Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-02-23
Down Come Rates.

CHICAGO, teb. 1f.-Unless all signs
fal March / will see the beginning of
one Of the bitterest railroad wars in re-
cent years. The action of the Southern
Pacific in boycotting Atchison tickets
has aroused the laLter's wrath, and as
soon as Vice President Robinson returns
from the Pacific coast, about next Thurs
day, active preparations for war will be
gin. 1t is not likely the fight will open
until the Southern Pacific's boycott goes
into effect, but possibly before the
trouble is over people may go from the
Missouri river to the Pacific coast for 50,
Being IN the hands of receivers and not
compelled to earn more than operating
expenses, the Atohson is in good shape
for a fight, while the Southern Pacific Is
obliged to be more conservative. Its
officers declared today they had not been
the aggressors. but if forced into fight
thew would be there TO finish.
Trouble has been brewing between the
Southern Pacific and the Atchison for
long time. In fact, there has never been
any nearer approach to peace between
them than armed neutrality. This is
true of necessity. The Atchison was
the first intruder into territory coneid-
cred by the Southern Pacific exclusively
its own. When the Bost N company
built its line from San Diego to Barstow
and acquired the Atlantic and Pacific it
broke the California monopoly OF the
Southern Pacific SO far as trade with the
southwest was concerned, and from Mo
iave it was in a position to threaten an
entry into San Francisco at any moment.
Again, when the California Southern
road built into Los Angeles from San
Bernardno another hard blow was dealt
the Southern Pacific, and the intense
bitterness between the two systems
again made itself manifest in more ways
than one. Still, there we're common in
terests, and these common interests
kept the Atchison at Mojave and in
duced the Southern Pacigc to grant con-
ceasions which would not have been
made to company less strong than its
rival. There have been rate wars in the
past, of course, one notable one when
tickets to Los Angeles from the Mis-
souri, river we're sold for 81, but the big
companies have shown more yielding
spirit and each has made sacrifices for
the sake Of peace. This has been true
particularly of the Atchison, which,
while having the more combative spirit,
has been compelled by its financial ne
cessities to yield. 1t is claimed by the
Atcbson that the Southern Pacific has
shown a tendency to take advantage of
these necessities, and the fee ling that
this was true has had not little to do
with the present trouble
Now that the receivers are in, the
Atchison has free hand. There has
been complaint made in the past about
the SO local rate which the Southern
Pacific has claimed in its own favor in
making bookings in Lathrop, and now
that there is put upon the Atchison the
further indignity of refusing passengers
going over its lines to San Francisco
via Los Angeles from points east, it is
felt tnat the limit of forbearance has
been reached, and there can be no re-
course but war
The trouble among the northern lines
adds complications to the situation, so
that, altogether, lively slashing of
rates may be looked for opce ii has be-
gun.