The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-02
ELBOW" TICKETS TIE ORDER
New Arrangements in Railroad
Tickets
HARVEST FOR THE SCALPERS
II May or May Not Result in
Rate War
The S;aipsrs Are JubiIant, but the Santa Fe
Officials Here Do Not Look for
Cutting OF Rates

There YVES something of a commotion
in local railroad circles yesterday. but
said commotion was of the quiet. subduei
sort, in fact, it might class among the
suppressed. The occasion OF IL was the
rep TT from San Francisco that small
cloud had appeared which threatened to
develop until it burst into regular
dowrpouring OF cut-rate railroad tickets.
The most jubilant of the local people are
the seal pers, who have reason to feel that
things-tickets-ar coming their way,
even though there be no siasning of rates
between the two railroad giants OF the
Pacific coast--the Southern Pacific and
the Santa Fe.
For sometime it had been customary in
the railroad circles to make uniform
rate to central points. For instance. If
passenger wished TO 20 from Los Angeles
to Kansas City the rate would practically
be the same by whatever route be frav-
eled Again, the rate to what is known
as the Missouri river points. which may be
said to include all cities adjacent to line
drawn from Omaha to Houston, Tex,
and it even included Sioux City, were
tu6 Shiucs CHuci suNu an oiieH S''N'A'
the railroad which passed through Kan
sas City would sell a ticket to Omaha ana
take the passenger to Kansas City. send
ing him thence to Omaha at the same
price that did the road running direct to
Omaha. This. on the face OF it. was no
more than inst, as the passenger who
went to Omaha via Kansas City con
sumed more time, and to prevent all from
travelling by the direct route the mpeting
roads would willingly carry the passen-
ger over the "long haul" but the selling
Of such tickets gave the scalpers a chance
to get IN their work.
Whenever a passenger presented him.
self at the office Of scalper and asked
for ticket to Kansas City he would pc
sold one to Omaha, which ticket cost the
scaIpers no more than one 10 Kansas
City. When tie passenger arrived IN
Kansas City be presented the unused nor
tnn of the ticket at the office Of the
scalper's agent and received o rebate.
BY this process the scalpers would &C.
cunulate tickets between these two cities
and which they could well afford to sell
n, considera biz lowe rates than the local
fars betSee Kansas City and Omaha.
Such tickets are known in railroad circles
as elbow" tickets. and while Kansas
City and Omaha have been quoted above,
"elbow' tickets were not confined TO
these cities, ut to all parts OF the coun-
try where q similar com uination could be
made.
In the absence from this city of Mr.. J.J.
Byrne. general passenger agent of the
Santa Fe, ii. X. Gregory, tle assistant
passenger agent was seen by II Herald
reporter. Mr.. Gregory,in substance, said:
Some time ago we entered into an
~ Southarp paCi fir IN
withdraw what are known as 'elobw'
tickets. The Southern Pacific frequently
complained OF our selling tickets to
Omaha via Kansas City and other elbow
tickets of similar character. We, on the
other hand. asked them how about their
sell ne a ticket to Chicago viasNew Or
leans at the same prlce rs we sold
ticket direct through. We could only ask
who had the biggest elbows. Finally
an agreement was entered into by which
both roads Withdrew all elbow tickets.
Now for some reason or other this hes
been called off and old methods will be
resumed Nosembet 5tn."
''Do YOU think that a rate war will fol-
low?'' be was asked.
"No, do not see why it should. 1t is
merely dropping OF the present ar
rangement and going back to previous
methods. OF course We should protect
our Interests, but | cannot at present see
why a rate war should come. The ar
engagements in force after November 5th
Will materially aid the scaipers in secur-
ing tickets to points not 50 easy to pro-
cure at present.
At the Office Of the Southern Pacific in
this city there was a protested ignorance
on these matte : that was i'm penetfa bic. }.
M. Crawley WAS reported as out Of town,
and no one was authorized to give ont in
formation in his absence. However 1t
was admitted that "eluow' tickets would
ha col e az y l,gr n htt
PLANTATION OF why the Old methods haa been
returned to could be learned.
The several sCalp ers offices in this city
were visited, and while the cut-rAte tick
ct sellers each maintained severe de-
meanor OF countenancp, it did not re-
quIre a mind reader TO discern that each
was mentally dancing a sort of highland
fling. 1t was the unanimous opinion
that the public would he greatly benefited
by the new ARA cement, and of course
incidentally the scalpefs themselves. I'M
der the rules that will be in force after
Novemb Der 9th it will be possible to scalp
tickets to almost any point in the east or
coast. One broker expressed the opinion
that inasmuch as one road or the
Other must eventually get the worst
of the elbow ticKet arrangement it
would lead to war OF rates if
the matter was not soon adjusted. He
said: Mark my word, just as soon as
one road finds that the bulk OF travel IS
gong to competitor then down go rates
which must be met by other roads.
Again. it is posi- bic that some one of the
roads may attempt to meet the rates
made by brokers, and then the merry
wa notes will be sounded, and When they
are sounded the echoes will reach from
coast To coast"
THEY PAID FOR THEIR FIN