Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-16
THE RAILROADS

ern railroads are planning improve
baggage facilities to Chicago. They aim
to enable persons living hsre to cheek
their baggage direct to their homes at
the time of buying ticket at any point
on their lines. This would avoid tn,
trouble of arranging after their arrival
here the forwarding of baggage from the
depot to residences, hotels, or business
houses.
The railroads terminating in Chicago
have practically given a monopoly of the
baggage business to one transfer COM
pany, and they can compel it to carry
out the plan to check baggage to homes.
said one passenger official. The rail-
roads would not incur any increased re-
sponsiblity for baggage under that plan,
as they now require a bond from the
| transfer company. There is no reason
why baggage cannot be sent from a
depot to a house. as from one depot to
another. 1t is now transferred safely
and without delay from one depot to an
other by the company which has
monopoly of the business
Il believe that women, especially,
would appreciate the advantage of being
able to check baggage direct from a
hotel in New York, for example. to the
home in this city. Commercial travellers,
before leaving New York, would be glad
to check their baggage direct to the hotel
at which they will stop in this city, and
there is no good reason why they SHOULD
not be able to do so. A uniform rate OF
so cents for each piece of baggage prop-
ably would be made, to avoid troubl>
which might arise if different rates We're
made for handbags, valises, suit cases,
and trunks. A reduction of rates might
be made when several pieces of baggage
were consigned to the same destination.
This would require a careful observance
Of excess-baggage rules, but no change
in them would be necessary"
IF New Workers can have their bag
gage checked to their homes, certainly
Chicagoans should enjoy that privilege
said another passenger agent. THE
New York Central has just made ar
engagements, whereby, at a charge of 80
cents per piece to pay for transfer, bag
gage may be checked through from tie
principal stations on its line to any resi-
dence, hotel, railroad station, or steam-
ship dock in New York or Brooklyn.
Travellers may send their baggage by the
special delivery by informing the bag
gage agent at the station where they
purchase TICKETS or Degln their journey.
Special checks are used for this purpose.
and prompt service is assured
If the eastern roads terminating here
adopt the plan of checking baggage to
homes and hotels, the western lines will
follow their example.
Machinists employed on the Chicago
Great Western railroad have presented
demands to the management OF the road
for an increase in wages and reduction
of the hours of labor. The men ask for
a minimum wage scale of 20 cents an
hour and nine-hour day. The principa.
shops Of the company are located at Oe.>
vein, Iowa, there being over 200 union
machinists there. An answer is expected
in few days.
The Lake Shore company has estab-
lished a school of apprentices at it's Elk
hart Und.) shops. 1t is in charge OF T..
A. Tousley, the chief draughtsman. The
course of instruction includes mechanical
drawing and such. features of engineer
ing work as are most useful in shop
practice.