The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-27

Railroad men are sill predicting IN early
cessation Of what is the greatest railroad
rate war of decade. Why do you be-
lseve the fight viii end soone" WAS asked
of wel-known representative of trans
continental line yesterday. Simply be-
cause The Canadian Pacific is getting 8
worse deal than they looked for, was the
answer. The American lines have stood
together like an army. This was some
thing the Canadian Pacific people did not
anticipate. Rates we're sent lower by the
Americans than the Canadians ever be-
Heved would be quoted. ReAnous as has
the effect been on the Canadian Paclfe-
the American lines have divided she loss.
Perhaps the greatest features OF the
battle Is the position Of the Grand Trunk.
a Canadian line. built by English capital
and the oldest read In Canada. The Grand
Trunk people have cur rates 20 the bone
into the joint territory occupied by both
routes. as Montreal. Toronto and points in
Ontario We sell today al So second class.
the same figure quoted TO New York. and
the Grand Trunk takes you from Chicago
10 Toronto through Port Huron Al the cut
rate, assuming its percentage OF the loss.
The animosity between the Grand Trunk
and the Canadian Pacific is of long stand
Ing. The Grand Trunk Interests are allied
fight, and largely. too, because of the
scores of abuse OF rates 10 competing
points which the Trunk Line has boarded
Up against the Canadian Pacific.
Another feature of the war is The Diff
Guilty ticket sellers have with people who
want TO fake advantage of the cut rates
and visit friends and relatives in the East
and Middle West. Often such a pur-
chaser wants to stop two or three places
en- route to his es.ination-probahly to
visit the places at which ne lived for I'M
certain periods before he finally reached
the jumping off place on Puget Sound.
An instance Of this SORT happened the
oihsr day in prominent Office on Pioneer
place A tall. slim-built man approached
the counter and began pricing tickets TO
half a dozen points scattered over the
East. Finally he said he wouid take a
ticket to Chicago. The obligng ticket
required piece Of cardboard, and. after
carefully marking 1t. laid IL down on the
counter and waited for the change
Say. ] forgot something" drawleti the
prospective traveller tightly ciinching h.s
money. Il want 10 stop of at three or
four places Now. there's town IN Kan
sas where I lived a while and / buried A
boy. / want to stop there and sse all
the folks l used TO know. I'd kind er
like to take look at ST. Louis three or
four days. Got brother In the pickle
business there. My wife's sister still lives
in Osceola, Iowa. Haven't seen her since
we visited there ten years ago. Can YOU
fix ii SO / can stop off at these piacese'
The ticket astat hung up his ticket in
despair Go 10 some other Office" he
sait& I'm selling sou this ticket at a
frac;.on OF the regular price. We don't
give stop-oyer privileges"
And the man went out, cursing the
greedy monopolists.
Meanwhile business keeps up on all
OF the lines For the first two weeks 81;
the s,ashiug the offices were fhTomged day
and night almost. The heavy equipment
necessary in handling the klondlke iraf-
fic was utilized IN taking the cut-ratsrs
East. But now that business has dropped
off slightly. the railroad men are looking
about for some ray of promise sud Of hope
on the horizon.
One Of tie offices ran entirely out Of
tickets the other day. we keep that cab
met full or nearly So" said the agent
''but when they got 10 standiug In lire
the little green sips melted away like a
snow bank under a chinook One after
NOON we were CotHhtrtttY out AHH HaH IN
telegraph an order to tho general 0fiice
az Portland Bnt We had TO put people
or TIL that night, when they arrived on
the train from she south"
Are the railroads making any money
these daysT' was asked of a general agent
yesterday.
We're losing more than We are giving
for the money" he said
I'VE are eaod losers" said another rail-
road man OF Pioneer place yesterday aft
srnoon. ard he puffei az a dark looking
Havana ara put ms feet on a pile Of
private correspondence on the general
agents desk
Yes. sir. when the railroads begin 10
object 10 losing money you WI hear the
crack of doom. We never sQueal IN tina :
respect we are ike the gambler n
thrre are other reasons why we resemble,
those gentlemen. It's matter Of dress -
and the magnate. ssrokea brighG green
fancy vest. tightly butroaed over his
swelling bosom.
The great man rondesceuaad - tell the
reporter some more secrets os The existing
battle OF rates maintained ~ the big
transro1t.nental roads Of the country
"Fau can see hs saA,i that there's no
money In the business row. can't ye8 =
We da1't expect to make a million every
t}me We run train. hut when things
have got - that pass when every SIRE
you draw breath or sell a ti..kef yau are
oe;t % pocket. 81 IL not very cheering
But don't ihins In, a-kckigy M
sivse The American lines Will T.. IN Il
this fsht ara they aFe getting their stani-
arh fgu q q. Blu; yea havsn't heard a
naurnur from any of as We're thorough
breds
80, 2 the railroad em1r'oves DO rot
compaSa - 'i}e losses that are being en-