The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-16
Passenger Agents See the Begin
ming of the End.
HEADS or THE LINES TO MEET.
Presidents and Managers VIII Take
of Traffic and Passenger Officers
and Eject Trace Freight
Rates, which Have Been Shsky.
show y Much stronger Tendency.

The railroad rate war has reached
stage In which the passenger agents CT the
lines centerlng In Seattle fancy they can
see an end Of rate slashlng. OF course
railroad men have predieted regularly at
least once week the end Of the rate cut
ting and resumption OF the normal pass
enger tariffs between coast points ard the
East and Middle West. Meetings have
been held innumerabie times. and after
eaea failure on the part Of the traffic men
OF the various railroads 10 agree. the gem
era! agents at coast terminals and other
points have me up smiling. So TO speak.
with The prediction that after the mex,
meeting q great minds, the war would end
and peace would be declared.
1t Is ncw said IN railroad circles that
the presidents ard general managers 0;
the several great ,ranscontinental lines
who have figured in the bitterness and low
rates OF the past four months have decid-
ed to take the matter out OF the hands OF
The traffic and passenger officials. II Is
said that ii once the presidents and gen.
eral managers get at the matter they will
bring the fight 10 an end in short order.
They .ave the power. it is asserted 10
cause a cessation OF the hostillties which
have been costing somebody d pile of
money. a So rate from Seattle to New
York. 1t can hardly be expected. would
yield much in the way OF revenue after il
had been divided among the various lines
forming the chain of rails between the Pa
eifc and the Atlantic coasts.
Freight rates, which were somewha.
saaky couple of weeks ago. perhaps
under the influence of the decentralization
which reigned IN the passenger business.
have somewhat stiffened. This Is due
railroad men say, 10 the recent inquiry
held by the interstate commerce commits
sion al Portland, in which a rigid investi-
CATION was made into The charge tAat the
railroads entering Portland had been guilty
OF wholesale cutting OF through freight
rates 10 Eastern terminals.
Locally the railroad situation. as far as
news of the progress OF negotiations tend
ing TO cessation of the rate war is con-
cerued, has been somewhat vague as to
the character or information received. The
first Tangible hit of news which Mas been
in circulation In railroad circles for some
tine is the story which IA Postinteliigeu-
ecr reporter picked UP yesterday. TO the
effect that the presidents and general man
ayers OF the big roads had been called
together for meeting in either New York
or Montreal. Tor the purpose OF bringing
about a settlement Of the differences be-
tween the lines. This is not the first me
in the history OF rate wars that the heads
Of the roads affected have been called upon
TO do something which the traffic men had
failed 10 do.
In connection with this story. which is
given merely for what il is worth. is the
fact that +. q. SAaughnesSy. vice PRES
dent and virtual head of the Canadian Pa
citic, after coming IVES; on business which
would probably have occupied him several
days. left Victoria suddenly yesterday for
the Eas.. There Is excellen; authority for
the statement that the Canadian Pacific
vice president has been called East on bus
mess connected with the rate making, and
that he will represent his road in a meet,
ing which, I; Is said. IS to be held in New
York within a week
According 10 the view Of one OF the dig
nitaries Of Pioneer square the time has
now arrived when. II the rate cutting is
10 cease and fares are To be restored 10
their normal place. TIE presidents and gen
eral managers Of the roads Will have %
fight entirely out Of the hands of the traf-
tic officials. Point is given To this view
when Il Is remembered thdt the stockh0.ti-
ers Of railroad hold the president and
managing officials responsible when the
dividends indicate a failing Off in profits
The fight has reached that state, il IS said
when Il viii he absolutely necessary for
tee presidents and their general managers
10 take The issue out of the hands Of men
who are paid TO make rates and 30 handle
traffic matters. In order 70 save them
selves from the censure Of the stockh1id-
grs ana directors.
oae 4 thc latest developments In The
rsle war Is the entry ~ The Baltimore &
Ohio railroad into the tgh. This line 70
fused "a participate In the cat in passer-
ger rates - Washington ausi other points
IN tie East in its territory The war last
ing much longer than vas anticipated. the
Baltimore & Dh!o has finally taken 4 hand
m she rate making - p3 MIS- reached by rs
Inc. This brings Washington and Raifi-
more into the district Oh the Atlantic
1uast y alcA can IL reached from Seattle
FAR So.
The rate war is approa hing a stage
when q continue ;hc low rates viii bc 70
sacrifice 'he regular business q ;he lines
Participating said tAe general agent 4
oUc cf me roads tn:ertcg Seattle The
Western lNcs have had this advantage
thar the low rates nave Induced IA erea,
travel and s@vg brcush, thousands 81 py7-
g3r iIto prw ard growing country IN
tAv development of Which he roads are NJ
;aNv Interested II addition. The low
rates have sut4cej q great deal ~ .rri-
dental business wbich mss brought revenue
20 them For Instance. q man sa she Eas,
learning ,teat Ss ear traye. - :he Pacific
c9ast fer less wcney tean ever in his Re
oeforr- suddenly makes up his mjod 20 So
this country lie comes here and gees
-ofe business and sends f1r mis- fasrt.v. or
be travels fcrw oae no'1' So another in the
sfa'c. rST.~g -H- railroads the regular L.
al rates. He nas - ha c.ofhssl and fes4
wa.ae Pc is hcr~ ana ;he railroads hsul
nv freight w.th Nate'f Be. Is supplied. The
Incidental business 0ttc1 Ire railroads n
ths sect.oc HaVe enjoyed or ac-,na. -
he rate emitting and she exceptionally
aeavy ,ravel mas been very iarEe. aa,f Aaz
PARTY compensated fer the loss Of u-oa,
IA fhe sale of ickvts
The k.andsSe business Which uas real
.y the immediate cause ~ Ire war has