The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-09
IN RAILROAD CIRCLES
The Northern Pacific Will Re-
duce It's Rates.
FROM FIVE TO FOUR CENTS
Il VIII Take Place the First OF Novem-
Der The Reduction IL Made VOL
untarily- Transcontinenta
Trafnc.

The Northern Pacific Railway COM
pany will. on the first of November. re-
duce passenger rates in Montana from
five to four cents a mile. This impor-
tant announcement was received yes
terday by General Agent Merriman
from General Passenger Agent Fee.
The generous reduction is made by the
Northern Pacific voluntarily and with
out pressure or request from any
source. and will be appreciated by the
people Of Montana. 1t comes as an
agreeable surprise, for as a general
thing railroad companies do not make
such important concessions to the peo-
pie unless forced to do so. and when
a railroad corporation, Of its own free
will. inaugurates a cheaper permanent
passenger rate. the action In so marked
that IL must attract unusual attention.
The intention of the Northern Pacific
to reduce It's rates in this state one
cent a mile is evidence that there are
some corporations that are not entirely
soulless. The voluntary reduction was
especially unexpected for the reason
that operation Is much more expensive
through Montana than in any other
state along the Northern Pacific system
on accoun of the mountainous country
and heavy grades.
A similar reduction of one cent a
mile. from Ave to -four cents, is also
announced for the state of Washing
ton.
Two big meetings which were to la
been held in New York next week.
and which were expected to nave very
important bearing on the transconti-
mental traffic situation. have been
called Off. One of these was to have
been of passenger men on Oct. II, the
other of freight men on oct. 10.
The general reason given for the post
ponement of the meetings Is that 1t Is
deemed ine~xpedient to ~reorganize the
transcontinental organizations while
the case of the Joint Traffic associa-
ton is still pending in h supreme
court OF the United States. The fate
of all traffic o~rganizations In this coun-
try is conceded to hang upon this case.
II alone, Of all the organizations OF the
country having to do with the govern
ment Of traffic. freight or passenger.
refused to dissolve when the supreme
court decided. in the case of the trans
Missouri Freight association, that all
organizations having for their object
the government of rates or the distri-
button of traffic were Illegal. Having
behind IL a decision of "A lower federal
court ruling that IL is not in violation
of law, the Joint Traffic association
contented itself with carrying its case
to the highest tribunal. Its agreement
contains all that railroad men think
necessary for complete m successful
control of traffic, and II IL is sustained
by the supreme court, the ~transconti-
mental compacts will be based upon il.
There Is another reason for the post
tannnf.Anf 81 tho nnaaanonR raaaflnO
however. and one which few railroad
men know. Don after the Canadian
Pacific had agreed to abide by the de-
cision Of the interstate commerce COM
mission to the effect that IL was not
entitled to a passenger differential "A
meeting OF interested American lines
was held In New York. Present at that
session were the transatlantic steam
ship companies. The Canadian Pacific
had been expelled from the steamship
agreement-which requires the steam
ship companies TO route all immigrant
business over lines associated with them
in the comprehension the Klondike
rate war was hottest. This agreement
was reiterated at that session. Urgent
messages were sent to Passenger Traf-
fic Agent McNicoll of the Canadian Pa
cifc asking him to attend the meeting
and subscribe 10 the agreement. i'm or
W NldA Z 'hAldANA'AiS lAlAHAA Nv
reinstated. But Mr.. McNicoll did not
attend. and the agreement was reaf-
firmed without his signature. Later.
when he attempted To get some immi-
grant business. he found that the
steamship companies refused to give IL
to him. He at once set up the claim
that the American lines were boycott
ting his road. and refused to attend any
meeting held by them until that boy
anft ShntIlH hA FananNan Tho nrnnnGan
New York meeting of passenger men
could be of little value unless the Ca
madam Pacific was represented. Hence
II has been called of.
The freight meeting also waits upon
the decision of a board OF arbitration
appointed to consider the disagreement
between the American lines and the Ca
madam Pacific over direrentials.
Great interest has been aroused
among railroad men by an innovation
in the lighting OF railway trains by
electricity. The new method is likely
completely tn revoluuonize the systems
now employed. Instead of using a dy-
namo in the baggage al to supply the
train with lights. electricians propose
as already announced. TO evolve enough
electricity from the friction Of the car
axles to illuminate each car independ-
emily. The New York Central railroad
as an experiment has one car in service
which is lighted by the electricity gem
Grated from the axles, M the Penn
sylvania railroad has a number of its
cars fitted out with the new appliance.
In the West several roads are prepar-
ing TO accept the new system entirely.
The SAINT Fe q has a a
ments to light all the cars of its limited
rains running between Chicago and
Los Angeles, a distance Of Zoos miles,
with car wheel electricity. The cleo
tric equipment OF a train will ag-
gregate t.s2s candle-power. and each
berth will be provided with the light.
This will be the first train In the world
carrying such a large supply Of light
service obtained exclusively from he
car axles. II IL the intention also To
light the locomotive headlight by The
same system. thus making the four linz