The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-13
RATE WAR STILL RAGING.
CHEAPER To TRAVEL THAN To
STAY At HOME
Eastbound Travel Almost a. Large
as Westb0und - For SO q Man
= Can Journey 10 81. Paul. and Si5
More VIII Land Him in New York.

The railroad rate war has almost reach
ed that stage when it's cheaper 10 travel
than to stay at home. For $40 man can
take flyer 20 81. Paul. and for SIS more
he can set foot on Manhattan island, IN
the midst OF Gotham.
Chicago is easy at $50, and for so one
can stand in Omaha and look across the
muddy and turbulent waters of ice Mis-
souri,.
East-bound travel just now is almost as
large as that West-bound. The railroads
have one consolation in the war of rates.
and this Hes in the fact that the heavy
equipment needed for Klondike travel.
West-oound, can be utilized going East
to some advantage If not at profit.
Railroad men are recalling the prolonged
and bitter rate war between the Northern
Pacific and the Canadian Pacific in the
late winter and early spring of 1881. At
that time the Great Northern was not
built, and the Oregon Railroad & Navi-
CATION had not entered the Sound terri
tory. A fight was waged against the Brit
ish line both from Portland and San
Francisco Rates were not as low as they
are at present although agents We're au-
thor-zed TO sell tickets TO Mississippi river
points for $40 over the Canadian Pacific.
As matter OF fact, this point was never
reached.
In the memory of the oldest passenger
agents on the Pacific coast north of San
Francisco. rates are today lower than ever
before. How long they will continue. OF
course is a matter of conjecture. In New
York on Tuesday the Transeontinental
Association will get together in another
endeavor to bring the war to an end. The
Canadian Pacific railroad, Il is stated by
well posted railroad men, has agreed 10
participate in the meeting. This is re-
garded as an evidence or the part of the
Canadian line of n desire to make peace
with its American competitors.
1t is whispered in railroad circles that
Sir William Van Horne. president of the
Canadian Pacific, has served emphatic
and positive notice on the passenger de-
partment OF the road that he is tired of
the profitless rate cutting. All of the
lines have, as a matter of fact, keenly
felt the loss of revenue. From the begin
ming the American lines have had the best
of the argument. however and have pre-
sented j sold front against common
enemy.
In the meantime. while the railroads are
indulsing in a profit-killing controversy.
the general public smiles and proceeds to
buy tickets for the East At all of the
railroad offices in the city business is
brisk. Eastbound passengers are OF all
types and conditions N life. An hour
spent in one of the principal offices In the
city yesterday was interesting In the OPP
portunity 1t afforded for observing the
number and kind OF people who during the
day inquire for tickets to the East
One old man. bent under the accumula-
tion Of years d:ckered for twenty minutes
for a ticket to Chicago, and when he
finally left with the little strip of printed
card board in his hand he appeared to be
more than satisfied with his bargain.
That man has been coming in here every
month for the last three years asking for
rates to Chicago" said the clerk behind
the counter. II have often guessed
whether It was lack of money or because
he did not want 10 pay the price that
caused him to go away each time with
out buying a ticket At last he found
that rates were low enough to suit him.
sold him a second-class ticket TO Chi
cago for $3.50. and he viii go back TO see
his folks at home. If he has ANY left at
less cost than he will prohab,ysee in years
to come
The man who goes to Alaska, leaving
behind him wife and children, has found
the rate war thing to be priced The
Kiondke widow is common patron of
other relatives reside i'm some of the East
ern states are great buyers Of the cut
rate tickets. Whether IL il because the
average woman is constitutlonaliy in quest
of the bargain counter, or that she simply
sees an opportunity 10 save money by do
ing her travelling now. Il is hard to say
ne fact remains that Il large percentage
of the eastbound travellers Just now are
women. \ reason for this may be found
In the disposition of some OF the gold
hunters 10 send their better halves back
to 'the old folks at home" where they
will be we'll cared for
Bridal couples. mpelled by a desire to
spend the honeymoon in the East. are not
infrequent purchasers OF cut rate tickets
The other extreme IS reached. too when
man comes in and buys a first-cass
ticket for some relative or friend who has
died. and whose last wish was 10 have
his corpse sent back to rest I'm the old
family burying ground a home
The man who has not seen his folks for
years appears in great numbers in these
days at the railroad Offices Many of
them came to the Sound in the halcyon
days Of 1881 and have never been back
| To Kansas or Nebraska since.
The other day an elderly lady, attired
In widows weeds. whose freshness was
worn away years ago. went into one OF
| the ticket Offices and asked for a ticket to
a small town in New Jersey IT came TO
the Coast twenty years ago." she said
and l think I'll just go back home 10
visit the only brother | have in the world
! He is older than l. and perhaps If do
not see him soon | never will again. NV
oldest boy has gone 70 Alaska and pa
was buried ten years ago. It's lonesome
/ y. g..