The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-08
Low Rates for merchants.


The roads of the Western Passenger AS
sociation have decided that they will grant
rates of one and third fare for merchants
who desire to visit other cities for the pur-
pose of purchasing goods. The rates will
be made on the certificate plan and there
must be at least one hundred applications
for the rate before it will be allowed to
any town. Full fare will be charged for the
trip to the point of destination and one
third fare for the return. This was settled
at the meeting in Chicago yesterday of the
Wholesale merchants of Chicago and rep
resentatives of the roads in the association.
The Chicago merchants desired that the
roads make the rates for them, but this the
roads refused absolutely to do unless 1t was
made to every point in the territory OF the
association where the merchants chOSe TO
organize and apply for the low rate. Any
place the territory of the Western Pas
senger Association, no matter of what size
it may be- can have rates of one and
third if it's merchants will show that one
hundred tickets will be taken at the rate
made by the roads. There was great reluc-
lance on the part of the roads to make the
rates at all, but the pressure brought to
bear on them was very heavy and they
finally concluded to give the matter a trial,
but many of them did not favor making
the rate if there was any way out or It.
The selling dates will be limited TO two
DAYS in August and two in September but
have not been definitely settled on as yet.
Return limits of fifteen days will be al
lowed tickets bought In the lTdllSIlS-
souri, territory of the ASSOCIATION ana ten
days from the Eastern committee territory.
A dispatch from New York says: The
members of the board of directors OF the
Merchants Association are enthusiastic
over the outlook for the fall trade as shown
in reports received of the progress or the
work undertaken by the organization. A
meeting of the board was held to-day.
Through the efforts of the association the
trunk lines have agreed to sell tickets 10
merchants throughout the country desiring
TO visit New York at the rate or a rare
and a third. In order that as many merc
chants as possible may take advantage of
coming to the metropolis to make their pur-
chases, the association has EXTENDED the
privilege of nonresident membership TO
over l25 900 merchants in all parts OF the
county and over $500 acceptances nave al
ready been received Speaking OF the re-
Spouse received TO the circulars mailed 10
country merchants John c. Joining, the
first vice president of the ASSOCIATION, sald:
Probably 1900 of these 2,5OO merchants
have been in the habit of going to Ghlcago,
ST Louis or other cities in the west 10
make their purchases. thousands or other
acceptances will be received and the result
of this great influx of buyers Will De an eX-
traordinary revival of trade in this city
The Observation-Disclosures Row.
Mention was made recently that trouble
was apprehended over the Wabash putting
on a line of free reclining-chair cars be-
tween Chicago and Buffalo. At the last
meeting of the joint passenger committee,
which is made up of representatives or the
Central Passenger Association and Trunk
line roads. it's competitors took decided ex-
ception to this innovation, which is con-
trary to custom and the implied agree
ment and the committee ordered the Wa
bash 10 discontinue the running OF these re-
clining-chair cars. The Wabash road, now
ever has paid no attention to the matter;
and the question is now before the poaru
of managers of the Joint Traffic Assocla-
ton for action. On the roads running be-
tween Chicago and New YORK some hlhd
of an agreement seems to exist between
the railroad companies and the wagner
and Pullman Sleeping Car Companies, that
none of the roads shall run char cars, put
rather give the sleeping car companies a
monopoly of all the business that can De
forced into their cars. West or Cnlcago
all the roads run reclining chalrs; ana t4S e
are also to be found on the trains TO the
Northwest and to the South. The REFUSAL
OF the wabash road to comply with the
order of the Joint Passenger committee
will undoubtedly lead to a serious row, I'M
less that company agrees to withdraw the
obnoxious cars
The New Pool on Emigrnnt business.
AS a result of a series of conferences an
important combination has been formed by
the principal transatlantic steamship lines
and the principal Western railroad lines
for maintenance of through rates for steer
age passengers between points in Great
Britain and the West. The lines that have
entered into the compact are the Cunard,
White Star, American, Anchor and several
other smaller lines. The railroads in the
arrangement are the members OF the West
ern PASSENGER Association, including the
Canadian Pacific. but excluding the Wis
consln Central which refused TO join The
Allan and Dominion steamship lines also
refused TO become member of this new
body, which is called the Steamship Agents
Association. Some time ago committee
was appointed by the steamship people TO
endeavor TO stop the slaughter by agents
in immigrant fares and the large commits
sions paid by Western roads to agents sell
ing tickets to intending immigrants. one
OF the rules Of the new association is that
any agent selling the ticket of a refrac-
tory or rate-cutting line will be subject
to a fine of 800 in each instance and pos
sible disqualification. which would mean
that all the tickets o. both railroad and
steamship pools would be withdrawn from
him. The principal agents of the West
have signed the agreement
Steamship ana Railway War.
The rate war between the Mallory line