The morning call., 1894-06-28
NOT UP TO STANDARD.
Pullman Service on the Pacific Coast
Quite Unworthy.

Quite Unworthy.
In following up the information pub
lished yesterday, relative to the Pullman
Company and its tenacious grip upon the
people of this coast, a CALL reporter
gained some additional points which may
be found interesting by those who are
studying the present situation.
1.-The first feature of travel in the West
which forcibly impresses an Eastern tour
ist is the high rates charged by the Pull
man Company in comparison with those
which prevail in the East" said an agent
OF one Of the prominent transcontinental
lines. las an illustration of the peculiar
scale of prices which that company has in
force here. let me give you few figures.
The rate from san Francisco to Ogden is
Sc. or s. for each of the two nights berth
is occupied Crowded the traveller takes the
evening train out of this city,, and So for
seat charges. From San Francisco to
Portland. which is practically the same
distance, the difference in mileage being
only 81 miles, the Pullman fare is So
Nov on the southern route a great diff
ference is noticeable and the charges are
OF nature which admit of no objection.
From San Francisco TO Los Angeles
il is 403 miles. the train Ieav-
ing here at P. NJ. and arriv-
ing at its destination at P. NJ. the next
day. For this distance and time only Sc so
is charged. Another illustration of a Ieas-
Onable fare is that from San Francisco to
Reno. The charge is but 81 90 although
the passenger occupies the car from p NJ
until 9:l5 the next day. Using this as a
basis for the Ogden rate and charging 81
for seat privileges and 81 80 for berths the
rate would be 81 from San Francisco to
that point-and this is figuring the matter
on the same basis as that universally
adopted by the railroads that they can af-
ford to haul a long distance at a lower
rate per mile than they can a short dis
tance. 1t would seem that this rule would
apply equally as we'll to the Pullman CON-
pany as TO the railroads.
1--WE will now look over a few figures
regarding the charges of the Pullman,
Company on Eastern roads. From chi
cago TO New York, which is go miles by
the Pennsylvania road. the charge is S.
while from the same point to Boston, 1889
miles, the charge is S5 90 The disparity
in charges does not appear to be very
large. yet 1t amounts to very large sum
when taken in the aggregate. From Chi
cago TO New York is 40 miles further than
it is from San Francisco to Ogden, and vet
the rate is 81 less. If you were to ask
Pullman official why this was so he would
p-obably assign the very reason of which
l have just spoken-the possibility of
making long haul at a less rate per mile
than short haul.
My attention was recently called to the
difference in the sleeping-car charges effec-
tive in Australia from those in force here
relative to distinction made in the former
country between an upper aud a lower
berth. In Australia the holder of lower
berth pays more for that privilege than
does the occupant Of an upper berth-and
this is simply an equitable adjustment.
You have doubtless noticed in travelling
about the country that every man and
woman wants a lower berth, and the ad-
vantages of such location are so appar-
ent as to require no explain alton. Yet In
this country the Pullman Company makes
no distinction between the two, while in
Australia their cars are operated upon the
opposite plan.
But the effective work of the Pullman
Company in gathering in the coin of the
realm is more particularly noticeable in
the tourist sleeping-cars. These cars were,
up 10 about four years ago, run by the ex-
cursion companies. Under their manage
ment small charge was made in some
instances and none ia others for use of the
cars. Pullman saw that this class of cars
were becoming popular and were cutting
into his business. and his contracts with
the railroads giving him the exclusive
sleeping-car privileges, he was enabled to
force the excursion companies out of the
business and bought the cars in. He took
the cars and refitted them, establishing a
rate of 81 30 from San Francisco to Ogden,
81 25 to Denver, So to the Missouri River
81 to Chicago and IS 80 to Boston.
''These rates continued 10 operation up
to the 1st OF March, when, without any
reason which could be understood by the
public. the charges were almost doubled,
and now it costs 50 80 to Ogden, 81 80 to
Denver, So to the Missouri River, Sc 20
Chicago and IS to Boston. The only rea-
son assign bile for the increase is that the
tourist-cars were cutting into the business
done By the Pullmans to an alarming ex-
tent, as the accommodations were good
and many people preferred to travel by
them. because of the more ompanionable
class of persons with whom one is thrown
in contact, and the difference in this re-
spect is said to be striking by those who
have travelled in both ways.
1.-THE Interstate Commerce Commission
appears to have no jurisdiction over the
Pullman cars, and know of but one State
which has law upon its statute books
relatiye thereto, and that is Minnesota.
In thai State law was passed several
years ago regulating the charges by the
company and compelling it to keep the
upper herthS closed when not in use; but
/ understand the law is dead letter.
"The Pullman cars on this coast are by
no means up to the standard of those i'm
the East. They are of the pattern con-
structed years ago, and have been brought
out here to spend their declining years
among the benighted residents Of this sec
tion; and. unfortunately. in many in
stances it appears that the employees are
by nature in keeping with the back
number character of the cars. The service
given. particularly as regards the porters.
Is an imposition. Pullman only pays