New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-18
PRICE THREE CENTS.
RAILROADS AND THE FAIR.
CHAUNCEY NJ. DEPEW AND JOHN KING
TALK ABOUT RATES
REASONS WHY THEY WERE NOT REDUCED
FUITHER-THERE NAY BE CHANGE
NEXT SUMNER

FUGTHER-THERE NAY BE A CHANGE
NEXT SUMMER.
The action OF the trunk line presidents In deciding
grant reduction Of only - per cent Worlds
Fair rates and confning the reduction 10 slow
trains was a disappointment TO the public. En-
pressions Of dissatisfaction general tcaday IN
business circles. The thirty six hour trains 10 which
the concession is to be confined declared 10 be
too slow for large body of the travelling public.
Low fares are deemed vital necessity 10 the success
OF the Columbian Exposition in view OF the high
pcnse that will attend visit 10 the Fair. 1t is also
argued that public duty rests upon the railroads TO
provide as far possible, thr h cheap trlnsDora-
i0n for as wide a difference Of the educational in
nuence OF 4the Exposition rs may be practicable.
New-York merchants anxious that the me rop lis
should derive business benefit from the as
sembIng of the multitudcs at Chicago, by drawing 10
this city many visitors as can be attracted The
popular sentiment is that the reductions proposed by
the railroads wholly Inadequate TO give the proper
stimulus to the travel between the East and the
West next year. and TO do justice to the welfare Of
the great cities clustered and around Manhattan
Island.
Tile railroad men arc Somewhat reluctant discuss
the reasons for their excessive conservatism In the
matter OF rates. The general plea appears to bs
equivalent 10 the declaration that big crowds VIII
travel anyhow, and the roads intend to make money
out Of them. Chauncey VI. Depew, president of the
the impracucabty of handling the increased multi
tudes who would visit New-l ork the temptation of
cheap fares He seems to hold out some encourage
ment that wLnn the Columbian year is fairly begun
more liberal policy may be adopted.
Talking about the motives and position Of the
roads, Mr.. Dcpew last evening said: There WAS as
wide a diversity Of opinion among railroad people as
to how this matter should be treated there IS among
the public The rule among railroad men IS that 4
all can't agree they agree to nothing. The through
travel between New York and Chicago Is nearly up to
the present equipment Of the railroads In It's normal con-
diiOn companies which thought that the lowest
fare was right suggested one-anda datid fare for the
round trip There others who believed
that the companies would be unable to carry their
traffic at full rates. The companies are really not
equipped for travel on 1000 miles distance though
they well equipped and can be rapidly equipped
for travel at short Distances The number OF sleeping
cars available and that could possibly BE- built cond
be had for the great crowds to attend the Gem
tenrial from these long distances By great crowds
mean hundreds OF thousands. The utmost limit
of train Of s!cepingcars that be- hauled between
NewYorl and Chicago on the limited time Of twenty
four hours is cars and with passengers taking
sections the train carries only about $50 people. The
limit OF train that can be hauled Ia thirty SIX hours,
with the requisite number of stcppages, over this
great distance Is twelve cars, and that includes
bagga secar butfe,-ca and diningcar That train
carries less than 200 people. The movement OF
freight Is Sd great and the eXactons OF the reiShter
time mpeIious that 1t il difficult 10 take
proper OF the freight, and Increase 10 an, ph non-
email extent the thrJUs sh movement 0: pas nsl ins.
"The 20 per cent reduction Oh the tirty-six-hor
trains means that those trains shall be upon ths
same time as all except the limited trains Of seven
cars each, are The two most popular trains
out of the Grand Central Depot are the p. m and
the 10 :35 q. M, and these take thrtysix hour''
Tho Ers's most popular train takes thirty-eight
1 fha vi q
vania The limited trains OF cars and twenty
four hours are now run at loss, even Win ts
present extra rate OF fare, so that the reduced ra'e
passenger will BE- carried trains w'h the same con-
veniences and speed ALL except those VINO no" pay
extra fares
The question IS still open for cheaper trains during
July and August when the great mass OF people who
are limited as TO time and money have their Vacations
The universal experience with regard TO eApostlons Is
that cheap and frequent trains are possible Mllh1n dis
| ances where trains be kept moving so as to de-
| liver and return with their loads more or less ire
oueatly within the Gay. But there has always been
great difficulty in all counties In providing for !ongdis
tonco trains which carry the equipment oil the line
which originates the traffic FOR considerable iiue and
which crowd tie line through its whole length so as
TO deran-e its freight and regular Passenger business
II was all these considerations discussed which led 10
the compromise which has been published Railroad
managers are like other people When the emergency
) II on tutl dl INC oprllup VI ihC I'li a. ~ N'''N'"'
/ dcniard o. justify any change such change Will 10
made as may be required from me 10 time and ls tho
companies have the ability perform The movements
of large bodies To convention Ike The Christian In
deavor Convention, or the political conventions ~
Chicago and Minneapolis over long distances Is, OF
course for few days. for the Fair It Is for six
months
There was business I'm sight at full rates from the
communications had ny the different reads, and with
cut regard to a reduction Of fare equal TO the present
| available resources Of the companies. Zach company
however, Is largely increasing It's motive power and
passenger equipment purely on account OF the ,tair
| The same questions arose at the time Of the Cei-
tennial In Philadelphia but then. viii be the case
now as the country became aroused 10 the value u
The Exposition and clubs. societies ana neshDorhooGs
had determined to go IN DO pUoS .a raemeSts ~
low and satisfactory n,es The problem which IS
tronNlns all tae railroad nanas@S ~ - ~ hoT ,o " G rip
! there and back safely and comfortably, an AZ .
| same tine keep up the rrglllar and scheduled move
ment OF through freight, and the normal passenssr
business OF the freight cspecally-y iich must be
which Is upon fast freight time. -, ~.
John King. president Of the New-lork, Lake Erie
reasons which actatei tie railroad companies IN
deciding not to make any great reductions. said
all cGins 10 Lave traffic offered greater than
we can handle Crowds are going from all over the
viii iyc ne all the passengers that can possibly
carry, without making any anorl 10 ~ Ton ahd
attract more people than We can indie ana NJ ne
| samo time reduce cur income. We have made
reduction on slow trains. which are not 80 troublesome
| 70 mn f,r the slke of people I'm mcderatY
| circumstances and expect that those trains VIII
! 80 . burden ID H.. Now why our should stin fu'thr
e,dnav1r to o,d on elves dONn With ahc b. greatly
reduced rates ! fall . sec. We may b. totally mis-
| taken and re crowds may not be as geat as we
| e-,,ect but il looks now n though they would
| be exceedingly large In England. a. was stated by
! an FnclI.huan who ri Our meeting the other
day when there Is an exhibition or anything OF te
kind in. trad - making cheap rates 10 take people TO
| ade & a
| greatly Increased demand for accommodations and
| the strain upon their res luTces. Nhy should We %
| ins+ - onIr-lte? We cannot take all the people
| we Will have There is need of reduction'