The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-12
FAST FREIGHT SERVICE
EXPRESS COMPANIES FEEL THE IN
ROADS ON THEIR BUSINESS.
Passenger Officials Disturbed over the
stand Receiver FELTON, Takes ON
the Mileage Question.

Much is heard" said a general agent of
the Merchants Despatch Transportation
Company about the electric lines cutting
into the business of the railways, espe-
clalIy suburban business but that is a
trifiing matter compared with the fast
freight lines cutting into the business of
the express companies" He cited several
cases where goods had been shipped by fast
freight from New York to Indianapolis and
were ready for delivery here as soon as
freight shipped by the express companies.
Invariably, freight shipped from the sea-
board west in the evening of one day is in
indianapolis on the second morning. This
led to further inquiry, and it was found
that the express companies were fully as
much affected in their business on shorter
distances. Between Cincinnati and Chicago.
Cincinnati and st. Louis freight shipped in
the afternoon is in the cities named the
next morning before the business hours of
the merchants, and for shorter distances,
as between Indianapolis and Chicago, and
Indianapolis and st. Louis, even a better
showing is made in favor of the fast-freight
service, and as the fast-freight service is
being extended all over the country, the
lnroads on the business of the express
companies is steadily on the increase. 1t
mas become evident that the express com
panles will be obliged to increase their tariff
on package freights and money packages
BESIDES the trouble mentioned. the expenses
Vi the express companies are increasing
especially IN the way of taxes, almost every
STATE having of late, increased the tax on
these companies. Speaking of this one of
tne local express agents said: I'VE will be
opIged TO raise our tariff to keep up our
present facilities for doing business as
operating expenses have been reduced to
the lowest ngure through the various com
panieS which have been introduced i'm late
years, and there is no class of men who do
as much work for the wages they receive
as the express men in any department" He
was confident that inquiry would bear out
TINS assertion. The average messenger who
handles large sums Of money daily is on
duty twelve to fourteen hours. and the
pay ranges from $50 to SIS per month There
Is one feature with the express companies
that is worthy of note. They pay their en-
any other corporations in the country.
Otten messenger or an employee at a
terminal nina gets his money, on the 2Sth, 29th
or 30th OF the month, and invariably on the
last day OF the month, for his months
work and this has been the practice from
the Inauguration Of the express business.
Receiver FeIton's Attitude.
In passenger circles the opinion prevails
that other roads in the hands Of receivers
will, in the next day or two, be notified that
their mileage will not be accepted on the
Cincinnati Hamilton & Dayton, the Monon,
the Big -Four and several other roads, so
great is the fight among general passenger
agents over the refusal of Receiver FELTON,,
of the Columbus, Sandusky &c Hooking Val
ley, to redeem the mileage when presented.
1t has been charged that the Columbus 6,
Hooking Valley and the Toledo & Ohio Cen
trail have been raising funds by selling
mileage books at SIS TO $40 instead of 500. A
columbus paper says. that one OF the first
moves made by Receiver FELTON, when TAX
ing charge of the Columbus, Sandusky q
Hooking Valley was to find out to whom q
vast number of mileage books had been
issued, since it is reported that nearly $50,
000 worth of mileage books have been placed
on the market in the past few weeks by
the former management in order to raise
money for the road. The receiver now is
giving instructions to roads which have
been represented on the book that he will
refuse to honor orders for mileage from
these lines unless it was shown that the
books from which the mileage was taken
are in the hands Of original purchasers.
The effect of such an order would be for
purchasers of mileage to throw it back on
the broker when certain lines refuse to
accept the book on their trains and then
let the broker hold the bag. If caught with
mileage tickets on his hands. 1t is under
stood that the Big Four within the past
few days presented a draft on the c., S. &
H. for 80, 900 for mileage coupons and on in
struction from the receiver to pay no bills
payment was refused and the draft went
to protest. The Big -Four, Baltimore u
Ohio, Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern, Gin
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and the Monon
have decided to refuse to accept G., ). u Il
mileage under the circumstances and 1t is
certain that other lines will soon follow.
The situation was so serious that other
complications may follow If debts of the
former management are repudlated by the
new receiver, but he seems to know what
he is about
The investigation a. Failure.
At the end of seven days investigation
of the alleged cutting of grain rates at
Chicago the Interstate-commerce Com
mission yesterday practically acknowledges
it's failure to secure any evidence and ad-
journed to date not fixed. I'VE have not
abandoned the inquiry" said Chairman
Morrison 1--WE will take it up again in
the near future. There are number of
witnesses who have eluded the ofi1cers and
whom we propose to have before us before
we quit" Mr.. Morrison declined to give
any opinion ON the probable issue of the
investigation; The commission WAS dlSapc
pointed in the evidence OF the Board of
Trade men, whose public statements of
two or three months ago gave rise to the
inquiry. Not a single one of the board
men was able to point out violation of
rates 1t was expected to prove that the
export rate was used as a device to carry
grain to the East for domestic purposes
but one and all of the railroad men in
sisted that all export grain was exported
A number of Board of Trade ana elevator
men were examined by the commission yes
terday. None of them, however, was able
to give any evidence showing violation of
the law. Chairman Morrison then notified
the attorneys of the various roads that no
further examinations would be held at
present but that ten days notice would be
given when the inquiry was to be resumed
Rates DemOralized.
The demoralizati ton in passenger rates
from ST Paul has spread to the East, and
two of the Joint Traffic Association lines
yesterday sold low rate, round-trip tickets
in spite of the strict orders of the mana
gers of the association not to DO so. The
Chicago q Northwestern the Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy, the Wisconsin Central
the Chicago Great Western and the Omaha
roads began selling round-trlp tickets from
St. Paul and Minneapolis TO New York,
Boston and other Eastern points at rate
of $3050 that being the rate published by
announced Will be on sale until June IL
and will have a return limit or sept l.
Except those sold by the 500 line all read
through Chicago.
Personal. Local and General Notes.
Trains and 5, on the Wabash,s Eel River
division, will, beginning with sunday, run
daily.
NJ. e. ingalls,, president of the Big Four
has gone to New York TO be absent sew
eral days
On June 20 the Lake Eric & Western will
run excursions from all parts OF us sys-
tenn into indianapolis at low rates.
Deposit of Peoria, Decatur 81 Evansville
bonds under the plan of REORGANIZATION mas
been limited by the committee TO July l.
A circular announces that H. e. FELTON,