The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-03

They are prohibited from having in their
agreement any provision calling for a pen
atty for the cutting of rates, but hereafter
IL any road is caught violating the code
of good morals, which in this particular
instance is construed 10 mean the keeping
of rates. the other roads will tell on
them. The terrors of the Interstate-com-
merce Commission are TO be held over the
heads OF possible offenders, and when a
road is caught the others will make it
interesting before the commission for the
deiinquent. Ii is thought that In this way
rates can be better maintained than by
the enforcement of a penalty clause in the
agreement.
Good Conductors.
L. a. Hewitt, general auditor of the Big
tour lines, was in the city yesterday. AS
he mas been criticised because of the dis
missal of some of the passenger conductors
in the last few months, Mr.. Hewitt was
asked If there was any ground for allega-
ions OF injustice. He said: Not the least.
Two years ago / adopted an entirely diff
ferent method of ferreting out any dishon-
esty or irregularities on the part of persons
in the employ of the Big Four who handled
the companyis money. and L think to-day
NS ~ 4er'pOA6Nl OOliuuOlOiS VII TIE INES
will show the cleanest record, as a rule.
Tor honesty, than can be found on any road
in the United States. Until the new plan
was adopted it was the practice, every two
or three years, to put spoilers on the trains.
and as a result often twenty or thirty con-
ductors would be dismissed. The dismis-
sails were always followed by allegations
that the conductors were not treated fairly.
Two years ago L informed every conductor
what expected from him in the returning
OF cash fares they collected and in making
their reports, and no man has been dis
charged whOm'I am not ready to face at
any time and show that he was fairly treat
edo the conductors knew the method of
looking after their reports of cash fares and
the returns. and when there was any ir-
regularity shown l have called the con-
ductor in and shown him where il was. This
was followed by a reprimand and instruc-
tons to comply with the rules, and the man
would be given another trial. In some
cases L have had a conductor a second time
in my office, talked plainly to him and put
him back on his train, but when | became
convinced that a conductor or any person
who handles the money of the company has
determined TO ignore the rules in the matter
OF returning cash, L then ask the proper
official 10 discharge him without further
ceremony. / do not believe in afterward
giving a man "a freight train and allowing
him to work up to passenger conductor
again. because the chances are that he will,
on getting a passenger train, go back 10 his
DC dDl( lttl very lIhu IhdN Ct lIC
present time we have an honest let of con-
ductors, who are interested in the welfare
of the road and disposed to carry out the
rules of the company; still. under my plan
ii would be impossible for a conductor TO
long disobey the rules regarding the collec-
ton and return of fares without detec-
ton
In this connection he mentioned the fact
tina a Pinkerton detective had been called
upon to travel over the Big -Four, and,
while not employed by the company, he
took enough interest i'm detective work 10
watch matters on trains he CHANGED to be
riding on, and to n Big Four official he SAID
that their lines would furnish but little cap
itaI to "a detective. as the conductor on
every train on which he rode exercised the
greatest care to see that in case a caSh fare
was collected the amount was correctly re-
ported. The reports of the detective were
comDared with those of the conductors. ana
in every item found 70 exactly correspond.
Excess Baggage.
Under the new rules which agents have
received 80 pounds of baggage may be
checked free on each whole ticket and sew
enty-five pounds on each half ticket. Bag
gage weighing in excess of the free allow
ance shall he subject to a charge of II per
cent. of the highest frst-class limited pas
senger fare via direct route, and when no
limited fares are shown u per cent. of the
unlimited fare via such route except that
this shall not apply to baggage checked
through to Pacific coast points. charges on
excess baggage to- points on or VIA me
Southern Pacific system west or Oguen, FL
Paso. Deming. Los Angeles. MoJave or
Portland will be made by taking IL per
cent. of a rate made by adding. TO the rate
to Kansas City the rate from mat point 10
destination for a. t~hirty-day ticket as shown
in Central Passenger Association extension
rate sheet, sufficient being added 10 MAKE
the rate end in 0 or ); for instance, the rate
for thirty-day ticket from Kansas City TO
San Francisco is $50: II rate from a STATION
to kansas City is $3.50. the through rate
would be $3.50: Il per cent. OF TINS Woulu
he 90 Is. adding 2 cents to make baggage
rate of 1920 per one hundred pounds. The
rate from Kansas City 10 Monterey Is 900.
makes through rate $3.50. II per cent. of
which is 1914, / cent being added to make
baggage rate $685.. No charge for excess
baggage shall be less than % cents. NO
single niece of baggage Weighing more tnan
25O pounds shall be checked as baggage
Proposed Traffic Alliance.
An important conference of Oregon Short
line and Union Pacific general oflcers was
held at Cheyenne, Wyo.. Thursday night TO
cor slider and discuss the traffic and pas
senger alliance between the lines when II
has been expected would be erected ever
since the segregation. The Oregon Shore
line party was composed of General Man
ager w. H.. Bancroft, General Attorney 4.
l.. Williams, General Passenger Agent ,.
f. Burley. General Traffic Manager w. r..
Gees and Auditor F. w. Hills; In the
Union Pacific party were General manager
Dickinson. General Solicitor w. r. Kelley,
General Passenger Agent t. H. LoTnax.
Traffic Manager Wood and Auditor EraStuS
Young. In answer to inquiries MI, ban
croft said that general plans lor perlectunS
a ira f6c arrangement had been agreed on
and the two lines would MAINTAIN very
close and harmonious relatlohs' IeheIdi
Manager Dickinson said the meeting was
merely a preliminary conference 10 DISCUSS
matters of mutual interest in relation 10
the freight and passenger service OF the
two lines. From another member OF the
marty Ii was learned that q close trainc
arrangement had been agreed on, winch
nracticaIlv makes the two lines one great
iranscontinental system so tar as business
10 concerned. Another conference Will be
held i'm Salt Lake i'm about two weeks.
New Passenger Agreement.
The general passenger agents OF the
Western roads met in Chicago yesterday
IN formulate an agreement under which the
western Passenger Association Will be con-
ducted hereafter. The new agreement will
he similar to the old. with the exception
that it will omit all reference TO rates or
the maintenance of rates. The department
work that has fallen on the association will
be continued and the clergy bureau ana the
mileage bureau will be Kept IN erect as
heretofore. The entire agreement viii be Ia
line with recommendations made some days
ago by the passenger agents 10 the eNecu-
tive officers and which the latter approved
Thursday. The agreement viii not be put
into effect until after the legal departments
of the roads have been given an oppor-
may be likely to bring the roads into con-
Aict with the recent Supreme Court de-