Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-09

that city today A mass meeting OF west
ern roads was called for Chicago today to
make a final effort to close up an agree,
ment for the Western Passenger association
and the Chicago men desired to be pres
ent and wanted the other representatives to
go along. The transmissouri roads as
rule do not feel kindly toward the West
ern Passenger association and their repre-
sentatives did not hesitate to declare they
would not go to Chicago and that II the
business for which the meeting was called
in Omaha was not transacted now it would
not be transacted at all. This put a stop
to the adjourning over idea and the Chicago
meeting will have to be put over till some
future day.
When the delayed Union Pacific trains ar
rived here last evening they brought to the
city h. a. Donaldson Of the Southern Pa
cifc, +. A. Wadleigh OF Salt Lake City
general passenger agent for the Rio Grande
Western, and d. II. BuTley of Salt Lake
City, general passenger agent for the ore
gon Short Line. This completed the repre-
sentation for the interested roads at the
present meeting.
Shortly after o'clock the traffic men
again went into conference and the pro-
ceedngs of the earlier sessions we're read
to the newly arrived representatives. Bust
ness tnen began TO be interesting.
southern Pacific speaks out.
The Southern Pacific soon made its de-
mands known It held it was justified in
charging s. extra for the traffic through the
| Ogden gateway, which was TO return by
Portland on account of the double haul be-
tween San Francisco and Los Angeles,
where, for the Southern Pacfcs own bus
mess and that of the Santa Fe destined to
ri thrCupb Dprtlnpd w hi
haul between those two cities. 1t also in
sisted on its demand for a large share of
the business to Los Angeles and indicated
that it would stand pat.
The Santa Fe, while not directly con-
cerned in the demands of the Southern Pa
Citic. is indirectly Interested for If the latter
road makes it's dfferential demands good, It
will be a direct benefit to the former road
through the fortunate location of it's line,
where it will not be necessary for it to pro-
vide a double haul on its traffic returning
through Portland. 1t therefore sat back in
position Of armed neutrality.
The two northern lines then had a hear
ing. AS they were not in position to expect
much traffic to Los Angeles and did have
certain business which needed protection
from the low rates to southern California,
they demanded the right to make the same
rate to Portland that the southern roads
made to Los Angeles. The roads which use
the Ogden gateway, and which have equal
facilities for reaching either Los Angeles or
Portland, naturally felt that their traffic to
the northwest would also need protection
and among these various situations condi-
tion was presented. 1t was then that the
meeting decided to adjourn over until this
morning.
None of the railroad men would discuss
the outlook for agreement last night
after the adjournment 1t was recognized
that the Southern Pacific was in a position
to enforce its demands and the northern
lines are in a position to enforce their de-
mands, while the other roads are in posi-
tion to meet the rates made to either of the
objective points. The outcome generally
looked for is that the Southern Pacific will
get all its demands, Portland will have
equal rates with Los Angeles, while the Og-
den gateway lines will have to use the argu-
ment that these routes are the most desira-
BILE for midsummer travel to Los Angeles
to secure their share of the traffic to the
educational meeting.