The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-17
THE WAR ON THE scALPERS.
COL WRENN BACK FROM THE
WASHINGTON CONFERENCE.

Thc Railroads UncCmprOmising I'm
Their Fight Against the Ticket
Brokers-The Situation as viewed
by the Passenger Men--The Making
of Tickets Which Cannot he Coun-
terfeitcd or Tamper red With.
Col. B. W. Wrenn. Passenger Traffic
Manager of the Plant System, returned to
Savannah yesterday after attending the
special meeting of the National Associa-
ton of General Passenger and Ticket
Agents at Washington
The principal object of the conference,
as previously stated in the Morning News,
was to consider the ticket scalpers' bills
now before Congress. and which are ex-
pected to come up at any time.
There was quite large meeting, proba-
bly, due to the fact that the scalper is in
all parts of the country and business
concerning his decapitation is of interest
to almost every line on which a locomo-
tive moves. Each year adds hundreds so
situated in the leading cities as to COM
mand business. The situation is becoming
one Of gravity to the railroads and no eff
fort is being spared to push the passage
of the bills now before Congress.
Among the first matters brought before
the meeting was the passage of resolu-
tons concerning the anti-scalping bills.
The resolutions set forth that inasmuch
as "the impression has been given out
that the passage of the anu-scalping bills
- <1,,Ixy Nv
few transportation lines of the country,
and as this meeting, comprising the Off
Gals directly in charge of the passenger
interests of the transportation lines, has
assembled in Washington D. c., this 14th
day of February, for the purpose of con-
sdering this subject we express our
earnest belief in the necessity for national
legislation on this question, and especially
urge upon our representatives in Congress
that immediate and favorable action be
taken upon this measure, which has our
unqualified Endorsement as being in the
interests of the general public as well as
the transportation lines" After unani-
nous adoption, copies of the resolutions
were sent the members of Congress
An official of the Southern Railway is
reported as saying that lin discussing the
resolutions it was thought by some of the
AllGllUCIS ttldl ltlGy SUOdlu ut iHOlS SGNGit
in expressing the feeling of the various
railroad companies on the subject of tick
ct scalping, but a large number believed
that more temperate resolutions, such as
the ones adopted, would be more dignified
and effectual The railroads are opposed
to the scalping of tickets because they
claim it prohibits them from issuing low
rate tickets for special occasions in cases
where they would gladly do So For a
I Il.
scaper, is to virtually to give him
mortgage on the company, which is bound
to be foreclosed."
President Turk appointed a committee
to agitate the anti-scalping measures and
to do everything possible in behalf of
pending legislation. 1t is also made the
! duty of the standing committees to use
their influence to get legislation passed
| in their respective states with the view
of stopping the 1scalping traffic. Mr.. J.
| c. Halle, general passenger agent of the
| Central Railroad, who attended the meet
ing from Savannah, was named as one of
a committee of three for the Southeastern
territory. Mr.. Haile's colleagues are Mr.
C. e. Hartman and Mr.. C. P. Atmore.
The meeting determined to adopt uni
form paper on which to print tickets. Just
what quality will be used is not known,
as that is question to come up at
later inG6IlnSt OF at any rate, II IS not
yet settled The Ticket Printers Associa-
ton made a report on the subject. The
next regular meeting will be at Detroit
Oct. IS.
What policy the committee appointed by
the association intend taking in regard to
ticket brokerage in the Southeastern ter
ritory, is not known Vigorous efforts
will doubtless be made, however, and no
stone left unturned which will help the
movement. At the same time the scalp
ers are active and grab every state legis-
lature they can get to indorse their pro-
tests against the passage of the measures
In the face of the scalpers efforts, how
ever, the roads are making Roadway and
intend TO continue the agitation.
The rate from Atlanta to New York
by the Central Railroad and the Ocean
Steamship Company, which was recently
allowed as a differential by the Southeast
ern Passenger Association against a rate
allowed the Seaboard Air Line, is said to
have been agreed on and will soon go into
effect. 1t will doubtless be the Inaugural
ton OF increased travel by the steamship
route.
The fight between the lumbermen and
the railroads, caused by certain rules the
roads had for loading cars, is ended, and
the roads agree to so modify the rules as
to conform to the lumbermen's ideas
Some time since the lumbermen held a
meeting at Cordele and determined to
fight the matter out, because complying
with the railroad rules would cost them
from SO to so more in loading cars, than
according to their own notions. They did
not consider the method of the railroads
practicable. The meeting was harmonious
and the decision was to modify the rules
at once.