The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-05
THE KNIFE APPLIED AGAIN
TwoDollars and a Half Sliced offthe Chi
cago-Cincinnati Round-Trip Rate.
Louisville Also Affected by the MOnon's Slash
The Illinois Central Drawn Into the
Fight-New Traffic Agreement

Passenger rates between Chicago and
Southern points continue to grow beauti-
fully less. The Illinois Central has at last
been drawn into the fight and has an
nounced reductions to New Orleans and
Memphis to take effect next Saturday. Its
rates to New Orleans will be geo frat class
and $3.50 second class: to Memphis. SASS
first class and $3.50 second class. Fhe ILL.,
nois Centrals first-class rate to New Or
leans Is still So higher than that by the
Monon and its southern connections, but
on second class 1T fully meets the Monon's
i tariff being 'e SIC. The 'hs Monon sand aiso
applied the knife again yesterday
and announced o further reduct1ou
of $3.50 in the round-trip rate between
Chicago and Cincinnati and Chicago and
Louisville. This brings the round-trIp rate
between those points down 70 $3.50, while
the one way second-class rate still hangs
at $3.50.
How Rate Wars Are Started and Continued.
A few days ago q general passenger
agent. speaking of the decentralization in
rates which has prevailed since the early
rate war could be inaugurated or continued
upon such trivial grievances as those
which had caused the trouble with the
Eastern lines the past season. He then
sketched the trouble substantially as fol-
lows: The Pennsylvania Company an
nounced q rate of one fare for the round
trip from all points on it's lines to New
York on account OF the Christian Endeavor
convention, with o twenty days limit
Baltimore g. Ohio folio red SUIT with an
offer of q ffteen-dollar %round-trlp
rate. claiming the right to their diiferen-
tlal, the same rs on regular business. and
giving a thirty-day limit for return. This
reduced figure and extended time were
very promptly met by the Pennsylvania,
which denied the right OF its rivals to o
ditferentIal on excursion business. The T.:
IL o. and b. q .. immediately reduced
their rate to S13, insisting on their differ
entail as before, and giving a sixty-day
limit for return. On this basis all went TO
work for business. the Big Four coming in
with the Pennsylvania on the Sl5 rate.
According to advertisements. tickets were
to be sold ct these reduced rates on the I'd
to the 5th Of J July. inclusive. apd it was sup
posed that with the sales effected in those
four days all lines would be satisfied and
ready to quit the ruinous strife. But the
four days proved to be only the skirmish
preceding the battle. 1t CHANGED that the
Pennsylvania learned that the Big Four,
which had not been able to secure the suffi-
cient s~leepIng-cars ON the 9TH. had allowed
its conductors TO permit their passengers
provided with the cheap tickets TO 60 for
ward on the first train Of the sixth. There
upon, the Pennsylvania announced that it
would continue to sell tickets at Sl5 for one
week longer The week xpiIed. and all
supposed the trouble at an end;
bat again an excuse was found for
continuing it.. On the 18th q Big Four
passenger man was shown by o scaiper q
book of tickets which he said were Penn
syIvania tickets, and which he declared the
scalpers were well stocked with. The first
ticket In the book was. in fact, n ticket
reading over the Pennsyl vania. What the
to examine, but taking the soalper's word
told what he had heard and seen. That of
fcer t~elcgraphed the general passenger
agent. who at once ordered that the SIS
the meantime the c., ii. IL ID. and the Erie
had taken q hand in the struggle for bust
ness and were selling at Sl3. The third
week saw matters In still worse shape, as
all lines were giving s~top.overs, and local
traffic was beginning to sufier IN conse-
quence. At tho close of the third week all
lines except the c., II. IL ID. withdrew the
low rate; but as that line continued to sell
at the reduced figure. all the others resumed
the sale of low-rate tickets for O week
longer. On the 25th, however. it was an
nounced that rates would be restored to
tariff on the 30th, and the general passen-
ger agents, apparently, ashamed OF having
permitted so ruinous a war to wage so long
on such trivial grounds, actually with
drew the cheap rate, and since that date
peace has relgned.