The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-16
PASSENGER MEN IN SESSION
SCALPERS AND MILEAGE BOOKS
BEING DISCUSSED. Is


Savannah Railroad Men at the
Washington Conference.-The Anti
ScaIping Bill in Congress Said to
BE the Purpose of the Meeting
Local ScaIpers Well Loaded with
Georgia and Florida MiIepge
Books.
The American Association of General
Passenger and Ticket Agents viii meet in
Washington to-day. 1t is understood. that
the conference was called in anticipation
of the consideration by Congress of the
anti-scalping bills.
While it is said this was the principal OBJ
ject of the conference, still there are other
important matters to come before it. The
annual meeting of the association takes
place in March, and the fact that a special
conference was called at this time indi-
Gates that the matter to be considered are
Of importance to the railroads.
Among the Savannah officials now in
Washington, and who will be present at
the conference, are Col. Beverly w.
Wrenn, passenger traffic manager of the
Plant System; Mr.. ]. c. Halle, general
passenger agent of the Central Railroad
and possibly Col. A. Pope, general passen-
ger and freight agent of the Georgia and
Alabama. Besides these officials there are
several others from Savannah now in
Washington who are attending the meet
ing of the Southeastern Passenger Asso-
citation, which probably concluded It's BUSH
ness yesterday. Mr.. II. G. McFadden, as
sistant general passenger agent of the
Plant System, and Mr.. William A Win
burn, general freight agent of the Central
Railroad are among the latter
The reason for the proposed withdrawal
OF mileage tickets in Georgia by the South
eastern Passenger Association may have
something TO do with the approaching
anti-scalping bills. 1t is a fact, however
that the brokers are handling the mile
age tickets in large numbers, and there
are Savannah scalpers now reported hold
, ing something like 10000 miles, which they
mold out for 3la cents per mile, notwith-
standing the standard rate on the main
lines in Georgia is cents. There is a
saving to the purchaser at this figure in
tickets over certain branches. The regular
rate from Savannah to Charleston via the
Charleston and Savannah Railroad, is
cents per mile, or $440 and the scaper
profits by his transaction. The scalpers
are handling the mileage tickets so extern
slVely in this state, however, that the
roads are said to have taken the matter
up with view to their withdrawal because
nothing short of that seemed to offer any
present relief
The withdrawal of mileage tickets in
Florida is said to have been for the same
reason. The scalperS had a bonanza in
the way of mileage books ard especially
on the branch roads. The standard rate
over the Florida East Coast line is 4
cents, while over some Of the branches
of the Plant System and Florida Central
and Peninsular roads, it is 4 and cents.
BY disposing of the books, costing original
purchasers az cents per mile at the 81
cent rate, the scalpers made more than
the roads did, as the standard rate over
the main line is 8 cents. If the argument
were put forward by the railroads. there
fore, that the scalping traffic was so
great in Georgia and Florida as TO neces-
state the absolute withdrawal of this
class of tickets, it is claimed that it
might be effective with those having
the anti-scalping bills in hand
The arguments have been long drawn
out by both the roads and scalpers The
claim in brief of the scaIpers is that the
purchaser of a railroad ticket has the
right 10 dispose of il as he sees fit and
that legislation prohibiting it would be an
infringement on personal rights. The
roads claim the traffic is Illegal ana gives
undue advantage. All purchasers of mile.
age and other reduced rate tickets. sign
an agreement on the back of them not 10
transfer the ticket.
The traffic really looks unfair for the
railroads, said business man in dis
cussing the subject Should l sell n
large quantity Of goods in my store al
low rate and supulate they are 10 be
handled in certain locality
and the purchaser handles the
goods at another point. which
/ did not contemplate in making
the sale, should not consider the trans
action exactly fair"