The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-16
NEWS OF RAILROADS
FREE USE OF SLEEPING CARS FOR
ENCAEPHENT VETERANS
CAUSES COMMENT
MATTER WILL BE ADJUSTED

500 Officials Held Conference in
Minneapolis, but Took NO Action
Regarding Announcement of a.
RaSe-Tree SIeepers Axe Termed
Practical Cut of SO in the Rate
Ito and From Philadelphia.
The MiiN aukee yesterday mailed sew
eral hundred copies of the circular issued
by the department commander of the
state Grand Army, regarding arrange
ments for the annual encampment at
i Philadelphia and containing the state
ment regarding free tourist sleeper ac-
I commodations from the Twin Cities,
+ which has created so much uneasiness
among passenger officials of the Chicago
st. Paul lines. The statement regarding
the Great NOrtherns offer of the use of
the tourist cars is as follows:
Through the courtesy of President J.
: J. Hill, of the Great Northern railway,
the department. commander is enabled to
furnish ali comrades and their families
accompanying the special train free sleep
ing car accommodations through from
Minneapolis and st. Paul to Philadelphia
ana return in the splendid tourist sleep
. y
which are rendered the Grand Army of
Il Minnesota for the occasion. These cars
+ will be run through from the Twin Cities
!, to Philadelphia in the headquarters spe-
. cial This will mean a saving of not less
E than Sc IL sleeping car expenses for each
double berth on the round trip"
In the face of the definite statement
that free tourist cars will be furnished,
the Chicago lines, with the exception OF
the Milwaukee, which is the official route,
have practically laid down and will await
further developments. The SOo's action
in the matter is awaited with unusual
interest The action of President Hill re-
4 suits in practical cut of Sc in the excur-
sion rate of $3.50 made by the Western
Passenger association roads, and will give
the Milwaukee an advantage which other
roads, with the exception of the 500, will
be unable to meet. Assistant General
Passenger Agent COnley stated yesterday
that his road, with the Baltimore & Ohio,
II had been named as the official route.
NJ THE fact that free tourist sleepers will
IN be given the old soldiers" said he,
should not operate against the other
n ChicagO lines any more than it would if
! the department commander had several
private cars and had placed them at the
disposal Of his friends President Hill $
offer was made simply as a courtesy to
to create a disturbance. \ meeting was
held in Minneapolis on Monday night, at
tended by post commanders and past post
/! commanders of that city, at which pro-
test was made against the rate offered,
and statements were spread that the MIL
waukee would furnish the veterans with
'thirty-fOur free tickets. The latter state
ment is without foundation. The G. a. r.
X Officers, 1 understand, argued that the
tprice of the thirty-four tickets alleged to
have been promised free, something over
Isl, goo, might have been saved to the veter-
Jams of the Northwest if the official lines
had made a reduction in the rates offered
corresponding to this sum- 1t is probable
that there is some reason which does not
X appear for the circulation of such re-
9pOrt. No such offer Of free transporta-
II ti0n has been made to my knowledge"
II How viii you arrange to haul Great
iNOrthern cars over your line for the use
4iOf the soldiers free of cost?'
II THAT is a matter which comes under
the direction of the traffic department.
I've know nothing of the arrangements.
The matter was entirely personal, I I'M
Iderstand, and was arranged by Com
tmander SearIe, of St. Cloud, and Presi-
bdent Hill. The passenger department has
nothing to co with that part of the prep
tarations"
i Inquiry in the freight department of the
IMlIWaukee brought the Information that
1.-The roads interested in the free tourist
lear feature would adjust the matter of
hauling the ears satisfactorily from which
lit is inferred that the cost will be met by
some friend Of the veterans.
The 500 officials held a conference Mon
lay in Minneapolis, but took no action re-
lgarding the announcement of a rate. At
-4-he city Office it was learned yesterday
bat traffic arrangements can be made
10y the read, whereby special trains can
loe run into Philadelphia, and that the Of
icials are figuring on time at present
General Passenger Agent Galloway is alb
sent on trip to Denver, and no action
will be taken until he returns. 1t is re-
iyarded probable that the 500 will take
he statement in the circular of Depart
nent Commander Searle as notice of a
3ut amounting to Sc and will meet it with
l rate in the neighbOrhood of $3.50. One
)f the 500 passenger officials said yester-
lay:
THE arrangements between the G. A
R. and President Hill practically cut
'ates Sc, which makes them less than a
rent a mile. We do not anticipate any
lIctiOn to meet the Nilwaukee's rates
! rom the other Chicago lines, and are not
l'eady yet to make an announcement re-
Harding our rates. The Milwaukee is
lnXious to shut US out, particularly as a
retaliation for our action in the Chris
ian EndeaVOr business"