Evening journal., 1902-01-01
COMMUTERS
ARE WORRIED
Don't Want Rates TO PhiIa
delphia Abolished
WOULD MOVE FAMILIES AWAY
They Offer Their Photographs 10
Railroad Company As a Means i
Of Identification
WOULD MOVE FAMILIES AWAY

Commuters Of the T., w. & b. railroad
between this city and Philadelphia are
nnpleasantly exercised 10y the currentf
rumor that the railroad company is about /
to do away with commutation rates.
There are from 100 to $50 of THESE COM
muters. who are employed in Philadel |
pnia. but maintain their families here.
Formerly quarterly tickets We're issued
at the rate Of $243O. Then a monthly |
ticket, good for thirty round trips, was
sold for $40. Now the rumor comes that
Communication rates will be abolished.
This state of affairs, it is said, isl
brought about by the action Of merchants |
in Front street. 1t is alleged that they
purchase monthly tickets and rent them
ont a u sum lower than the usual rate,
to all comers, with profit to themselves
and loss to the railroad company. 1t isl
this practice which the railroad officials
arc determined to break up.
Should the commutation books be is
sued no longer. it would necessitate the
removal of the families of the commuters
to Philadelphia and this. as can readils1
be seen, would be a financial loss 10 Will
mington, and people here. especially the
merchants, would regret to see $50 fam
lilies move TO Philadelphia.
The commuters have submitted plan
to the railroad company which they think
viii simplify matters. They offer to fur
nish photographs Of themselves 20 the
railroad company which shall be placed
on their tickets, and stamped with the
seal of the company. 4 committee rep
rescnting the local commuters has been
granted an interview by j. r. Wood
general passenger agent Of the company
j the outcome Of which is awaited with
/ deep interest.
/ This committee has sent the following
communication To this Office
TO the Editor of the Evening Journal.
,ir As matter vital TO the welfare of
many Delaware residents we besneak
your kind Offices ia giving publicity to the
following facts, knowing your readiness
Yin promoting the hest interests of our fel-
low citizens ia whatever issue where JUS
tice TO them may be involved We are a
committee representing r.. w. q B. COM
muters who are seeking through petition
and other active measures an arrange
mcnt with the aforesaid company for the
restoration and maintenance Of wcll
safcguarded annual. quarterly and 100
trip commutatiOn books at such rates as
shall he as reasonable or cheaper, if pos
splc than the rates formerly obtained.
The committee has been granted an in
terview with Mr. J. R. Wood, general
passenger agent Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, during which the
matter was discussed at length, and is
now under consideration in its details
The commuters we represent wish the
public to be fully acquainted with the
fact that the movement to obtain he well
guarded Communication system and rates
1 desired by them originated from residents
Z of the locality who desire 90 continue ~
their homes here. while finding il neces
sary to travel daily 70 positions they hold
. elsewhere If communication rates arr
! wholly removed or even slightly in
i creased great many families will bl
! ! obliged to remove their support, both SO
cially and financially lost to our commun
8 ity. in addition 10 which in many more
= cases individual members Of families whit
are at present retaining their home facil
+ ities here will be obliged to locate nearer
q their work.
< In both cases there IS cutting of o
,, the railroad cOmpany's revenues com
e pletely from such sources and loss Z
IS the community where the commuters nos
live This movement did not original
from. the merchants Or mercantile inter
ests Of Wilmington in any manner what
ever and as class they will profit \.
such an arrangement rs is desired onl
in Il secondary way.
e That the agitation Of the matter ar0s
from such sources is misapprehensio
of the whole case. and we wish % correc
any such mistaken idea regarding t,
t 1t is fair to state that 70 tle posltiy
is knowledge Of this committee the abuse
d in the use Of the present monthly ticket
arose from class who while styiir
4 themselves merchants are in no way idei
. tilted with the honorable business men Z
: Wilmington. Ii is to aid the railroa
d company in the elimination Of such an 81
II mont in the nse Of reduced rates that th
i petitioners represented by this commits
Il arc united to accomplish by means
oel safeguard tickets and other suggestion
N looking to the honorable treatment Of q
- company in return for low rates ON We
identified regular travel.