The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-14
WILL MURRAY GO TO WAR?
The Big FOur's Traffic Manage Leaves
the Central Traffic Association.
Wanted Reduced Grain Rates from Peoria 10
the Sea- Board and Didn't Get Them-His
Action Regarded as Very Hasty.

last evening. The most important outcome
of the lively discussion that had been go
ing on all day was q notice given by Traffic
Manager Murray, of the Big -Four. that his
road desired to Immediately withdraw
from the association. The rock on which
the association split was the question of
whether grain rates should be reduced
from Chicago and kindred junction points
to the Atlantic board. The Peoria
lines are especially anxious for q reduction
to meet the cut rates of the lake-and-rail
lines and the manipulations of some of
the all-rail routes, and they came
into the meeting with demand that
some action be taken to afford them i'm
mediate relief. The Big Four is more
interested in traffic with Peoria
than that via Chicago. and Traffic
ton in grain rates rom the basis of
25 cents per hundred pounds. Chicago to
New York, TO 20 cents The majority of
the Chicago roads opposed the reduction,
arguing that such action would only invite
further cuts by the boat lines and cause
general Generalization. without IN the
least protecting tho revenues of the rail-
roads. The proposition was voted down.
Another proposition was offered, providing
for reduction to 22l2 cents. This was
also voted down. Then It was that the Big
Four gave notice of withdrawal from the
association, to take effect at once. Efforts
were made to induce Mr Murray 10 recon
slider his action. but he refused to do so,
declaring that his road had not received
fair treatment, and that 1t could better
protect its own interests by casting Oft the
restrictions imposed by the association.
His decision Is regarded as hasty one,
for the reason that the action of the meet
ing was merely in the nature of recon-
mendatiOn. The question of whether
grain rates shall be reduced or not must be
finally determined by q joint vote of the
Central Traffic and Trunk line AssOeia-
tions. 1t Is surmised that the Big Four
will not wait for the joint decision. but
wall proceed at once TO make such rates as
1t sees tit
Another matter before the meeting was
the question of whether the lines there
represented should pro rate with the North
western roads on reduced basis of rates
on certain commodities from st. Paul to
Eastern points. via Chicago, to meet the
rates via the 500 line and Canadian Pa
chic. Since the Chicago X Grand Trunk
entered into shch an arrangement with the
Northwestern roads IL has been getting the
bulk OF this traffic, and the other Eastern
lines. which have heretofore refused to
stand any portion of O reduction In through
rates. are now eager to be included in the
prorating arrangement A resolution was
adopted providing for conference with
their Western connections with that end
In view. 1t is more than probable. how
ever. that they will be disappointed.
The Rate War Increasing i'm Bitterness.
The rate war between the roads in the
Chicago and Ohio River Association shows
no signs of abatement, but is daily increas-
ing in bitterness On Tuesday the Penn
sylvania lines made $3.50 rate between
Indianapolis and Chicago. and u $3.50 rate
between Louisville and Chicago, either
way. or 81 and sl1, respectively. between
the points named for the round trip. Yes
terday the Big Four took the lead and
made rate of $780, or Sill for the round
trip, between Cincinnati and Chicago. and
1t Is supposed Its competitors Will meet
that rate to-day. The Pennsy lvania
people. when asked why they. made
the last reduction, stated that it
was to meet the MonOn, which was paying
50 cents commission to ticket scalpers. In
this connection it Is proper to state that
Journal reporter was told by a scalper yes
terday that he was buying his MOnOn
tickets AT the Union Station at full rates,
and selling below the advertised rate of
the fighting roads, hoping thereby to bring
about an earlier restoration of rates, for
this Chicago and Ohio River Association
fight was killing their business. not only
to Chicago. but points beyond, aud they
could afford to lose little on each ticket
sold if il would hasten the ending of the
rate war; A Big Four official says the only
way he could see out of it is for one of the
lines to cut the rate in two again. as
should the present condition OF
affairs oont an0sa the rates will never
this ASSOCIATION territory. while a break
such above proposed might bring the
general passenger agents to their senses.
and rates would then be put back TO the
old basis. Another passenger man thinks
that whom +. U. Mccormick. general pas
senger agent of the Cincinnati, Hamilton
d. Dayton. who is rapidly recovering. is
able TO resume his duties he NAV induce
the belllgerent passenger agents TO get to-
gether anu nix up some agreement salts
factory TO all. Ii is daily becoming more
apparent that unless an early adjustment
is reached the effect or the rate demoraliZa-
tion will extend both east and west and
north and south. In fact correspondence is
now going on which. If carried out sug-
gested. will make the situation much more
serious and difficult to adjust.
American Railway Association.
The annual meeting of the American
Railroad Association was held at New
York yesterday. About eighty representa-
tives were present. among the moro promi-
nent being Charles +. Pugh. general man.
ageI of the Pennsy lvania railroad, X. Pit
cbirn. superintendent of the Pittsburg
division of the Pennsy lv ania and ID. s.
Clark. general superintendent of the In
dianapolis * ST. Louis. In the opening adj
dress President Haine spoke on the SUI &C
of automatic car-couplers. demonstrating
from official records the earnest action
that has been taken towards the introduce
tion of the best devices, and showing the
future effect compulsory legislation would
have upon the desired result.
The report of the executive committee
showed the association TO be larger than
ever before. The report stated that n spe-
cial session of the association wOuld prob
ably be held in Chicago during the comm z
summer. at the request of the commit ee OH
train rules. The committee on train rules
reported that the replies received from
their circular relative to the twenty-fo TIT
o'clock system OF notation had not pre-
pared them TO propose any action. The re-
paying freight-car service at the rate of y
decided TO postpone consid GRAFTON of this
report until the October meeting. The
committee on safety appliances reported on
the subject of power brakes. Their recon-
mendstions were approved.
The following officers were elected:
President. III. s. Haine; first vice-president,
Lucius futile. New York, New Hamp shlFe
X Hartford railroad; second VICE president,
T.. b. Thomas, New York. Lake Erie X
Western. Executive committee. III. I.
Royce. general superintendent Chicago.
Rock Island a Peoria; James Ramsey, jr..
general manager Cleveland. Cincinnati
Chicago * st. Louis railroad. Also n COM
mittee on train rules. consisting of the fol-
lowing roads: New York, Lake Erie *
Western, the Minneapolis N -. Louis and
the West Shore. The next meeting will be
held In New York next October.