 1891, is
now conceded to have collapsed, and serious
disturbances in rates, it is believed, will be the
inevitable result. When an agreement for the
correction of so crying an evil as unlimited free
transportation, signed by forty-six of the most
important Western roads, cannot be maintained
longer than few DAYS, conservative railway
managers fail to see how an agreement is to
stand This is as serious blow as the new
presidents agreement has received, and will re-
tard the work of the commissioners to get the
latter agreement in working condition
The blame for the collapse of the new agree
ment is placed entirely upon the shoulders of
the Santa Fe, which, it is claimed gave notice
OF withdrawal without good cause, and in di-
rect violation OF resolution passed by the gen.
eral managers There are fears that the Santa
Fe intends to withdraw from all other existing
agreements, including the new presidents
agreement, as soon as 1t finds Just pretext Tor
doing so.
Dispatches from Salt Lake City state that as a
matter of spite work the Union Pacific comp
pany has ordered that all of the offices be moved
to Ogden. II such an order be issued several
prominent Union Pacific officials now in Chi
cage, are utterly ignorant OF it. They character
lie the report as absurd, and assert that it
was instigated by the Denver IL Rio Grande,
which has for some time been doing the Union
Pacific all the hurt it could.
Representatives of the Great Northern, the
Northern Pacific and the Western States AssOci-
for delegation from salt Lake TO come on with
complaints about discrimination in rates against
their town and in favor OF Montana points. The
delegation was to have been here last Tuesday,
but has not put in an appearance. This, say
Union Pacific officials, was another scare gotten
UP by the Rio Cirande, which is striving TO Sc
cure a monopoly of the Utah business.
At the meeting of the Trans Missouri Associa-
tion today James Smith was elected chairman
Ii now remains for the Transcontinental Asso-
citation TO elect L. p. Vining TO succeed Smith iu
order to carry out the wish of the trainers of the
new Western Traffic Association. In regard to
the various divisions, some OF the members OF
me rams missouri Association demand that the
reorganization include the passenger as well as
the freight business. The matter was finally re-
ferred TO the board of commissioners
The Western Traffic Association commission
continued their discussion of territorial
divisions today but no material progress has
been made.
ST. LOUIS Jan. 29.-The meeting of the South
western Railway * Steamship Association,
scheduled to be held in this city today, has been
postponed. The date will be fixed later.
In the absence OF Commissioner FaithoTn to-
day the other commissioners of the Western
Traffic Association informally talked over the
details of organization. The only question on
which they agreed was that the figures the
traffic of all lines for January and February
should be carefully gathered, and that the first
order for division of traffic should be based on
these figures. The present southwestern pool is
practically dead, neither of the last two orders
of the chaiTmen for division of business having
been obeyed.
The Journal says; Indications are strong that
the new Western Traffic Association is in danger
OF being side-tracked. The commissioners, traf-
fie managers and everybody else interested, are
manifesting unmistakable signs OF discourage
ment They have just begun to discover that
some of the lines feel sorry now that they ever
went into it, and would not only like To but will
get out if there is any possible show for them to
dose
The Santa Fes action in Withdrawing from
the simple pass agreement is looked upon by
some as a direct blow az the life of the new as
sociation. Three days consideration OF the
presidents agreement has not been sufficient to
enhghten the six commissioners in their work
They have assigned the division of territory 10
the transcontinental lines. and the committee is
putting in several hours daily discussing it. One
member said this morning: '.Ne are doing
nothing but talking There has not been figure
msde, and won't be for three weeks. AS soon as
our work is completed we will report 10 the
commissioners, who In the meantime are doing
their best 10 satisfactorily interpret and under
stand the provisions OF the agreement"