The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-26
MONON BOLTS THE TICKET
REFUSES TO BE PARTY TO THE
INTERCHANGEABLE COMPACT.
How Conductors Some times Put Them
selves in an UnfavOrabIe Light
Ownership of Union Pacific.

Ownership of Union Pacific,
An Associated Press telegram from Chi
cago says: 1.-The Monon line yesterday
gave official notice that it would not be a
party to the interchangeable mileage ticket
agreement which is TO go into effect Sept. l.
The Monon had already signed this agree
ment. and its withdrawal is viewed with
regret by the other lines in the compact.
The Monon's action is caused by the failure
of the Big Four to lengthen it's running
time between Chicago and Cincinnati. Sew
eral months ago the Monon reduced its
Chicago Cincinnati passenger time to eight
hours and the schedule was met by the Big
Four. The fast time has been d nonwin-
ner and too expensive an advertisement for
the Monon, while the Big Four, backed by
the Vanderbilts, has been in q position to
stand the pressure. Recently the Monon
asked the Big Four to agree TO lengthen
out the time. The Big -Four refused, and
the Monon, in revenge, now withdraws
from the interchangeable-ti ticket compact.
With the Monon, the Erie and the Clover
Leaf out of the latter agreement the in
Interchangeable mileage tickets to be issued
by the other lines will have hard row to
hoe. The Monon will be willingly assisted
by the scalpers in its fight. The inter-
changeable mileage tickets, however, will
be issued by the other roads on Sept l."
Conductors Mistakes.
'T notice. said an auditor of one of the
Indianapolis lines, that recent issue Of
the Journal said that spoilers We're work
ing our road, and at the reading 1 could not
help but smile. spotter has not been on
our line since the present general manager
was at the head of affairs, and he was sur
prised that passenger conductors so readily
announced that spoilers were working their
trains, as it places the conductor himself in
an unenviable light and practically brands
any conductor who chances TO be dis
missed within few weeks as having been
dismissed for dishonesty. I certainly should
know the reason of the dismissal of any
conductor on our road, and the conductor
also knows the reason, although he may
deny it, and what surprises me most is
that the conductor does not give the rea-
son rather than have the impression go
out that he is dishonest. Out of eleven con-
ductorS who have been discharged in the
last two years our lines but one was
discharged for using the company's money.
The other dismissals were for entirely dir
ferent reasons the disobeying of some rule
Obeys a rule, unless it is shown to be gross
or intentional negligence is not discharged
for the first offense, and often, if he is 1t
good man, not for the second ofenSe, unless
the interests of the company are greatly
jeopardized by his retention. l know that
on other Indianapolis lines than ours the
officials dislike to discharge an old employe
unless it becomes apparent that he has lost
sight of the interests of the company 1t is
to be regretted that the impression almost
invariably follows the discharge of a con-
ductOr that he is dishonest, when, at the
present time, there are but few who are
dishonest, and, in fact, the diverting of
cash fares is rather difficult undertaking.
Who VIII Get the Union Pacifics
Oct. l has been fixed upon as the date
for selling the roads which now constitute
the Union Pacific system. The main line
will be sold at Omaha and the Kansas Pa
cifc at Topeka. An impression has pre-
vailed that the sale would be a spiritless
affair. but it has developed that there viii
be at least three bidders, either of which
syndicates is a powerful one financially
and in the control of other important rail-
way lines. The first and most prominent
bidders will be the Pierpont Morgan syndi-
cate, which holds the first mortgage and
$SOOO,OOO stock of the Oregon Short-line.
controlling interest This great combination
of capital is expected to make a spirited
effort to get the property. If successful,
w.
dent of the new company. Another syndi-
cate, represented by Winslow S. Pierce, of
New York, is in the field and has declared
it's intention of bidding for the road The
plan of this corporation contemplates a
through line from ocean to ocean by com
bining with the Vanderbilts and New York
Central and Central Pacific. Another syn
dictate, which is said to be of formidable
proportions, is said to have been organized
in San Francisco and represents the Hun
tington interests. They hope to secure the
line from Omaha to Ogden, but do not care
for the Kansas branch. 1t is not yet clear
whether the court will allow the two lines
to be sold separately, though the preSump-
ton is that it will be sold any way the
bidders desire it.
An Old Law Point Again.
A case has been filed in the Appellate
Court of Illinois raising a question of law
as to how far a railroad company can limit
it's common-law liability a common car
rier by private contract The case arises in
a suit against the Big -Four, which offered
in defense this provision:
''In the event of any unusual delay or de-
teption of said live stock, caused by the
negligence of said carrier or its employees,
or its connecting carriers or their employees
or otherwise, the said shipper agrees to
accept as full compensation for all loss or
damage sustained thereby the amount ac-
tualy expended by said shipper in the pur-
chase of food and water for the said stock
while SO detained"
The Circuit Court, however, gave the fol-
lowing instructions to the jury: "A common
carrier cannot contract for exemption from
liability for failure on it's part or that of
it's servants to exercise ordinary care in
the transportation of its business. The
plaintiffs may, independent of such CON.
tract bring an action against the defendant
for damages resulting from the negligence
OF defendant in not performing its duty as
a common carrier" The Jury found for
Nl,a la