The San Francisco call., 1898-02-03
ALASKAN RATE WAR PROBABLE w estern Roads Ignored by the Canadian
 Pacific.
May Sever All of Their Traffic Agreements With That
 Company.
Other Transcontinental Tariffs Likely to Be Affected by the
 Competition.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

CHICAGO, Feb. 2.-Unless the Can adfan Pacific alters the attitude 1t has assumed toward the western roads in the matter of Alaska rates 1t Is possi- ble that there will be a concerted movement among all the American roads to ignore it entirely and to re- fuse to have any further dealings with it in passenger traffic. It has steadily refused to meet with the American roads to discuss matters, and simply reiterates it's determination to pre- serve it's differentials on Alaska busi- ness
 The meeting of the Western roads, after a short session to-day, sent a message to the Canadian Pacific say ing that if it was inconvenient for a representative of the Canadian Pacific to come to Chicago at the present time they would be glad to have the Cana dian Pacific name a date on which its representative could meet a committee of the Western roads either in Mon treal or New York To this a reply was received to-day after the adjourn ment of the meeting to the effect that 1t would not be convenient for the Canadian Pacific to meet the commit tee of the Western roads.
 After the adjournment of the meet ing to-day representatives of the West ern roads said that they felt that they had done all that lay in their power to come to an understanding with the Canadian Pacific, but if that road would not consent to meet and discuss matters with them there was nothing 10 do but sever all traffic relations with if: They said that they were not think ing of doing this in belligerent spirit, but simply to protect themselves.
 The meeting tomorrow will take up the matter and decide what is best to be dore. AS matters now stand there seems to be very little chance of avoid ing a war in Alaskan rates, and if this is once begun there is every probabil- ity. that it will spread to the other transcontinental rates as we'll
 The committees appointed to consid- CT the question of reduced rates for the North American Turner's convention, to be held at San Francisco on July 6. the tenth trienniel council of Congre- gational churches to be held at Port land, Or, on July 7-13 and the Nation al conventional the Womens Christian Temperance Union, to be held at Los Angeles in November, have recom- mended that. while it is the general desire to be in position to make suit able excursion rates for these occa- sions, consideration thereof be post poned bending action on the anti-scalp ing bill now before Congress, the pass age of which should make 1t possible to simplify ticketing arrangements and permit of the granting of other conces- sions in the way of dates of sale, limits, stopovers, etc, which, under existing conditions, are impracticable
 The officials of the Wisconsin Gen. tral deny that that road has made any arrangement with the Canadian Paci- fic regarding the interchange of pas senger traffic at St. Paul They de- clare that the deal has never been con- templated, and that it has been set in circulation by competitors of the road with the hope of destroying the cor dial relations existing between the Wis consin Central and the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific