The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-11
PASSENGER FARES.
superintendent Lee Gives Some Ma
tcriul Facts and Figures.

Mr.. NJ. l.. Robbins. General Passenger and
Ticket Agent. Building.
Houston, Texas. January 80. lS97.Dear
Sir. In compliance with your request l
have written the following for your use
before the house committee on the proposed
reduction of passenger fares from 3 to 2
cents per mile:
| Gentlemen-Some fourteen years ago the
passenger rate was reduced, by enactment.
from TO cents per mile. against the pro-
testations Of the railways, although con-
elusive argument was advanced showing
that the business could not be conducted
on this basis, EXCEPT al loss.
| We come before you now with this ex-
nerlence before us. and can demonstrate
by actual hguros, that the position then
taken was correct, and that the revenue de-
rived from this source under the 3 cent
rate has never been adequate to meet the
expense directly chargcable TO this branch
of the service. yet we are told that the
people of Texas arc not satisfied, and are
clamoring for an arbitrary reduction to 9
cents per mile. Can this be possible when
We consider the permanent injury to the
vast interest involved? This magnificent
system of roads, stretching from the Gulf
of Mexico to Red river on the north and
from the Sabine TO the Rio Grande on the
west. and that has made and In making our
great State popuIous and nrosnero,,s No.
been built wholly Inv tbe no,c,, ~ 49,
than the citl2cns of Tevne ar1 /, "a h,.'''
per,nauently invested for our b,r',e, RI
iaCts should make the people and the 1ecis
!uture considerate in their treatment OF
railway properties and not level at them
their severest laws, as If there was enter
tained special resentment toward foreign
hold that IT Ia as much ,he rich, -, ,h
citizen who nuts bis p,nuo,, ,n,n II, ."e
propcrties ia enjoy and ,rrs,,, hi r,'.,
business subject only 10 ins, .'',' ',wt"'
ty for all wrongs he NAV cnnnr,t, ,,,,'.
as II is for a lawvor doc,ar ,, 'nJ' ~
farmer or mechanic ana when ,,,,, , '.'ian''
to say that he shall tnlko . cnnts ,,a, III
for TRANSPORTING nassenrnrs yo, 'e' n'''e
well say he shall dn ,ho v,ort ,r, 'n a.
short that Won have Tho rIpbt IN ah-,,,'. IN
destro, ne o,as ~ -, ~ SuSp'u'piy
attempt TO regulatc these rntes ',a,, yD''
basis do Won adjust vour chorros f,. , ",'".
rule are Won governed I'm r,ol,,n, mna'
lions? Is II In tho lirht az rvna,'io,,,,a =,
a reduction from 2 ~ . con,s ,,or III -
passengers the result of any kno,vloI,, o or
the subject or a thcory tb,t 49, ueV oi,
powerful for mischief hut ,y,,h ,u"I W an
to restore the broken fortunes =, az, ~
Of road saw in the lj,ht ~ ,o V''' in.ie
cXperience thot ther,. 10 rrt n ''a,S
State that can operato lts nssronsr ~ .'p
with profit. nj . cents nn,, n,Iie , ''.'nH'
persons may differ with mo I'm, ,ta,. ~,
not be found among those Who ha,,,, ".''
periencc Tho honest slnnortcrs ~ IN
measure can only In influenced IN. ~ a''e w.,
viction that tho roads AFRO r,ce,,ir,,
much for their nossengor .or,.t ms 70
this | declare. in unenulyornl ,err," INV w
no class of business hn. r,t1 A. 80 ~
the State so poorly. and maj on, -. -
ger trains. so far have becn nr,c,i.di, nsSu.'-
as a public convenience no tbo, ~ ,' run
trihuted nothing toward no,ins - ~, ~
and interest Of mr. rownas' ~ usp's
is true of the Houston ma trovas WA,
road piercing ms II docs Tho r,",,. "e'a,
most populous distric, n, tho So anu
emphasized as compared "a a''o, 10
make this declnration wi,bo,,, ton, ai'l l
NAL by any one at ali aco,,n,r,a |s'n ~ ue-
facts. VIZ" Tue
| invite YOUR attention "a p,a ,.,,..,
figures taken from o"r n',d to we iolloWlng
year ending June 20 iS sea- fron rep9 ports 10.