The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-01-03
RECORDS BROKEN
Christmas Travel Greater Than
Ever Before.
The Milwaukee Reduces Rates to the
Dakotas.-.-An Increase of
Trackage.

Christmas travel has exceeded the
best predictions of the twin city lines,
and it is already the heaviest ever car
ried in the northwest, although it will
continue for several days more. There
is not line into these cities that has
| not had an increase of more than 30
per cent over the travel year ago,
and several assert that their business
has doubled.
The volume of holiday trade has
caused great surprise. Many people
seem to be making Christmas journeys
of whom travelling passenger and dis
trict agents had no knowledge The
usual business has grown to re-
markable figure.
Representatives of the 500 line state
that holidays travel has doubled. The
Great Northern is carrying an increase
from 30 to go per. cent over last year,
and the Northern Pacific a volume of
passenger traffic quite as great.
The Chicago Great Western, an Off
cial said, has already handled % per
cent more than the aggregate travel q
year ago, and on the Milwaukee the
Burlington, the Northwestern the
Wisconsin Central and the Minneapolis
& st. Louis every train is crowded,
and the increase of traffic will range
from 90 to 80 per cent.
Western lines are eIated over the
travel they are handling. Local train
reports have shown in single instances
increases of 100 and 1870 per cent over
| the best single train record year ago.
every one seems to have money
said coast line passenger official ::
"There is no other explanation of the
volume of traffic. Our own men,
through the west, did not expect the
traffic we are handling"
Announcements were made by the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul this
week that after January passenger
rates on the South Dakota lines of the
system will be reduced from to 3
cents mile. The s5 per cent reduction
is voluntary, and is made to equalize
rates per mile in that state with those
applying in other states
There is no apparent offset to the
rate reduction. Officials of the line
stated yesterday that the management
depends upon the growing volume of
business to make good the loss of re-
venue rather than to any special class
of receipts.
The concession has been announced
to the officials of the state.
A second proposition has been made
to the Western Passenger association
to change the requirements for the
transportation of special Car for par
ties of eighteen passengers or less. 1t
is planned to raise the minimum form
fifteen to eighteen full-fare tickets. s a..
The new basis was recently adopted
by the Trsnscontinental Passenger asso-
citation, subject to its adoption by the
Western and the Southwestern associ-
ations. The Western association has
once voted it down, but in view of this
action will reconsider its decision.
1t is reported that among the many
improvements to be made by the Great
Western, it will contruct track water
troughs along its lines by which pas
senger engines can replenish their sup
ply without decreasing the running
speed. The plans for the troughs on
the Eastern division are said to be al
ready complete. They will be 1,600 feet
long, and so constructed that a scoop
lowered by the fireman of the APP
preaching engine will gather up 6. 900
gallons of water while running the
length of the Trough. In winter
steam jets will be injected into the
troughs at certain points to keep the
water from freezing.
Figures prepare by the Railway Age
show that railroad building in the
United States during 1901 has been
greater than during eleven years previ
GUS, the total approximating 5,057
miles of line. In 1890 the total was
8, $40. and in 1900 was A, 437 miles.
The construction for the year added
to the total mileage previously report
ed. brings the total mileage of the
country to approximately 1919, $40
miles.