The herald., 1897-04-02
NO RATE WAR LIKELY
UNDER AGREEMENT MADE BY
WESTERN ROADS
Each Road Issues Orders not to Cut
Rates Even IF the Other
Fellow Does
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
CHICAGO, April 1.-The agreement
regarding freight matters which was
practically adopted yesterday by the
Western roads was formally ratified by
the executive officers and is now in eff
feet The freight matters took up very
little time today. and the meeting then
turned its attention to passenger af-
fairs. The general passenger agents
some days since recommended that the
Western Passenger association be turn
ed, into a bureau of statistics and lnfor-
nation, and this recommendation was
adopted by the executive officers. The
clergy bureau and the mileage bureau
of the Western Passenger association
will be retained. The only change in
the working of the association is that it
will have hereafter nothing to do with
rates or their maintenance. There has
not been time in the last thirty years
when rates in the west, both freight and
passenger, were as well maintained as
at present. There is no rate cutting
among any of the standard lines, and
every precaution is being taken to pre-
unity with which the roads are keeping
up the rates is at first rather suggestive
of an agreement, but 1t is utterly i'm
possible to prove that any agreement
exists among the roads. Each of the
roads are in position to declare that it
has taken nothing but individual action.
and. more than that, 1t is in. a, position
to prove it's declaration. Each road has
for itself issued ord6s to contracting
agents, that under no circumstances
told them to refrain from any action
which might under the most strict In
depreciation appear to justify a COM
plant for cutting rates They have
been told that even If competitor
should cut rates they are not to meet the
reduction. If all the roads live up to
their instructions to agents there Will
tbe no chance whatever of any demorali-
zation in either the freight or passenger
business of the western roads.
OUT OF BUSINESS.
DENVER, Col, April 1-Chairman
Flynn of the Colorado Utah Passenger
association today issued a notice an
nouncing that the association is no long
er in existence, and its affairs will be
closed up at once.
INTEREST UNPAID.
NEW YORK. April 1.-Default has
been made on the April coupon. Wheel
ing and Lake Erie first mortgage bonds
of 1926, and a protective committee is
being formed for it in the interest OF the
bondholders.
A COLUMBIAN ROAD.
NEW YORK, April ii. F. Cisneros.
NJ. p. and H. B. Blum, commissioners
of the Columbian government to negoti-
ate the Caucarail railway question at
Washington. reached this city today on
board the steamer Allianca from Colon.
SANTA FEE CHANGES.
TOPEKA, Kan, April To-day c. NJ
Foulks resigned as general claim agent
of the Santa Fe, and w. J. Ryus was
Immediately appointed in his place.
SMURR'S ASSISTANT.
SAN FRANCISCO. April 1.-General
Freight Agent c. f. Smurr of the South
ern Pacific company has issued circu-
lar letter announcing the appointment
of c. II. Markham as district freight and
passenger agent, with headquarters at
Fresno. Mr.. Markham will have charge
of all the traffic of the company in the
San Joaquin valley or from Stockton,
Lathrop and Tracy on the north to Mo-
jave on the south. The Randsburg min
ing district is excluded from his juris-
diction and will be under Mr.. Shepard at
Los Angeles, because most of It's trade
is with that city Mr.. Markham has been
with the company about ten years and
for some time past has been agent at
Fresno under the title of district freight
agent. The company is perfecting the
traffic organization in the San Joaquin
valley, as a result of the competition of
the Valley railroad. and Mr.. Markham's
appointment is one Of the evidences of
that fact.