Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-10

The RAILROADS.

.Ns
Samuel Hill. of st. Paul. was in the
city yesterday with a party of guests
whom he is showing the wonders Of the
northwest unit The party left for
Spokane last night and from there will
so to Seattle and Portland.
Mr.. Hills party is made w of &. NJ.
.Amsden. manager of the Minnesota n
Northern Elevate company. Francis
McLennan, an attorney of Montreal: "A.
Smith. cashier of the Swedish-American
bank of Minneapolis; Il. p. Wells, an
official of the Great Northern railway,
and Prof. T.. w. Taussig. instructor of
political economy in Harvard university.
Mr.. Hill was a classmate of Prof.
Taussig and both graduated FROM Har-
ward in 1879. Since hat time MI Hill
has been selected as one of the board of
managers of his alma mater and: when
Prof. Taussig was called to the chair OF
political economy Mr.. Hill EXPRESSED the
desire to show his former classmate the
beauties and possibilities of the north
west. In speaking of the matter last
night Mr.. Hill said: 8
Il desired to have Professor Taussig
see the west and come to appreciate II
as we do. He speaks to 600 pupils every
day in his lecture room and l war the
students of political economy at Har-
ward to heal something of the great
Northwest we all love SO well. We are
going to Spokane and then over the Spo-
kane & Northern to Northport and vi
entity. We will then inspect the Cas-
Cade tunnel. after which we will proceed
to Portland. l consider it highly i'm
portant that correct con-
corning our magnificent western coun-
try should be contributed to make UP
the stock of knowledge upon which the
opinions of economic student are
founded
Yesterday was spent by the party in
visiting the different mines and smelters
in the city and Prof. Tausslg was very
much impressed with all he saw. He
said that the people of the east had the
impression that Butte was little more
than a big mining camp, II that they
did not know that it was a busy, bust
ling city. He has been greatly surprised
and pleased With the country generally
and will be in a position when he returns
to speak understandingly of it.
Archibald Gray, assistant general
freight agent of the Great Northern rail-
road, in company with NJ. S. Dean. vice
president of the b., A. e. p, and several
others. left last Saturday night for a
weeks trip to kalispell. where they eN-
pect to load up a special train With deer,
moos and other gam that they will
bring down with their trust rifles.
Western traffic conditions revealed at
the presidents quarterly conference in
New York can hardly be called satisfac-
tory. In some cases traffic men have
violated the agreement, and it is evil
dent that the presidents must again
apply the brakes. At Wednesdays con-
ference a demand was made on the Chi
cage Great Western for cash to equalize
the disadvantage other lines claim tt
have been subjected to on account OF
concessions that company was said tc
save made to shippers. The Chicago
Great Western fla thy refused to. hand
over any cash and commended that other
lines had after July /, when the presl-
dents agreement was to nave taken eff
feet, continued the use of low rates when
necessary to protect old contracts with
shippers. To bring the matter to speedy
issue somebody offered a resolution tc
discontinue the agreement altogether
and other lines threatened to institute a
boycott against the Chicago Great West
ern. At this j%uncture the Chicago Grea1
Western representative withdrew from
the meeting. The agreement among the
western lines cannot be called a pool for
the simple reason that in a case like this
it cannot be enforced. If a conflict like
this could be avoided, the arrangement
would have the same effect as a pool ir
securing harmony of action in rate mat
ters. Passenger affairs are in better
shape than freight rates, though they
cannot be what they should be until the
Canadian Pacific becomes a party to the
immigrant plan. Rates on the Whole ir
the western country are in better shape
than usual, not because the traffic Off
Gals have tried to make them better, bu1
solely because financial interests have
taken a hand in the practical end OF
transportation. Three of the west.
weaker lines between Chicago and ST
Paul., which are not embers of thu
Western Passenger association, are, it i.
said, dealing openly with ticket scalper.
in violation of the non-ticket commission
agreement of the presidents entered into
last January. The competitors of these
three lines have up to date entirely
ignored the cut rate competition ant
have brought charges against the back,
sliders before the presidents, who ar.
considering them at their meeting here
The railroads have won their figh
against the Cullom bill so far as thi!
session is concerned, according to re
ports on the situation today from tn,
interstate commission ant
Senator Cullom. 1t was the expectation
of the shippers of the country through
their national organizations and repre-
sentatives now in Washington to hav,
the Culiom bill. which is now on the sen
ate calendar. placed on the list of meas
ures to be acted on at this session, an,
they based their hope on the fact tina
Senator Cullom is a member of the sen
ate steering committee. But the senate
said today that there was no likelihoo,