The Portland daily press., 1899-03-20
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PASSENGER RAIE5 10 IhE WEST
There was furry in railroad circles
caused by stories of terrific rate war
ton q Maine railroad, In combination
with the Canadian Pacific. on second .
class rates from Boston to the Pacific
coast against the standard linse.
The cause of the trouble is the alleged
violation of an agreement relating to seo-
ond -class rates from Boston to Pacific
coast points All the lines In interest had
an understanding among themselves that
the authorized charge on this business
via the direct lines should be s67 rs, and
that via the Boston & Maine and the
Canadian Pacific, with connections OF
either Chicago or st. Paul, $3.50. there
by according the latter-named systems a
differentinl of ". So. These rates were
strictly maintained for some time, but IL
finally developed that there was con-
siderable falling of in the business via
the differential route, and 1t was natural.
" believed that the decrease was due to
secret manipulation on the part of the
direct lines; that is they were selling at
the oifferential rate. Positive evidence
was not forthcoming at first. but IL was
said that later on the agents Of the direct
lines grew bolder and openly quoted to
every one the s65, 40 rate, with the result
that the Boston & Maine was practically
out In the cold in the handling of second
GLASS business. While 1t maintains q
first-olass service to all points in the
West, the line is somewhat longer than
via the Boston 81 Albany and thu New
York Central. and 1t is due to this fact
that 1t was accorded, the differential al
ready mentioned, as passengers generally
prefer the shortest routes when travelling.
1t was further stated that President
Van Horne, Of the Canadian Pacific, and
his passenger traffic manager, ID. Mich
OIL were in Boston the latter part Of last
week. and important things were expect
ed as the result of their visit there.
The attention OF President Lucius
Tuttle of the Boston q Maine railroad
was called to this matter and, according
TO the Boston Transcript, he said in sub
stance that he did not believe anything
would come out OF it. He had reason to
believe that some of the direct or stand
aru lines were quoting rates below those
agreed upon and equal to the differential
rate over this system. This was all done
by lines west Of Chicago He called npon
the Boston s. Albany informally to
straighten matters out, and stated that
the differential must be maintained. In
the opinion of President 1uttle there was
more smoke than fire.
RAILROAD NOTES.
1t is reported that the Somerset rail
road, which now terminates at Bingham,
will, within year, extend its road to
Austin stream at q point about nine
miles north of Bingham. Around this
stream are many Thousand acres of tim
erland, which on account of the rough
ness of the stream for driving purposes,
has as yet never known the lumberman' s
axe. The proposed route lies through one
of the widest and toughest sections OF
the state, and 1t will require grade OF
nearly one hundred feet to mile shou Id
the road be built. The extension 1t IL
understood, will be used solely for the
transportation of lumber and as the Sec
tion contains beside spruce and pine. u
seemingly limitless supply of bircn an
maple, large supply will be- brought
upon the market.