The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-04
COMPACT OF RAIL WAYS,
All Western Lines United in an
Agreement to Maintain
Rates.
NEW CHARGES ON BICYCLES.
The Local Passenger Ticket Associa.
tons Will Meet and Dis.
solve To-Day.

The great railroad corporations that
were represented at the Chicago confer
ence recently have announced the forma-
ton of compact on passenger rates, to
include all Western roads and lines en-
gagged in transcontinental business. The
new regulations resulting from this agree
ment went into effect Decem per /.
There is an interesting local aspect to
this gigantic combine. To-day the San
Francisco and Oakland Passenger Ticket
Agents Association will meet in its offices
in the Mills building and simply dissolve.
It's secretary, W. W. Smith, will be retired.
The Los Angeles Passenger Association
will also meet and disband and dismiss its
secretary, c. T. Parsons.
These local associations were formed
some months since to stop rate-cutting
and the giving of commissions to brokers
on tickets. But as the new compact has
absolute control of the California lines
tn ere is no further use FOR the San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles societies. Besides,
the order that became effective on Deem
Der / is far more stringent than any law
the local bodies could form, for the reason
that the head men of all the lines have
made new laws, lnfraction Of which by an
agent means fine penalties. 1t has now be-
come a case of each ticket agent obeying
the laws laid down by his chiefs, whereas
it used to be a matter Of violating at the
risk of small penalty rule made by
himself.
The change is consequent upon the for
nation OF the Western States Passenger
Association in Chicago and the transcon-
tlnental agreement, both of which have di-
rect control OF all Californian traffic, and in
fntr1ra auanrs will ba hold hlo
to the secretaries of these associations.
The first notification OF the change re-
ceived in San Francisco came last Friday.
Under the new rules no commissions are
allowed to hotel-runners or brokers, and
there can be no deviation from published
tariffs. Agents are not permitted to sell
or exchange second hand or scalped
tickets, or to aid or facilitate brokerage
business.
Charge shall be made by all the lines for
transportation in baggage-cars of bicycles,
trlcycles and baby carriages, on the basis
of regular excess baggage rates, each BIZ
cycle, tricycle. or baby carriage to be
charged for the same as fifty pounds OF ex-
cess baggage, the minimum charge in each
case to be rs cents. This charge shall be
in addition to and separate from any charge
for xcess-baggage proper, and these arti-
Giles shall not be carried as a part of the
regular baggage allowance. Such articles
will only he checked for passengers accom-
panying them and presenting regular pas
sage tickets.
The issuance of passes, or free or reduced
rate tickets, the furnishing OF free sleeping
car accommodations or meals, or reduced
rates on the same. or the granting of any
consideration of value to one or more of a
party of passengers for the purpose of in
tiuencing or securing passenger business, is
prohibited.
Tickets handled by brokers shall not be
redeemed by lines over which such tickets
read.
Excursion tickets may be sold at rate
of one and one-third fare where the local
one-way rate is 3 cents mile, and one and
one-tfth wnere the local one-way rote is
over cents, for country and district fairs,
bicycle meets, races, within distance of
seventy-five miles of the place at which the
fair or meeting is held.
In the articles of agreement it is stated
''the purposes of the association are to
provide Tor joint instead OF individual
action in all such matters of common in
terest, and to afford protection against
unfair competition, TO the end that proper
rates of fare may be maintained