Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-09-02
THE RATE WAR.

THE RATE WAR.
All question as to the renewal Of the
rate war, to which Judge Simonton ;
temporary Injunction put stop, and
to begin which later dissolution of the
injunction opened the way,was removed
yesterday afternoon when there was
filed with the Interstate Commerce
Commission by the Seaboard Air Line
schedule of passenger rates
which makes a sweeping reduction OF
existing prices.
There has been q feeling in railroad
circles that war should not again be
renewed, but the Seaboard Air Line has
thrown down the gauntlet by cut OF
IS percent On the fare between Wash
ington or Norfolk and Atlanta, b. ".
B. Glover, traffic manager of the Air
Line, V. E. McBee, general surerin-
tendent, and Robert A. Parke, general
agent southeastern district, were in con
sultation yesterday morning in Wash
ington, and later in the day fled the
new schedule.
The regulations OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission require the
rates to be submitted three days before
being put into effect, and so the new
schedule will become operative on Sep
TENDER l.
By the new rates, the fare between
Washington and Atlanta will be Sll,
instead of ST. 80, and from Portsmouth
or Norfolk and Atlanta IS, instead OF
SIS so. These rates are even lower
than those which the company set when
the rate war first began.
By the previous arrangement which
Judge Simonton's injunction set aside,
the fare from Washington to the
Georgia terminous was SO, and from
Norfolk 50. The Southern road will
decide upon what move to make after
the meeting OF the Southern Freight
Association in New York to-day.
The matter will be discussed by the
representatives Of the roads that are
members Of the association. President
Spencer, Vice President Baldwin, Traf
fc Manager Culp and Freight Agent
Smith, of the Southern road, have ali
gene to attend the meeting.
The policy to be pursued by the
Southern road will then be decided up
on. 1t is thought that the threatened
reduction of so per cent. by the South
ern will now be enforced. The Sea
board Air Line says that the Southern
never intended to enforce this and in
proof cite the failure of the Southern to
file the schedule with the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The Southern people on the
other hand assert that they first
tested the validity of their pro-
posed reduction by the injunction
case, and now that it has been decided
one of the officials said yesterday that
the so per cent reduction will go into
effect. However, the matter will be
settled to-day.
In regard to freight rates the Seaboard
has not yet changed its card. The
traffic manager was in consultation
with other officials last highland it may
be stated that new schedule will be
filed with the commission this morning
or in the course ola few days. The fight
originated in the step taken by the
York River Line to compete with the
Bay Line on its Norfolk route and the
latter company has issued its ultimatum,
which is that the York River-Norfolk
service must be abolished.
Pressure is being brought to bear TO
amicably settle the breach between the
two companies. An arbitration commit
tee has been suggested for the purpose.
Several large stockholders in both sys.
TENS are residents of Washington, and
it is desired to avoid the heavy losses
which a continuation of hostilities
m cans.
A dispatch from Norfolk says: "The
Seaboard is prepared to fight to the
death, and will, DO doubt, give its com.
bined competitors lively battle, until
another injunction is looked for, be-
cause of the fact that the merits of the
case involved in the one just dissolved
were not decided by Judge Simonton.
In view of the Seaboard's continued ag-
gressive attitude, great interest is man
Tested by transportation men here in
the meeting of the Southern States
Freight Association in New York to-
morrow. 1t is the general opinion that
rock bottom has been struck by the
warning Chesapeake bay steamer lines.
Certainly, their freight rates can go no
louar