The record-union., 1892-05-09
RAILROAD PASSENGER RATES.
They Are Higher All Over the East
Than in California.
So Says Railroad Commissioner Beck
man-Whau He Learned on
His Recent Journey.

Railroad Commissioner Beckman went
TO San Francisco yesterday, and will to-
day attend session of the body of which
he is member. Mr.. Beckman returned
only few days ago from Washington,
whittier he went to attend the Conven-
ton of State Railroad Commissioners,
and at to-day's session of the California
commission he will submit report of its
proceedings.
MIR. Beckman was seen by a RECORD
: UNION reporter just before he left the
city and was asked if he had seen the
latest pronunciamentoi issued by Manager
Leeds of the so-called Traffic Associa-
ton" of San Francisco. He replied that
he had, and that it greatly amused him.
On being asked what, if anything, he
had learned while in the East having a
bearing upon the question of compara-
tive rates charged by the California and
Eastern railroads, Mr.. Beckman said:
II learned a great deal, and some things
that took me by surprise. L Travelled eX-
tensively over the Eastern and Western
railroads, and i found that, without eN-
ception, the rates of fare charged there
are all in excess of those charged on this
coast.
II have condensed the result of these
investigations into report which shall
make to the Railroad Commission at its
meeting tomorrow, and / think it will
be a complete answer to all of Mr.. Leeds
wild assertions.
Like the majority Of Californians," :"
continued Mr.. Beckman, 81 was under
the impression that railroad fares were
lower throughout the thickly settled
States of the East than here, where the
roads traverse long stretches of country
devoted to large farms and where popu-
lation is sparse. But imagine my sur
prise when l discovered that in every in
stance the cost of travel there is greater
than here"
Gould you give the RECoRD-UNIoN
the figures ?'' he was asked.
Mr.. Beckman drew from his pocket
three closely printed sheets of type
written manuscript and said:
Il have here prepared long lists of
comparative rates showing the difference
between the cost of travel over the South
ern Pacific Company's system and most
of the large Eastern roads. AS L intend
to present them at the session of the
Railroad Commission tomorrow, L do
not think it would be in good taste to
make them public beforehand, but you
may examine them for your own salts
faction"
The reporter examined the lists care
fully. and found that in but one instance
out of some eighty cases cited were the
charges in this State up to those OF the
Eastern railroads over sections OF road of
equal length. For distances OF from 100
TO $50 miles the excess of Eastern rates
over those of the Southern Pacific syS-
tenn ran from twenty-five cents to 81 %,
and proportionately for longer distances.
The revelation was startling one.
Mr.. Beckman said he gathered his fig
ures from railroad officials and other re-
liah1a Tho first t1mp he hnnDht
local ticket was for place about as far
from New York as Sacramento is from
San Francisco, and when the ticket agent
demanded something upward OF S3, Mr..
Beckman asked him if he had not made
mistake. The ticket-seller replied curtly
that he was not in the habit of making
mistakes, and when the Californian told
him he expected to pay much less than
in California for the same distance, and
instanced the fact that here the tirst-class
fare was only s. 30 from San Francisco to
Sacramento, the ticket man was aston
ished
"These comparative rates, mind you,"
said Mr.. Beckman; ARE for passengers
only. / am aware that California freight
rates are somewhat higher than those of
portions Of the East, but there are reasons
for that, one Of which | will mention. L
have cousin who owns coal mine out
in Illinois, and in conversation with him
and Alton Railroad with coal, loaded on
the company's cars, at 20 cents per ton.
He said he could sell coal at that price and
make money by it.
Now. in this State it costs the railroad
company between So and 81 for coal-at
least the company's officials make sworn
affidavit to that effect, and it is no doubt
true, as coal suitable for locomotives has
10 be hauled long distances. a system
that consumes hundreds of tons a day
cannot, therefore, be expected to run its
trains as cheaply as those where fuel is a
comparatively small item. The California
railroads also pay higher wages than
Eastern roads"
MIR. Beckman said that certain anti
railroad papers were condemning the
Railroad Commission for, as they claim,
refusing to reduce freight and fares, but
he was confident the commissions only
desire was to be fair toward both carrier
and shipper.