Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-24
KICK ON THE SPECIAL RATE FAC
Considering the ACCESSIBILITY OF Re.
fusing Special Rates to Big
GATHERINGS.

Chicago, July 19.-Railroad traffic
men of both eastern and western rail
roads are considering the advisability
Of refusing in the future to make low
rates for big meetings. Should they
reach such "a conclusion and maintain
an agreement which should be based
upon it. it is probable that the big an
mlal gatherings OF teachers, church
workers, soldiers, societies and indus
trial organizations would become
things Of the past.
This year more than any other has
shown 10 the railroad men that il il
foolish, from a revenue standpoint, to
make low rates for these big meetings.
The fact is more apparent this year be-
cause the big meetings have come close
together. The Christian Endcavpr
convention at San Francisco and the
national educational convention at
Milwaukee, are just over. The Ep
worth league meeting is now in To-
ronto. The Baptist Young Peoples So
ciety is now i'm session. and
the Grand Army of the Republic en-
campment is neal at hsnd. The Elks
have hardly returned home from Min
ncapolis. Many members of church
VI SNlilSfAAi'l y alift'll WI Niif way
to conventions. To all Of these rates
of at least one and one-third fares
have been granted.
Western men declare that the Chris.
tian Endeavor excursions have reduced
their local business TO almost nothing.
Passenger trains running regularly
have not in them enough passengers to
keep the conductors busy. What few
a., ,,.,,1;n, ,,, lA,.;n,. H.
crn traffic men report as poor business
in their territory. Local trains run al
most empty. and would have no pas
sengers were it not for the fact that
some people are obliged to travel.
- The reason of this state of affairs is
the cheap rate for big meetings. Rail-
road men are agreed that everyone
who expected TO take a pleasure trip
this summer has gone on one of these
excursions. They have paid cheap
rates for a long trip that is very expen-
sive To the railroads. when otherwise
they would have expended the same
amount Of money on a short trip that
would have added nothing to the eN-
penses of the railroad.
Look at the Christian Endeavor
business" said a passenger official
yesterday. The rate is but $50 TO
California and back. less than a cent
a mile. TO handle il the railroads have
to put on special trains, hire extra
cars and engines and extra crews of
men. The rate is hardly enough to pay
expenses. What is the effect on local
business? Simply to Kill it. People
who went to California are people who
would have gone some where else, TO
q nearby summer resort, to n city or
to visit relatives. They would have
been carried on trains running regu-
larry by the railroads and at regular
rates. or at summer tourist rates,
which are lower but which are perfect
" satisfactory to railroad officials.
Exactly the same amount of money
would have been expended in trans
portation, but in the one case il would
have helped the railroads net earn
ings. while in the other il does not.
Ii is plainly evident that the railroads
are losers by these big movements. and
/ shall not be surprised to see them
pat an end to them. at least at ride
ulousiy low rates"