The Indianapolis journal., 1892-07-14
RATE WAR NOT YET ENDED
The Pennsylvania Will Continne to Sell
Tickets TO New York at Sl5.
Other Roads Nay Do Ekewisa, and the VAN
derbilis May Even Cut to SlO-Western
Traffic Association Shaky.

Yesterday was the day fixed upon as the
date for taking off sale the round-trip
tickets to New York at S15. Late yester-
day afternoon the Pennsylvania road an
nounced that iI would continue to sell at
such rate until July ls and doubtless tho
competing lines will meet the rate. 1t Is
intimated that sl0ra te need not be sur
prise, as the Vanderbilt lin es. it is stated,
are heartily sick of this trifiing with rates,
as one of the officials puts it. Whether
there is anything in this officials remark
or not, it is daily becoming moro evident
that the rate demoralzation inaugurated
on the Y. z. s. c. +. business will
extend far into the summer. Up to
last night, on the low loso Rates. rates.
from the indianapolis offices. SupDosin
that yesterday would be the last day. the
trains were again well loaded. No. 20 over
the Pennsylvania railroad. for the fifth
time in the last week. went out with
double-header trains. The Big Four, No.
Is. for Cincinnati. was run In two eectlons
and an extra sleeping coach was required
TO accommodate the business over the Big
Four line via Cleveland. That all rail-
roads have made money out of the erran &c.
ment up to this time is not questioned, but
It il questioned if either can afford to con-
sinue the low rate longer, unless IL Is pro-
posed to make S15 the permanent rate for
o round trip to New York. Doubtless at
the end of q year the revenue would be as
large as If the companies in terested got the
full rate-S19 one way. The pullman COM
pany will not object. In no case has 1t de-
parted from it's full tariff for sleeping-car
accommodations.
Interstate Commerce Investigstio
The first case heard by the Interstate
commerce Commission. at Chicago, yester-
day. was q complaint against five railways
charged with giving tho Illinois Steel
Company discriminating rates. The roads
in question are the Calumet & Blue Island,
the Kenoshs & Milwaukee. tho Joliet d
Blue Island, the Chicago & Southwestern
and the Bay View & Chicago. It was
claimed that all these roads were owned
and controlled by the Illinois Steel Com
pany. President Brins0n, representing all
the roads, was put through an examina-
tion. He said the business of the roads
was switching and terminal facilities. In
answer to aquest.cn concerning dIscriml-
mating through rates, he said his compa-
nIes got no share of the through rates and
was paid only for switching. They were
paid by the Illinois Steel Company. Pres
ident Brinson, on advice of his counsel, de-
clined to answer Commissioner Veazey's
question as to whether the steel company
had an interest In the roads. j. 5. keefe
BuultOr Oh the i've IOhub, b6tu 6OOut " per
cent. of their business was for the steel
company. but the commission was unable
to learn whether the lines were controlled
and operated by that company to its own
advantage and the disad an tage OF other
shippers. The testimony of w. Robert
Sterling, vice. president of the steel COM
pany, was equally unsatisfactory.
In a shaky Condition.
No one seems to doubt that the dissolu-
ton of the Western Traffic Association is
only question of short time. Various
opinions are expressed in regard to the
Burlington's refusal to take part in the
meeting of the advisory board this week.
Some critlcise that company very severely
for the stand it took, whiie others declare
that it did just right. I'VE have no desire
TO withdraw" said q Burlington official
yesterday. I'VE only ask that the provis-
Ions of the agreement be observed. The
commissioners have tho power to divert
traffic or 10 take such steps as may be
necessary to secure each road Its fair share
Of competitive business. They don't do it,
They are required to keep statistics so that
we will know what every road in the asso-
riation is doing. They don't do that. OF
what use 10 an agreement If the commis-
sioners are permitted to ignore certain OF
its provisions"