The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-16
WANT STEADY RATES
Railway Officials Have Grown
Weary of DemOralizing Wars,
And Hope to See the Interstate-COm-
merce Act Amended So as to Pre-
vent Rate Disturbances.

The steps which the officials Of the trunk
lines and the Central Traffic Association
have taken looking to a fair division Of
business east as we'll as west bound from
points like Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapo-
lis. Cincinnati and Louisville, inquiry shows
is a popular move with the railroad men
who like to derive some profit from haul
ing freights and passengers. For some
years no complaint has been heard Of I'M
duly high freight rates, and but little as
regards discrimination in favor OF certain
shippers. Outside competition has lowered
rates TO all points TO their present pro-
portion, and it would be physical impos-
sibility, say wel-informed freight men, to
again reduce and put in effect exorbitant
rates The shippers as well as railroad
men have reached a point where they want
steady, fair rates, and the more they study
what is known as the Patterson bill the
more they are disposed to favor the amend
ments to the interstate-commerce act Il
proposes. Under the present act said
q railway official, mo railway official Will
give testimony which will send another on, Oh,
cial to the penitentiary; the Patterson Dill
provides for this by making the transpoT-
tation company the defendant and provid.
ing a fine not to exceed 5000 IN case OF
conviction. This provision would enable
the rate-main tanning lines 10 punlSn the
rate-demOraliZ roads TO the Iull extent
of the law for each offense, and the poncy
would make il expensive for strong or
weak line to cut a rate and wouid prlhs
about the one central idea or the interstate
commerce act-the prevention OF dlscrlnl-
nation. The aim of every rate war -
TO secure for each party the best MS
of settlement and in the test of endur-
ance the road which holds out the longest
ar low rates will carry its point" In
snaaISine Of this another official said that
ito the public a freight or a passenger
rate war is but a temporary adVanIba az;
Pa
period but with the certainty that tney
will be advanced as soon as one OF IIe
tba railvays such wars are disastrous in
the matter of revenue. Rates are cut below
the profit mark and the more =, eff business 'e
road carries the worse II Is on
a telegram was received last evening
stating that the meeting OF PRESIDENTS anu
general managers 10 perfect Il,ls phi
called for Jan H. had been postponed untll
Ian "a that the committees might better
perfect the plan OF operations
Personal, Local and General Notes.
w n McDoel. general manager Of the
Monon lines returned from New YORK yes
terday. 49,.
I Turner. superintendent of the Pitts
burg division of the Pennsylvania lines Is
IN the city.
c. w. Fairbanks. general solicitor Of the
Cincinnati Hamilton q Dayton mas &c
turned from New York
The directors of the Lake Erie & West
ern Yesterday declared dividend on ts
Feb. 10.
The wages of the fagmen on the Union
tracks and Belt road have been reduced 20
$50 per month, the men 10 be on duty Iour-
teen hours.
The Big Four runs its personally con-
Quoted excursion TO California on Jan .,
the Vandalia it's excursion TO the same
point Feb. l.
In the week ending Jan. Is there. were
handled on the Big Four lines 2sSS9 loaded
cars. against 2S.0h loaded cars IN the same same
fv,or T h.
cars.
one good has resulted from the appoint
rnent of receivers for the Louisville. Evans
Ind. have been started up full handed, re-
pairing rolling stock
II NJ. Bronson assistant general pas
senger agent of the Big Four, has greatly
added TO the comfort of his office by Sc
curing additional room, making ms quar-
tiers much more inviting and convenient.
William Green, general manager, and
General Superintendent Waldo OF the Gin
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, are 10 De III
the city tomorrow TO take some action as
regards building new city freight depot
The Atchison has made a combination of
local rates on the Alton to Roodhouse, III,
and from there to Texas points lover tnaa
by the Eastern Passenger Association to
equaliZe the rates.
The through sleeping coach which the Big
Four and Chesapeake & Ohio recently put
on TO run daily between St Louis ana
Washington. is proving popular and doing
much more business than Its projectors nau
looked for in % short time.
The Union Pacific has aroused it's COM
peting lines by announcing that the limit
on midwinter fair California tickets has
instead of April 90. Competing lines will
doubtless make similar extension.
The Vandalia engine which was exhibit
ed at the worlds fair is now hauling train
% and is attracting a good deal OF atten-
ton, as it Is the largest passenger engine
running on any Indianapolis line. and
ri ms "A
perior piece of workmanship.
The National Educational Society has no
titled Chairman Caldwell, of the Western
Passenger Association. that II would rot
accept the terms upon which tickets TO the
proposed meeting at Duluth were offered.
OF the railway association has been called
for Wednesday TO consider the matter.
The returns show that the night the
buildings were burned, last week, on the
worlds fair grounds, the Illinois Central
carried more people from Chicago to the
the worlds fair. running trains all night
and the next day, taxing their whole pas
senger equipment, and as the round trip
fare was % cents, ii proved big lift for the
Central in its January earnings.
The total of east-bound shipments from
Chicago last week again broke the record.
being 129.055 tons. against $50 for the cor
responding week or lSZ Inc roads carried
tonnage as follows: Michigan Central. 15.-
74I: Wabash, 1916; Lake Shore. 14.417; Fort
Wayne 269S9; Panhandle. 2O,47S; baltimore
& Ohio, 4.29S; Grand Trunk. 1.402; Nickel
plate, ll.2II; Chicago * Erie. 12.6z3; Big
-Four, ?, ll9
L. s. Thorne. third vice president and
general superintendent of the Texas & Pa
cific was in the city yesterday route TO
New York. Mr.. ThOrne enjoys the dstinc-
ton of having been promotsa, from yard
master TO general superint e<sdent of that
road at one jump. Jay Gould met him and
was so impressed with his energy that he
wrote a telegram on his private ear TO the
higher officials of the road instructing them
TO promote him.
The quasi pool TO apportion the nassen-
ger business among the roads by percent
ages is said To be a very strong one. and
the general passenger agents are confident
that under this plan rates be main