Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-03
HEAVY TRAINS TO THE COAST
Last Of Travellers on 0oIonist Rates Pass
Through Omaha.
SEASON ENDS WITH RECORDS BROKEN
Much Speculation Among Railroad
OnlciAls as 10 when the Next
COIOnist Rate viii Go
Into Eject.
SEASON ENDS WITH RECORDS BROKEN

After a continuous sale for two months
the colonist rates for west coast points ex-
pired last Wednesday, leaving behind them
a record OF a passenger traf1c so enormous
that the total haul Is fully double that OF
any previous year under similar rates. Now
passenger and operating ~offlcials OF the diff
ferent transcontinental railroads intimately
concerned In this colonist travel are specu-
lating as to whether such a rate will ever
again be established. and II so. whether II
will be for a shorter or longer time Of sale.
The effect Of the colonlst rates has been
felt by Omaha railroads from their incep-
tion, but the last gasp was by all means
the most strenuous. This came yesterday.
when the people who had bought their
tickets on the last day Of sale At points
farther east were just coming through
Omaha. IL seems that many crosa-country-
to-stay travellers delayed their journey till
the last minute and the result was that yea
terday's colonist business through Omaha
exoelled hat OF any previous day. not ex-
cepting the beginning day CO the rate. The
visible effect here was that Burlington No.
3, westbound, had to be run out in two sec
tions and that every one OF the three long
Union Pacific through trains to the coast
carried from one to three extra coaches,
II NnaA NNNAl n Oh Gntn Hdb lOdQ6u
10 the guards.
Just now the status and time Of the next
c~olonist rate Is causing much discussion.
The two months continuous sale Just ended
was an entirely new method, as In 1901 col
onist tickets we're sold only on Tuesdays.
The new plan has proved far more s~atlsfae-
tory. for II has served to distribute the
business more evenly. This one point was
really the reason for making the sale date
continuous. and 1t was from the operating
departments OF the roads that the demand
for such an arrangement came.
One prominent cficial said he would moi
be surprised to see the eolonists' rata in
effect again next fall We'll kick on that
said another. W want to do a paying
business q small part OF the year, al
least. It's bad enough to haul thousands o.
people west at a eeRt q mile In the spring
without doubling up on It and running the
rates again In the fall" Should this fal
rate be put In Il will be the nrst time. i
is i25 from the Missouri river and tSS from
Chicago.
Probably $1,000 people were carried I
California, Oregon and Washington on col
onist rates by all roads during March an
April" said another o%fieial. They cam
from all over the country. Nebraska givin
Its share. This did not deplete the popula
tion In this state any. however, for home
seekers rates we're In effect during tn
same period, and the people who came int
Nebraska on those far outnumber those VIII
went out as eolonists. This homeseekeri
rate obtains on the FIRST and third Tuesday
OF every month, and It brings Us peopl
from Indiana. Illinois. Missouri and low
ehieny. This rate has not been discontiu
ued. and expect TO see IL carried on 10
several months yet"
Another omelal believes that the animu
against the rate Il 80 strong with several
the larger railroads Interested that "a
YprOpo-iass may y killed and never r.