The San Francisco call., 1896-05-02
GUILTY OF RATE-CUTHNG
Agents of the Southern Pacific
and Northern Pacific
Convicted.
FEAR SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS
General Distur bance of Transconti.
mental Rates One of the Future
Possibilities.
FEAR SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS

There was long and heated session OF
the San Francisco and Oakland Pas senger
Agents Association in the Mills building
yesterday afternoon to hear and decide
upon the charges of rate-cutting brought
against the ticker agents of the Southern
Pacific and Northern Pacific roads,
In each case the guilt of the accused
was established. Abner Man, the Southern
Pacific representative, pleading guilty,
and T. K. Stateler, the Northern Pacific
agent, being convicted on a vote of to 6,
every man present voting.
More than ordinary interest attaches to
these cases, particularly in view of the
fact that T. K. Stateler has given notice of
appeal and OF the peculiar stand taken by
the local Santa Fe passenger agent. If
the attitude of these gentlemen remains
unchanged it is likely that the present
rate wBr between the Southern Pacific
Company and the Oregon Railway and
Navigation: Company for business between
San Francisco and Portland will develop
into one of broader scope, involving all
the lines in the Transcontinental Pas
senger Association-those operating west
of the Missouri River, some twenty-three
in number,
In both cases mentioned tickets were
sold to st. Paul via Portland for $45, or 50 80
below the rate quoted in the California
sheet, which controls the price of tickets
sold in this City. The offending agents
took advantage of the local war rate of So
between here and Portland and sold the
unknown emissary of the Oregon Railway
and Navigation Company a ticket from
Portland to ST. Paul for $40 ana then pro-
vided him with a S. ticket from here to
Portland, the Southern Pacific using a
ticket over its Portland special train and
the Northern Pacific providing passage by
the steamer of the Pacific Coast STEAMSHIP
Company.
When the charge against Allen H. Alb
bo,t of the Southern Pacific Company,
who sold The cut-rate ticket came UP for
hearing General Ticket Agent Mann
pleaded guilty and was fined $40 and had
to redeem the ticket at its full regular rate,
thus being out an additional 81 80.
The charge against Stateler, after hard
agent participated, was sustained by a vote
of to 8. He promptly gave notice of ap-
peal. He claims he simply sold the ticket
from Portland to st. Paul and that the in
tending passenger then procured inde-
pendently his transportation to Portland.
This, however. it is stated by some of those
who attended the meeting, was not con-
ohOWh ny buc tNiQcuCSs IL WAS
clearly proved, it is claimed, that the
through rate of $45 was quoted.
Both eases were the result of the clever
scheming OF f. +. Connor, the local agent
of the Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company, who suspected for long time
that the rate war to Portland was being
used by both the roads named to secure
transcontinental business, in the face of
special stipulation between Mr.. HurIburt
OF the Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company and Mr.. Goodman of the South
ern Pacific Company, that it was not to be
taken advantage of in this way by either
of their companies. This agreement was
made for the express purpose of averting
transcontinental rate troubles.
On the part of the Southern Pacific Com
pany.it Is claimed that Mr.. Abbott sold
the ticket without authority, and he has
beenasuspended pending an Investigation
of the case.
Mr.. Stateler's appeal must go forward to
Oh hartman Caldwell of the Transconti-
mental Passenger Association at Chicago