The Topeka state journal., 1900-02-03
RAILROAD NEWS
Paris Exposition Excursion
Agents Invade the West.
Schemes They Exploit Are
Condemned by Railroads.
RATES ABSURDLY Low
Those Quoted Scarcely Enough
to Cover Transportation.
Passenger Agents Say All Rates
Will Be Advanced.

The Paris tourist and excursion
agent has invaded the west, and it
behooves those intending to visit the
Paris exposition to give the gentry a
wide berth. The scheme is to form a
club, and for a stated sum transporta-
ton both ways and board for four
weeks is guaranteed, but the amount is
SO ridiculously low that it is hardly
enough to cover the transportation
charges, to say nothing of the heavy
expense of living in Paris during the
period of the exposition. The railroads
decided some time ago that no reduc-
tion would be made in the rates to the
exposition, and the steamships have de-
cided to advance rates on account of
the limited facilities. Many of the first
class ocean liners have been taken by
the British government for the South
African service.
One alleged excursion agency has an
nounced that for $500 it will guarantee
first-class railroad and steamship ac-
commodations to Paris and return and
all actual living expenses for a period
of four weeks. The promise is absurd
on the face of it, as the lowest first
class rate to Paris and return by any
of the standard lines is $125, and this
rate will undoubtedly be advanced.
1.-The reason why the schemes of ir-
responsible persons Offering absurdly
low rates to Paris should be exposed"
said a passenger. official yesterday, "is
that innocent parties with limited
means may not be deceived and left
stranded in Paris without money or
friends to give them financial aid.
do not believe the railroads will make
special rates for any of the promoters
of cheap excursions"
Commissioner Donald, of the Central
Passenger association, has probed the
matter, and has just issued a letter to
the representatives of all the eastern
lines. The letter is interesting. an
reads as follows:
Applications in person and by let
ter have been made to this office for
special excursion fares by persons pro-
posing to organize parties to visit the
Paris exposition. It is, perhaps, idle to
say that the primary and principal OBJ
ject of these self-appointed excursion
agents is personal profit, to which they
propose to induce the railways to con-
tribute literally by representing that
they control large bodies of people. 1t
is my observation that persons en-
gagged in this sort of speculation are
uniformly without position, influence or
business ability, and that their schemes
by reason of a lack of capable man
agement, or, perhaps, more commonly,
practicability, end in failure. This be-
ing true of projects demanding nom
ina1 investment on the part of the eX-
cursiOnist, as compared with the cost
of a transatlantic voyage plus the eX-
penses of a stay in Paris during the ex-
position, it seems safe to forecast a
miscarriage of these plans and to pre-
dict that the people who visit the ex-
position will represent the moneyed
classes, amply able and willing to meet
the expenses of the journey without ap-
peal to the railways or ocean carriers
for rate concessions. 1 therefore re-
spectfully suggest that no consideration
be given the overtures of excursion
agents, who will doubtless approach
the lines individually, and urge accept
ance and support of their schemes