The evening times., 1896-07-16
Seaboard Air Line and South
ern in a Conflict.
SMASH ALREADY MADE
The Seaboard Has Put Into Effect a
Reduction OF Thirty-three Per Cent
on All Passenger and Freight Traf-
fic-Its Rival and Antagonist VIII
Meet Every Move.


the other. ,aotfs forces say that the fight
is to finish land that rates will be cut
and undercut until the side with the less
money at its disposal acknowledges de-
feat and goes under.
AireauJ tic ,SIdGoard Air Line has an
nounced a reduction Of 80 per cent on
an south eound passenger ana freight JIar
fic. iaf'i IN
The war9fs the result of the Southern
Railway Company beginning the operation
OF line OF steamers between Baltimore
and Norfolk, In retaliation the Old Bay
Line, or Baltimore Steam Packet Com
pany. decided to compete with the York
River Line by running steamer direct TO
Richmond on the James River route. The
Bay Line officials made the following
statement OF their side OF the question:
The Baltimore Steam Packet Company
has determined to extend its service by the
James River Route TO Richmond. and to
make sweeping cut in rates between all
points with which it connects.
THE Bay Line is operated in connection
with the Air Line, and thus over 600 miles
or railroad are controlled, extending over
the manufacturing belt of the South, it is
| III position to odemoralize the ra te situation,
and secure the lions share Of the traffic
lif 1t so desired"
THE CUT-RATE POLICY.
1t is stated that the establishment Of
James River service and the cut-rate pol
Icy are caused by the determination Of the
| Southern Railway Company to encroach
upon the Bay Line territory by putting on u
line OF steamers tetween Baltimore and
Norfolk. The Bay Line has therefore with.
drawn from the Virginia Freight Associa-
tiopfu the n;enanceof of rates for reasons
which T. w. Thompson, general manager OF
the Bay Line, stated in a letter to C. A
Chipley, chairman of the association.
No statement could be obtained this after
noon AT the Southern Railway offices. The
| president Is travelling In Europe the first
| vice president is in New York. and the sec.
| ond vice president is at some unknown
| point between Washington and Raleigh.
| s Z. The traffic manager is away on
| vacation Mr.. l.. s. Brown, the general
agent, said no one felt authorized to make
statement. III was remarked in the office
that If any rate-cuttipg were started, tho
southern could be relied upou To call all
coners and go them one better.
MIR. PARkE's EPLANATION.
Mr.. Robert A. Parks, general agent of
| the seaboard Air Line, was called upon by
| representative OF The Times this morn
| ing and interviewed in regard to the pro-
| posed rate war.
Mr.. Parke said that the position taken by
| N.'S No'"Pahy VOC bue udtuEtt duu JueG IN
| view Of the powerful influences which its
strongest Competitor was putting forth to
destroy its progress and revenue. This had
reached such point that IL was necessary
| to meet the issue.
The Seaboard Air Line could not be
| Mr.. Parke, while in condition to take care
ofits share of the throug h passenger traffic.
| between the North and South, has been
practically tied throug the influences Of an
| antagonistic line, in not being given equal
| facilities III way Of through service between
the North and South. This not only
applies north of Washington, but south of
'.The seaboard Air Line" Continued
! purchased, nor Gould its policy be changed by
the unla wfuf methods ON the part OF this
competitor, but twill be, as it has been In
the past, independent, and a prominent
factor in the development OF the South.
The policy OF the Sea board has been liberal,
| condition which the business interests of
the prominent cities of the North and South
| have been quick TO appreciate.
1T is undoubtedly right of the line
to claim, and enforce II necessary, the
same terms and facilities in the way of
through car Service as is now extended
| to other connections, and it Is the in
tention of the company to enforce this
right.
MAY INVOKE THE LAW.
THE Interstate Commerce Commission
may be called upon to decide how far
| the third section of the act to re,suiate
commerce applies to this point. 1t is GER
tainly unjust to the travelling public, if
not a violation OF the law, for discrimina-
tion in the way OF facilities, as it Creates
preferred class in the matter of reduced
rates.
'.It is a discrimination that the travel
ing public will be quick to observe, and as
public opinion makes laws, will be as
anxious to correct.
'Mr. E. st. John, vice president OF the
Seaboard Air Line, has very carefully out
| lined the position Of his line in connection
with the present controversy between the
| Southern and the Bay Line, when he states
that the business relations with his COM
| pany and the Bay Line are intimate and
harmonious. The antagonism created was
brought about by the establishment on
Chesapeake Bay OF steamer line between
Norfolk and Baltimore.
| The purpose OF tlns competition was 70
destroy rather than to build up, because 1t
| Is we'll kno wn before any success can be an
ticipated it must cripple and annihilate tile
| prestige Of the Bay Line, which has given
during fifty years or more faithful service.
Every honorable means to preserve peace
was offered, but declined. the rule or ruin
! policy being evidently paramount.
'The strong Competitor in question, while
having nothing to lose, had everything to
| gain from such a, conflict. By the present
tariff the seaboard Air Lines -..ss to
| common points South have been rruuced
to Sc from $40, the. rate to Atlanta being
| $12 instead OF $3.50, as heretofore"
MAY LAST A LONG TINE.
As TO the duration OF the present trouble,
Mr.. Parke said:
LAS this has been forced upon the
Seaboard Air Line, it will be impossible to
give any idea OF the length OF time. ex-
pect that the fight will be a bitter one and
may possibly last for months it not years."
..It must be realized that great inter