The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-19
WAR HAS BEGUN.
Canadian Pacific Cuts the Rates In
Two.


The Canadian Pacific did its work
yesterday and, according to the dis
patches, exploded a bombshel among
the American lines by announcing q
Wholesale reduction in rates The cuts
affect business in two directions and
will have an effect here. because the
business is transcontinental- In the
first place the rates from all New Eng
land points TO Minneapolis and st.
Paul are slaughtered. and again, New
England points and points in the state
of New York have had a blanket rate
applied so far as all business to North
ern Pacific coast points is cor cerned.
The dispatches announce that trans
continental rates are almost cut il eW'.
The present rate from the Atlantic
seaboard to the north Pacific coast are
1885 first and S67.40 second class To-
day the Canadian line will make these
rates from all points in New England
and New York $40 first class and $50
second class. Rates to St. BaU viii be
cut from 500. 80 first class and S2S.5O sec
ond class to $40 first class and $40 sec
ond class.
When the news of this action was
learned, the Grand Trunk at once asked
the Chicago lines to join it in meeting
these rates via Chicago. These roads
have been importuning the Grand
Trunk for months TO join with them in
meeting Canadian Pacific rates. little
thinking that as soon as such an agree
ment was effected, the Canadian Pacific
at one slash would work such sad havoc
with their revenues. If they agree to
the Grand Trunks request, it will mean
the immediate reduction of the fares
from Chicago to North Pacific points,
from $3.50 first class and $5l50 second
class to $40 first class and $50 second
class.
Doubtless the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern are as anxious as
the Grand Trunk that the Chicago
roads hould join in meeting the rates.
A special meeting Of the Interested
lines has been called for today.
Immediate action will have to be
taken, because Klondike business is in
creasi-g at Il rapid rate. Should the
Canadian rates he not met. il IS feared
the result viii be the loss OF all the
New England traffic by the American
lines. Should the cut be made, it is
rot certain but that the Canada line
VIII meet It with another. The condi-
ton IS a seriOus one for the railroads,
and means many thousands of dollars
to them
Dispatches from Buffalo announce
that serious cutting is anticipated. and
that further reductions are looked for
I
Buffalo and surrounding territory to
Vancouver has been cut to $40 first
class. ana $50 second class, which
means a slash of S24.5O first-class, and
$26 second class, one of the greatest re-
auctions known in the history of rail
reading.
Local passenger men say that moth
ing has been done here, and that no
action win be taken until after the
meeting today. Then something may
happen. OF course the transcOntinental
roads are all affected, and the Union
Pacific and Colorado lines Will all strive
to get their share of the business. They
have advertised extensively. and want
10 get all the traffic they can.
The results of today's meeting viii
be awaited by all concerned. 1t is fear
ed the Canadian Pacific will make
trouble by the announcement that the
rate applies in both directions, and if
this is true, then a general slashi1g
may be looked for. for the American
lines, and especially the northern lines,
will have to meet all cuts in order TO
get business.
The Short Line. o. r. & N, Union Pa
cific and Colorado lines will all be in
it for whirl, and when the end will
come no man can tell. 1t is Indeed a
grave situation which confronts the
traffic managers, and they fully real
ize it.