The San Francisco call., 1897-02-11
Commissioners
WOULD NOT sign
a Railroad Petition Favor
ing the Anti -Scalping
Act.
Rolla V. Watt Says Restrictions
Have Been Put On Endeav.
orer Tickets.
Railroad Comm ission Declines TO TAX
Sides Against Ticket Brokers.
Watts Letter.

commissioners stanton anO Lahue CON-
prised the working majority" and the
only mem bers of the State Railroad Com
mission present at meeting of the COM
mission yesterday afternoon.
William B. May, an ex-Assemblyman,
now district passenger agent of the South
ern Pacific Railroad, with headquarters at
Fresno, appeared before the commission
and was allowed to present petition and
make an address in support OF 1t. He
wanted the signatures of the Commis-
sioners.
The petition is the same one that is said
to have been signed by many mem bers OF
the present Legislature. it's addressed to
the California delegation in Congress and
asks their support for the amendment to
the interstate commerce act, now pending
in Congress, prohibiting the "scalping"
of railroad tickets. In the way of both
State and local interest District Passenger
Agent May read the following copy of
telegram which he said had been for
warded to Washington by Rolla V. Watt:
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 2 1897.
California Representatives, House of Represent
dtiUes, core Hon. James G. Mcguire, Washington,
h. c.: 1t has been finally determined that the
international convention OF the Christi
Endeavor Society will be held in this City in
July next. The transpor ration companies
have made this possible by concedlng the
rates requested by US, which are the lowest
ever offered.
We promised the railroads if they would %
this our best aid to project them. Our utmost
efforts and theirs will not prevent serious
abuse.
Reports from all sources indicate the largest
gathering ever held on the Pacific Coast, and
traught with the greatest possibilities for
California
I've are therefore specially interested in the
bill now before the House to regulate the sale
OF railroad tickets, in the form of an amend
ment to the interstate commerce act and
would respectfully urge your earnest and
constant support thereof. The whole Pacific
Coast and the entire Christian Endeavor So
ciety of the United States with its 1900, 900
mem bership are especially interested In max
ing the '97 convention in every way success
and in preventing anything that will tend to
detract from its fame, as would a large traf-
ticking in railroad and steamship tickets by
unprincipled and irresponsible outside par
ties. II the amendment be not passed 1t viii
doubtless result in the transconiinental lines
placing such restrictions upon the tickets as
will seriously interfere with the attendance
and prevent the coming of many hundreds if
not thousands We favor the amendment on
principle as well as on account of the forego-
ing local considerations.
Sixteenth International Christian Endeavor
Committee, by RoLLA V. WATT, Chairman.
G. +. BAKER, Secretary.
1t was also stated by Mr.. May that one
of the very few prominent public organi-
cations in San Francisco which had de-
Board OF Trade. w. II. Mills is one of
the directors of this board. His official
railroad title Is land agent, land depart
ment, Central Pacific Railroad Company,
Mr.. Nav was greatly amused, and thought
it was great joke that Mr.. Mills would
not sign petition in the interest OF the
railroad.
A. Ottinger, local ticket broker, ad-
dressed the commission in behalf of the
''scalpers." He said, in brief, that the
ticket-broker is a public oenefactor. He
offers 10 sell to the pubic unused or por-
tions of unused railroad tickets at reduced
rates, whereas otherwise the money for
them would remain in the Golfers of the
railroad company and nobody would get
the use of the ticket.
The Commissioners concluded not to
sign the petition.
Along this line Commissioner La Rue
remarked that interstate tickets ought to
be made good till used.
Since the last meeting printed copies of
forms Tor making annual reports and in
regard to classification of operating ex-
Denses OF railroads were received from the
Interstate Commission at Commissioners
Stanton's request, and the Commissioners
proceeded to compare them with the
forms already in use by the State Com
mission in California. Though the COM
parison was not complete, it appeared
that they were substan italy the same.
A letter from E. E. Wright, assistant
controller Of the Southern Pacific, was
read, stating that the company had, in
order to meet the forms of the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the commis-
sion OF this State, and furnish informa-
tion, changed its fiscal year from Deem
ber 81 to June 30, and expressed the hope
that the commission would find the forms
more satisfactory than they had been.
He stated that different method of re-
porting than was made 10 the Interstate
Commerce Commission and to the United
States Commissioner of Railroads would
put the company to much expense.
Last evening Rolla V. Watt said. in ref
erence to his telegram to the California
Congressional delegation:
'Mv opinion of that date has since been
confirmed. Restrictions have since been
placed OH the sale OF the $51 round-trip
ticket from Chicago in the matter of stop
over privileges. / have seen the schedule
made by MANAGER Colville of the Western
Traffic Association, and for instance there
are, on the return ticket, no stopover priv
1eges north of Reddiug, CAL"