The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-12-13

Notwithstanding the reported reafirma-
ton of the time agreement by the Mime
apolis-Chicago railroad lines there is good
reason to believe that the matter is by
no means settled. Some we'll informed
passenger men boldly take this position
Thus far the discussion has been be-
tween the railroads. The Milwaukee and
the North Western had a rumpus over
the western business from Chicago
through Omaha and to settle the matter
the Milwaukee threatened to cut time be-
tween Chicago and Minneapolis. This
brought all the other Chicago Minneapolis
roads into the fight.
1t is a striking commentary on the atti-
tude OF the railroads that up to the pres
ent time the parties most interested in
the time question-that is, the people Of
Minneapolis and st. Paul and the north
west beyond-have not been consulted. In
the railroad offices it seems to be a ques-
tlon of railroad policy" not of service
to the public
1t may be that the time has come for
some Of the commercial organizations of
the two cities and the northwest to take
a hand in the time question, At least
the subject is being discussed as an ap-
propriate one for consideration.
During the past fifteen years there has
been scarcely a perceptible reduction in
the time Of frst-class passenger trains
between the two cities. Within that
period, coaches have been made palaces.
engines have been doubled In capacity.
roadbeds have been improved and many
one can complain that the trains are not
luxurious. They average much better
than on eastern roads. But these same
palatial trains drag their slow lengths
along at a rate of speed which puts to
shame the traditional accommodation
train of the southern states.
The difficulty is, as most people know,
that there are six railroads between Min
neapolis and Chicago-and some Of them
are long and some Of them are short. The
long lines can make very little better time
than they are now doing; the short lines
could do very much better, but they are
afraid that the long lines will cut the
fares should time be reduced. This has
been the situation for years, and in the
meantime the public is incommoded, and
Minneapolis is Disseminated against.
Chicago Seems to Control.
Most of the Chicago minneapolis roads
are dominated from Chicago and perusal
of the time cards suggests that, aside from
the rate subject, the schedules are ar
ranged for the benefit Of the dining cars
and for Chicago. If a passenger wishes to
ride in a sleeping car from here to Chi
cago, he must breakfast on the company s
dining car in the morning or postpone his
meal until after $50 a. m, for none OF
the Limited" trains arrive before that
hour. Coming toward Minneapolis, he
must patronize the dining car, for the
Limited" leaves Chicago at $50 p. N.
Then if he happens to be travelling east
or south beyond Chicago, he must spend
large part Of the day in Chicago, for
he has missed the early morning trains
out of town and (but for a few midday
trains) must wait until mid-afternoon or
evening before leaving the windy city.
This may be good thing for Chicago, but
1t is an unpleasant thing for the traveller.
That ''Day i'm Chicago"
If the Minneapolis man is going to
Cleveland or Buffalo, he misses the Lake
Shore fast mail which leaves Chicago at
$3.50 a. m. and which would bring him to
Cleveland before supper and Buffalo be-
fore bedtime, and must take a train at
1890 a. m. which lands him in Cleveland
during the evening, or Buffalo In the mid
die of the night.
II he is travelling to Indianapolis, Gin
cinnati of Louisville, he misses the Penn
sylvania, Monan, and Big Four trains
which leave from s to a. m. II he
wishes to go east on the Grand Trunk he
misses connection with the 7:30 a. m. train
and must wait several hours. If he is on
the way to any point on the Illinois Cen
trail. he misses the $3.50 a. m. train and
must wait till night before leaving
..TvvO Nights on the Cars"
1t will readily be seen that many trav-
elers might reach their destinations be-
fore the second night out from Minne-
apolis, who now are obliged to spend two
nights on the cars.
And they can DO very little better by
leaving Minneapolis in the morning for
the slow day trains to Chicago reach that
city so late as to miss connection with
most of the outbound night trains. The
day trains from Minneapolis arrive in
Chicago from $50 to 9:45 p. m. This is
sufficiently late to miss the B. & 0. train
for Cleveland Columbus and Pittsburg,
which leaves at 8 p. M; the Nashville
limited on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois
leaving at 4 the Michigan Central 9:S5
Ntrain for Detroit (there is no time for
transfer); the fast Grand Trunk train at
8:15; the two night trains on the Illinois
Central-leaving at $40 and $40; all the
evening trains to Indianapolis, Cincinnati
and Louisville over the Monon, Big Four
and Pennsylvania; the Erie night express
at 9:2O; and the "lower fare" train on
the Pennsylvania which leaves for New
York at $40 p. m.
For the through New York passenger,
especially if he be willing to travel on
the excess fare" trains Of the Lake Shore
and Pennsylvania lines, the present serv-
ice is all right. But for the person who
does not happen to be going to New York,
who does not wish to pay extra fares, who
does not care to take breakfast in the
dining car or who does not wish to spend