The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-22
RAILROAD news.
Santa Fesand Southern Pacific
Formed Defensive Alliance.
Block the Scheme to Cut Cali
fOrnia Rates.
NO CUT RATE COUPONS
VIII Be Accepted Over the
Shasta Route West.
Legality In Doubt But Effective
ness UnquestiOned.

Owing to the attitude of the Canadian
Pacific on immigrant business and the
alleged threat to disturb rates to the
western coast, and also owing to the re-
cent outpourings of cheap rate excur-
sions to the northwest, an offensive and
defensive alliance between the Southern
Pacific and Santa Fe railroads has been
formed for the purpose of preserving all
classes of standard rates between points
in the east and central west and Cali
fornia points. The formation of this al
lance means that the recent slashing of
passenger rates from Chicago and ST.
Paul and points in the far northwest by
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific lines and their ChicagO-St. Paul
connections will not, contrary to general
impressions, be extended to affect the
great volume of California tourist bust
ness that is soon to set in The story
came out through a statement made by
a representative of the Santa F'e when
the advisory board of the immigrant
bureau held its second session at Buffa-
10, last week, succeeding the annual con-
VentiOn OF the American Association OF
General Passenger and Ticket Agents.
After arranging with the Great West
ern road for participation in the rock
bottom second-class tariffs from Chi
cago to points along it's line in the north
western states the Great Northern set
about to have the cuts apply to Cali
fOrnia business by way of Portland.
soon alter us purpose udQ DG6h IudQ0
known, however, the Southern Pacific
announced that in no circumstance
would the low rates be applied from st.
Paul and Chicago to points in Califor-
MIA on its Shasta route. 1t will refuse
to honor Portland-San Francisco cou-
pons which have been portions of cut
rate tickets. This makes the California.
business safe and beyond harms way.
Under the agreement it will be impos-
sibIe for the northern lines to offer as
an inducement cheap rate to San
Francisco. They can sell to Portland
only and not through to San Francisco
In any other event the traveller could
buy a ticket to Portland from Chicago
for $50, or from Topeka for $28, and get
a Portland-San Francisco coupon at
full rate, and then beat the regular tariff
from Chicago to San Francisco via the
usual routes. OF course there is moth
ing to prevent the Northern line from
showing patrons that they can go
cheaper by buying to Portland and then
getting another ticket from there to San
Francisco, but it will be hard to induce
travel that way.
There is q question in the minds of
some passenger officials who were in at
tendance at the convention of the Amer
lean Association of General Passenger
and Ticket Agents as to the legality of
the Southern Pacific's stand. Some Off
Gals hold that the Southern Pacific
would be obliged to honor tickets bought
at standard rates and handled in con-
nection with the reduced rate tickets
would have to accept any ticket that
was equivalent to the full proportion it
now receives on a through f1rst-class
ticket.
Just how strong the understanding be-
tween the Southern Pacific and Santa
Fe is only can be surmised. Railroad
men do not believe that the alliance is Of
the pooling variety or that it has very
much, if anything, to do with the dfEis-
ion of California business 1t is said
that the alliance was formed at the time
the Santa F'e secured a line into San
Francisco. The Southern Pacific COM
pany of California, which is part Of
the system of which the Southern Pa
cif1c company Of Kentucky is the parent
IS said to have leased that part of the
California line between Bakersfield and
MOjave jointly to the Southern Pacific
and Santa F'e companies. The leasing of
the line to the Santa Fe is regarded as
the price the Southern Pacific had to
pay in order to prevent the Santa FEES
building to the Golden Gate.