The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-18


Pacific and the Oregon Railway & Navi-
sation Company. have turned loose the
dogs OF var. and during the next few
weeks there Will be such sIasning OF
rates as was never witnessed before on
tae Coast The passenger rate war in
augurated by the two rival lines 70 Port
.aA1 was only started IN real earnest on
FRIDAY evening. when the officials OF the
oregon Railway q Navigation Company
utclLed 10 reduce their rate TO a figure
such as would enable them 10 hold what
they consider a fair snare Of the business.
Bat within the brief period which has
elapsed Since the reduced rates on the
sseamer lines were announced. both COM
Dahyies have found themselves called up
on 10 do more rate slashing. and as mat
ters now stand Il is possible for a pas
senSer 10 20 from San Francisco to Port
land for $50. with berth and meals
thrown In.
When Vice President Stubs. of the
Southern Pacific. read that the officials
Or the Oregon Railway * Navigation
company had decided 10 reduce the
steamer rates to Portland from san Fran
CISCO from SIS and $50 TO SO and s.. he
could not have been more aston!shed
nad ne been struck with lightning. Be
Tore the morning was far advanced the
"lrdo~s Of the Southern Pacific ticket
office were placarded with notices. which
read as follows: Special notice Reduced
rates for San Francisco and Portland.
special, Wednesday. the Goth. and every
hfth day thereafter: Portland Si5 first
class including sleeper. Portland. $40. sec
ond class, including sleeper" The rates
were made TO compete with the so first
class and s. second class rate on the
steamers Of the Oregon Railway 4 Nayi-
sauon company After this notice was
posted by the Southern Pacific, r. Nc
NtI, receiver and general manager and
" II. Hurlburt, general passenger agent
OF the Oregon Railway q Navigation
company. held a consultation about a
sun further reduction and last evening
was decided TO announce "a first class
rate OF s. and a second class rate OF $50
10 Portland and Astoria Now the South
ern Pacific is considering the advlsabllity
or reducing its first c.ass rate TO s. %
ana its second class rate TO S.. with ev-
cry prospect Of announcement TO that e.
fsct on Monday. The Soutacrn Pacific
officials say that since they have been
forced into a rate war they viii STAY in
the fight 10 the bitter end. The officials
or the Oregon Railway & Navigation
company, with equal unwillingness 30
claim the distinction of having taken the
Initiative in the rate war. say thar since
they have been forced into the fight. they
viii remain in it.
Altogether there Is every prosDect Of a
prolonged struggle between the two com
panies and il Is generally believed in rail-
road circles that a second class rate Of
81 from san Francisco 10 Astoria and
Portland VIII be IN effect via the steam
ers or the navigation company before
two more sailing days have passed The
reduced rates Will 90 into effect on
Wednesday next the day on which the
steamer Columbia VIII sail and the day
also on which the Portland special VII
leave ior the north. The reduced rates
are. as matter of fact. i'm effect already
IA aF.-1-
Inc rates announced by the Southern
faclnc. and such other reduced rates as
may he announced by that company
from time 10 time. As the rate war pro-
crosses. VIII only apply on tickets good
Tor transportation on the Portland spe-
cial. as II IS called. which was iuaugu-
rated on October a. to leave on the sail
ing days Of steamers.
Mr.. Stubhs said the Southern Pacific
would announce another material reiuc-
ton In rates on Monday To offset the -
and $50 rates Of the Oregon Railway x
Navigation Company, but just how large
a reduction he would not say Il is un-
derstood however. that $50 rate first
class and a s. rate second class viii be
the figures agreed upon This VIII proba-
by lead 10 another reduction IN rates
via the steamer line. and there Is no
telling whert the slaShng VIII stop The
reduced rates announced by the Southern
on the Portland route between San Fran
cisco and points notth Of Red Bluff. north
bound, and between Portland and points
south of Redi.ng southbounl. for the
reason that passengers bound T. interme-
date points waere the local rate Is h.sh-
er than the through rate can now buy
through tickets and travel on them 70
their destination. This VIII dsm0rallze
local passenger earnings on the OREGON
line as long as the rate war lasts
Another complication which is likely 70
be provoked by the continuation of the
rate war, : q tr2uscoUUncutal rate war
between the northern ines and southern
lres. X the second c.8ss ra9 rate 10
Portland Is reduced anv further, the e.
feet az sueh q cut viii DEE 70 cut the
through rate 70 Chicago. s. Paul AMI
other points from san Francis VIA Port
land. ana for 7eIt-Urstar;.on the Santa
-. Union PACT ard o.~ar Zines which
are utereseed .E jsat business, VIII have
70 reduce t15ir rates % ho1 the!r share
OF business.