The record-union., 1893-02-04
PASSENGER RATES AGAIN.

Recently the RECORD UNION quoted
rapidly a few figures from European
rate cards and California passenger tar
ifs, to show that railway travelling in
California is cheaper than in Europe both
first and second class. That all things
considered, density of population, vol
ume Of travel, etc., and railway fares IN
California compared with those in Eu-
rope, are low. We cited specifically
among other rates, that from Paris 10
London it is 81 so for 27S miles, through
the densest populated section of Europe,
and with the heaviest travel of the world
vibrating between the two chief cities of
the world. This was compared with the
rate between San Francisco and Sacra-
mento, ninety miles, 81 50, and with the
rate from San Francisco to Los Angeles,
4S2 miles, Sl5.
This showing of undeniable facts
brings that chronic growler the San
Francisco Bulletin to the fore with state
ments in objection that are little less than
ludicrous. First, unable to dispute our
Figures, it declares that the cost of travel
ing in Europe is too high, and forms the
burden OF all tourist complaints, and that
Americans in Europe are in consequence
driven to travel second class. But the
Bulletin disingenuously neglects to refer
to the further fact which we stated, that
second-class rates in Europe and in Cali
fornia are practically the same.
But assuming all the. Bulletin claims
to be true, if we compare the European
conditions with those obtaining.in Cali
fornia, we find that rates are here very
low. lii California we have from six to
seven people to the square mile; in Eu-
rope it ranges from forty -one to 200.
Where one travels by rail in California
a given mileage, twenty move in Europe;
where a California railway line is
operated between two cities of few
thousand population, in Europe railway
lines connect cities at short distances of
hundreds OF thousands population.
Where California railway lines are dotted
with villages and stations wide apart.
European lines are punctuated by large
towns and cities every few miles. Where
dozen times year tourist party rides
through California; hundreds of thou
sands of tourists sweep through Europe
constantly day in and day out; wages in
California in operating passenger trains
being at a given figure, in all of Europe
they are not one-half as high, nor is any
other operating cost so high as in Califor-
mia, But these are only portion of
widely dissimilar conditions with which
all intelligent people are familiar.
The Bulletin, however, is so reckless as
to commit itself to the following state
ment:
The RECoRD-UNIoN has compared the Lon
don-Paris fare with one of the lowest rates in
the State of California. If we take the same
distance over the line of the Central Pacific
27S miles-from san Francisco to Wads-
worth, we ind the fare TO be not 81 90, but
S11 75; Kennel, Shasta County, 217 miles.
s. 90; Delano, Kern County, 282 miles,
$S 10.
1t is scarcely necessary to refer to the
fact that the route over the Sierra to
Wadsworth is one of phenomenal grades,
across lofty submits, through tunnels
and snowsheds, and traverses a thinly-
settled section, and is a difficult and
costly line to maintain and to operate.
The same is to be said of the Shasta route
with its great attitudes and new country.
The rate to Kennel, Shasta County, IS 20,