The morning call., 1894-07-31
THOSE CUT RATES.
Local Agents Again in
Fighting Mood.
A SUFFERS MISFORTUNE.
He Put His Money Up and Can't
Get 1t Back.
SUFFERS MISFORTUNE.
NEW YORK BUSINESS THE BONE.
The Union Pacific Agent Has an In
feresting Collection of Photo
graphs of Cut-Rate Tickets.

Not since the days when the local Passen-
=. ger Agents Association was won't to I'm
vestigate" alleged iniractions of its agree
ment have there been so many charges and
counter-charges between the representa-
tives of the transcontinental lines in
which rate-cutting forms the basis of the
allegations.
Since the local association went the way
of all flesh there has been no attempt at
concealment on the part Of agents of the
fact that they are paying commissions to
subagents for tickets sold by the latter.
The exact amount of these commissions is
known only to the parties interested. and
probably varies in different cases. There
is not an agent in the city, probably. who
will deny, if closely questioned. that this
is fact.
Since the Midwinter Fair closed there
has been a strong effort on the part of all
the agents to secure the business which
naturally resulted therefrom.
Nearly all the coDcessionaires have re-
turned or Will return TO the East, and 1t is
in the scTamb for the business that the
cry of rate-cutting has re-echoed through
the city.
The particular case in point and about
which some of the gentlemen interested
are making a great deal OF noise is the
alleged purchase cf six secOnd-clasS tickets
10 New York at S53 each, while the regu-
lar rate is S66 30, this being cut OF SIS so
on each ticket.
1t is said that these tickets were pur-
chased of Robert CaDelle; that they were
good over the Union Pacific, Chicago and
Milwaukee and ST. Paul ana Baltimore and
Ohio roads, and that the tickets now rest
securely in the safe in the Office OF Mr.. Bis
sell, the general agent of the Santa Fe.
The tickets were purchased, il Is further
more stated, through the medium of a
'SluffeT" and tor the enlightenment of
those VINO are unfamiliar with the CLASH
cal experiences of Montgomery street is
might be said that ''stuffer" is an ndi-
vidual who is employed to secure evidence
against agents of cutting rates.
The succeSSful termination of the first
effort to buy tickets al less than tariff rates
encouraged the men who were behind the
''stuffer" to make a second attempt and
accordingly the same individual was dis
patched to Mr. Capelle'S Office a second
time with the necessary funds TO purchase
some additional tickets to New York. The
'stuffer" gave Mr., Capelie d list of the
names of The persons for whom the tickets
were oSteusibly intended, but 1t appears
be unfortuna ely neglected TO retain copy
of the list. He paid for the tickets in ad-
vance, as is usual IN such cases, and when
he called on Mr. Capelle to get the tickets
the latter gentleman requested him to bring
around the parties in order that they might
sign the tickets. as is required by a rule of
the Southern Pacific Company. As the
names were fictitious it was Of course i'm
possible to comply with this requirement,
and as he had forgotten the names given
the "stutfer" was unable to substitute
other persons, and thus the matter stands. |
This may appear to be little severe |
upon the ''stuffer" and his principals, but |
it is simply one of the phases of contest |
in which most Of the agents are industrl- |
ously engaged in an effort to get satlsfac- |
tory proof Of rate-cutting against some in /
dividual agent Furthermore, it is said |
MI Capelle has been advised by bis attor- |
neys that be can legally refuse TO give up |
the tickets until they have been signed by |
the persons for whom they were pur- |
chased, or in whose names they were made |
out, and that he can also refuse to refund |
the money unless upon a written order
from the same persons. AS the suffer no
longer possesses his fictitious list of names |
his Quandary is apparent.
But the "stuffer" and his principals do |
not propose TO surrender without a fight |
as is evidenced by an action taken yester- |
day, when. it is said, a warrant was issued |
against Mr. Capelle, and it is probable !
that the whole matter will now find its |
way into the courts.
If the case ever comes to trial it is likely |
that some very entertaining testimony |
may be adduced as to the methods en- |
movements OF their competitors and the |
results of many of those Investigations.
There is an apparent effort to connect |
D. w. Hitchcock, the general agent of the |
Union Pacific. with these transactions, |
and Ii Is but falr TO say that thus far these /
efforts have proved fruitless. Mr.. Hitch
cock may have been party to the DEAL |
but If he was it remains tor the gentlemen !
who make the charges to substantiate their |
case.
On the other hand there is evidence in |
existence that some VI Mr.. Hitcncoek's |
competitors have been guilty of cutting
rates, ana this evidence is not Iragmentary |
or of an illusiye character, but is as direct |
and convincing as it could possibly be |
made
Some time last June the gentleman men |
TONED received a telegram from the main |
office of the Union Pacific in which it was |
stated that he was charged by the agent of !
the competing line with cutting rales-in |
fact the evidence Of such reductions was
in the possession OF the competitor.
When pressed for his proof MIR. Hitch |
cocks accuser simply rested his case on |
the fragile plea that the evidence could be |
secured, and that was the last ever heard |
OF that particular case.
The incident. however. caused the genial |
agent of the Union Pacific TO do little |
thinking, and, as a result of his mediia- !
tions, he instituted a pretty thorough in
vestigation of the business methods of his |
competitors. and the tangible sequence
thereof is contained in a number OF pho
tographs, affidavits, ETC., which the gen.
tleman named has safely stoW wed away for
reference.
The photographs are those of tickets
which have been sold at less than tariff /
rates. and the sffidaVts are from the pur-
chasers. They present well-defned case !
against the lines Issuing them, and are
held iE reserve for use in ways more eff |
fectivs than parading them in the public |
prints.
AS to the cut in New York tickets, there |
seems to be no reasonable doubt that this /
is caused by the fight between the Balti-
Ino:e ana Ohio and Erie lines more than |
by an activity upon the part of the local |
lines or those approaching California /
borders.
The Oregon Railway and Navigation /
Company will soon open an Office at 10
Montgomery street, with F. w. Conner as
general agent and Melone Joyce as city
passenger and ticket agent. MIR. Conner /
was recently with the Chicago, Milwaukee |
and ST Paul, and Mr.. Joyce is the we'll /
known and courteous city agent of the |
Rock Island.
-----
Sued for the Shortage.
City and County Attorney Creswell on behalf
OF the municipality has sued ex-Tax Collector
O'Brien and A. P Hoialing, l. w. Lees. P.
Crowley and Thomas and Edward Carroll his
boudsmen to recover S582S IA, the amount of