The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-30
CUTTING DOWN RATES
The r. c. $. s. Company Announces .
Rate OF $40 First Glass and s5 Sec
Omd to GO Into Eject Next Thurs
day-ComRetition Getting Warm
Steamship Transit's Heavy Cargo
City Of Topeka Sails for Alaska
southern Arrivals and Depart
ures.

A reduction to so firs. ciass and S SEC
ond Class, steamship rare between here
and San Francisco Was announced yes
terday morning by the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company. Trayei TO the met
ropoiis OF California during the pleasant
summer months Will be almost as cheap
as living at home and advantage OF the
lower rate, which takes effect on the
steamship Umatilia. sailing south next
Thursday. will undoubtedly be taken hy
a number Of tourists.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company
Is not Offering its accommodations for
this cheap rate because of any desire to
benefit the travelling public, bar because
OF the rate slashing by the Southern Pa
cifc and the Oregon Railroad & Naviga-
ton Company. Mention OF the stea mship
Cleveland as another influence in causing
this cut in rates should De made in a
whisper, considering the absolute denial
from Supt. J. F. Trowbridgc of the Pa
ctfic Coast Steamship Company. that any
such influence exists.
This reduction TO $40 and S has been
made entirely because of the competition
Of the Southern Pacific and the oregon
Railway & Navigation Company" said
Mr.. Trowbridse yesterday The Cleve-
land has nothing TO do with IT. SHE has
no first class accommodations worth
mentioning, and has not entered into our
calculations at ALL
Notwithst anding this emphatic denial
II Is said on the water front tina. the
kruse & Madison line is without question
a strong factor in the reduction. The
steamship Cleveland. in carrying passen-
gers at $50 first class. just half the rate
then In effect on boats of the other line
effected just such cut as was formerly
brought about by the FaraIlon on the
same route and By the Wiiiapa on the
Alaska route. The Pacific Coast Steam
ship Company wants the field 10 itself and
has the financial backing TO stand losses
when the breaking OF rival is consider
ed.
The passenger rate war between the
Southern Pacific and the Oregon Railway
& Navigation Company. which Supt
Trowbridge alleges as the prime cause Of
the lower fare announced yesterday has
caused a decided reduction in rates by
train and steamer between Portland and
San Francisco.
Every once in a while there will be
showing OF bad blood between these two
lines that finds expression in cut rates
and an all round fight by which the pub
lie is benefited. said local railroad Of
fetal yesterday.
The first inquiry was made at the office
OF 4. r. Ellis. Puget sound agent of the
Union Pacific and o. r. & n. Mr. Cline.
city passenger agent of the two lines.
stated that low rate had been issued
from Portland TO San Francisco by the
steamers of the o. r. & n. The rate was
given in circular from w II. Hurlburt,
general passenger agent. which stated
that commencing May e. from Portland.
and May IS. from San Francisco. the
cabin rate would be SO either way, and
the steerage rate s.. The same basis OF
rates applies to points south of San Fran
cisco.
Over al the Southern Pacific Office, City
Passenger Agent J. H. Corbett produced
letter from his company in which Il
Francisco. after May Is and June /, the
first class rate would he SIS and tha
tourist rate so. To this rate an additional
s. is added from Seattle and Tacoma, $o.pv
from Port Townsend and $50 from Vic
torla. To this rate deposit Is made Of
S. which will be returned In San Fran
cisco. The above Instructions were dated
May % On the heels Of this letter came
another dated May 20 naming $40 as the
first class rate from Portland TO San
Francisco and $50 for tourist. To these
figures were added the same Increases
from Sound points quoted above. with
proportionate rebates.
On top of all OF this emitting and slash
ing quiet tip was passed that the Ore
gon Railway and Navigation Company
had sent out figures TO connecting lines
for basing purposes giving the rates from
Portland To San Francisco as follows.
Cabin, Sc: Storage, $. And still the
merry war goes on