The leader., 1901-11-20
FREE PASSES PASS OUT.
Everybody Will Have to Pay To
Ride After January 4.

htut hittE chhbhtg h'
Free passes will go out of fashion on
all the railroads of the United States on
and after January 1, 1902. A complete
adjustment of the time-honored Gus
tom of giving transportation for moth
ing was decided upon yesterday by a
subcommittee representing all of the
railroads in the Trunk Line Associa
ton, the Central Traffic Association,
and the Western Passenger Associa-
ton. The com mittee met in New
| York.
As these three associations include
every railroad of any consequence in
the country, the "dead-head" tourist
will see hard times ahead of him. No
exceptions are to be made in the new
policy to be adopted. Even the pres
idents of the various lines, who have
been accustomed to riding where they
pleased without paying, will put down
their money in the future like any or
binary traveller, and submit their
tickets to the conductors punch.
The railroad presidents are in favor
of the mo pass" system, however, for
their roads will be benefited by the
change. A big railroad system like the
Pennsylvania or the New York Cen
trail issue tens of thousands of passes
yearly at a loss of many thousands of
| dollars in receipts. The custom has
grown to such huge proportions, it is
said, that nearly every railroad suffers
count of their being crowded out by
passholders.
The subcommittee which voted to
abolish the free pass system was APP
pointed nearly year ago at meeting
in New York of the presidents of about
forty of the most important railroad
systems. Its work was designed to be
supplemental to the action of the pres
idents in order that passes should not
| be given to influence traffic. The &C
ton of the committee was unanimous,
and the general sentiment among rail
road men is said to be in favor of the
step recommended. The recommended
ton will be submitted to the various
associations for ratification, with no
doubt as to approval.
President Newman of the New York
Central, President Trusdale of the
| Delaware, Lackawanna q Western,
First Vice President McCrea of the
Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg,
and President S. M. FELTON, of the Chi
cago & Alton, were participants in the
committee meeting. After the meet
ing President Trusdale said:
1.-The idea is to shut down on all
passes. This is the only country in
which the free pass system prevails,
and there appears to be no good reason
to continue it. The railroads disposed
of the question of issuing passes to in
huenee traffic some time ago, and now
an effort will be made to weed out the
pass custom entirely"
Steps toward the abolition of the pass
system have been under consideration
for several years by the officials of the
more important roads. The adoption
of the new rule will affect many
thousands of persons who have been
the beneficiaries of the railroads for
reasons too numerous to mention.
Members of the State Legislatures,
Congressman, United States Senators,
State and county municipal officials,
politicians, and the employees of some
newspapers have been so accustomed
to riding on annual passes that a fail
ure to receive the little cards will ex-
cite their surprise. The newspapers of
the large cities, however, have to a
large extent discontinued the practice
of asking or receiving passes.
one of the strongest reasons ad-
vanced by railroad managers for shut
ting down on the free pass system is
supplied by the railroads themselves.
They have been issuing thousands of
family passes to minor officials of
railroads in addition to exchanging
passes with the presidents and super
intendents of other roads until there
seemed to be no end to the demand
The abolition of the custom, it is said
cannot decrease the amount of the
passenger business of any railroad
while the prospect of an increase in re-
ceipts will be encouraging under all
circumstances. Chicago Tribune,