The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-10
UNREASONABLE AND UNJUST.
DEMANDS MADE OF THE RAIL
ROAD COMPANIES.

Asked to Garry Passengers From
Ogden TO San Francisco
For 81 80.
(San Francisco Post, March 9TH
When geography is against trafTle
it becomes, like any other problem,
very stubborn one The distance from
Chicago to San Francisco and from
Chicago to Seattle is approximately the
same, but the traveller, to Dyea IN going
to San Francisco is going $40 miles
out of his way. BY ocean, Seattle is
500 miles nearer to Dyea than san
Francisco. The difference in tirst-class
fare is S12. and the difference in sailing
time is three days Thus in coming 10
San Francisco from Chicago the pas
senger is infiicting upon himself eUo
miles additional distance, So additional
cost and three days additional time.
AT present the first-class rate
from Chicago to Seattle is -. $31 30
} The local rate to St. Paul, which
is inflexible, is .............. Ii %
This leaves the carrier from ST.
Paul to Portland and Seattle. 20 20
From this must be subtracted for
passenger agents commission. 90
Which leaves SO 90
Applying these rates to the Central
route, the result would be as follows:
Chicago to San Francisco ..... .S3l %
Chicago to Omaha, infexible rate IL DO
Balance .....2 20 90
7 g nT77T11
sion NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. W
Leaving net rate per passenger
from the Missouri River to san
francisco 90 w
Suppose these rates were given, upon
arriving at San Francisco the passen-
ger would be confronted with the addi-
tons already mentioned to wit: Twelve
dollars additional fare, three days adj
ditional time and 500 miles additional
distance.
On second class, the situation is much
worse. and it must be remembered that
70 per cent. of what is known as Klon-
dixie travel is second class.
The rate to-day from Chicago to
Seattle second class is .S21 80
From which must be subtracted
the inflexible rate from Chicago
to ST. Paul Of ............... II 80
Leaving Observation-Disclosures. 10 w
From which must be subtracted
the passenger agents commits
sion OF 10
Leaving net rate from St. Paul
TO Seattle ....-..... 81 ~
Apply this to the Central route and
it gives 50 second class from Omaha To
San Francisco. At this port. the sec
ond-class passenger encounters an ad-
dition of Sc in cost, three days addl-
tional time and 500 miles additional
distance.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Com
pany has refused to eliminate the diff
ferences herein above noted The com
pany claims-and with reason that
three days travel, with board and
lodging, for So first class and So sec
ond class, is scarcely compensation on
first-class passage it is 81 day, in
Guiding meals, lodging and passage,
and on second class it is 50 a day.
Be this as it may, the State Board OF
Trade was at one time in position to
offer the same rate from Chicago .
Dyea, provided the steamship company
would eliminate all differences. or carry
passengers from san Francisco to Dyea
for the same rate of passage obtaining
between Seattle and Dyea.
The steamship company makes the
same rate froSl Portland to Dyea as
from Seattle. though the distance from
the former place is 200 miles greater
Portland has been put upon an equal
ity with Seattle in this respect, great
~ to its advantage.
The merchants claim. and with some
show of justice, that the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company requires passen-
gers to change steamers at Seattle. and
to reship their freight. Answering this
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company
says that smaller steamers must be
used between Seattle and Dyea than
those available between San Francisco
and Seattle Geography cuts a figure
in this. The harbors OF Dyea ana
Skaguay are not adapted to larger
steamers. The inter-island channel is
narrow. tortuous and hazardous to
navigation. Geographical facts make It
economical for the steamship company
to run small steamers from Portland
and Seattle to Dyea and larger ones
from San Francisco to the two former
cities. This operates against the trade
of San Francisco. because. since the
passenger must land in Seattle, he. may
choose to outfit at the latter point. and
save the freight between san Francisco
and Seattle.
What a few Of the merchants and
some Of the press of san Francisco are
demanding Is that the rail carriers be-
tween Chicago and San Francisco shall
equalize the rate from Chicago to Dyea
via San Francisco in competition with
the rate offered between Chicago and
Dyea by way Of Seattle. As shown
above the net rate from the Missouri
River to San Francisco IS Sf5, first
class. If the rail carriers absorb the
difference Of So between san Francisco
and Dyea as against the rate charged
from Seattle to Dyea. the net remain
ing would be So from Omaha 20 san
Francisco. of which the Southern Pa
cific Company would receive 81 IS and
the Union Pacific 81 - The demand
therefore, that the rail carriers equalize
the rates from Chicago to Dyea by way
OF san Francisco with those charged
from Chicago by way OF Seattle in
wolves the making Of an open rate APP
pIicable 10 all passenger business be-
tween Chicago and san Francisco.
which as shown above would give the
Southern Pacific 81 IS a passenger on
all business carried between ogden and
san Francisco IT is readily obvious
that this would totally destroy the pas
senger business Of these roads.