Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-11
FOR TWO CENT RATE
A MOVEMENT is ON FOOT TO
CHANGE RAILROAD FARE.
TWO BIG PRESIDENTS START TALK
Western Roads are Contemplating a
New Idea in General Passenger
Ticket Sales = May Affect Local
Travellers.

Whether or not the many Ottum.
vans who are daily leaving money
with the large railroads running in
and out of the city, are to be charged
but two cents per mile for their trans
portation depends on the success
if adopted, of the proposed new passen-
ger rate, which has been talked of by
the presidents OF the Chicago Great
Western and the Northern Pacific
roads A move is on foot to establish
a fiat passenger rate of two cents a
mile and to put upon the market a
1,000-mile transferable ticket for $40. If
this movement is carried out, it will
supersede the present interchangeable
mileage system.
Western Roads in MIDDLE.
The roads are watching the outcome
of the strife among the western rail
roads over the interchangeable mileage
tickets. IT is a well known fact that
President Stickney of the Chicago
Great Western and President Mellen
of the Northern Pacific roads believe
that general passenger rate of two
cents a mile should be established and
put an end to the innumerable quarrels
caused by general passenger agents in
making absurdly low rates to secure
what is known as party business
There is good authority for the state
ment that the Chicago Great Western
road is prepared to place on sale a
1,000-mile ticket for 500, good for the
transportation of anybody presenting
it, without restriction This company
has practically decided to begin the
selling of such ticket if other rail
roads introduce a 1000 mile ticket
good on trains, in place of the present
interchangeable credit system.
Pressure from Other Roads,.
Few railway managers are in favor
of giving the public an open rate OF
2 cents mile, and now that the plans
of the Great Western are known it is
said the strongest pressure possible
will be brought to bear on President
Stickney to prevent him taking the ac-
ton he contemplates. He is said to be
of the opinion that the welfare of his
company is not safeguarded by the
officials of competing lines. They have
Joined in resolutions to boycott his
ioebA, AiAfS pioSSo Oil OpSlcSSlSS pU0-
sible in the way of it's development,
and have never forgiven him for MAX
ing a contract with the meat packing
corporations which prevented the 9th
.er railroads from raising rates to an
unreasonable degree.
May Not Influence .Stickney.#
Unless he has changed his opinion
recently, President Stickney is not ex
pected to be influenced by officials OF
other roads in making passenger rates.
At q meeting of the presidents of the
western roads in New York several
years ago, ostensibly for the purpose
of effecting general advance in rates
President Stickney was ignored by the
others until they had perfected their
plans. When finally they handed him
to sign, a copy of the agreement to adj
vance and maintain rates, President
Stickney said:
Individually l have the highest re-
spect for you gentlemen but as an ag-
gregation of railway officials would
not trust you with my watch, and it
is only a silver one"
Then President Stickney left the
room and he has not since attended a
conference of western railway presi-
dents for the purpose OF making a
"gentleman's agreement" regarding
rates.
Extent of Quarrel Not Expected.
The western passenger officials re-
sponsible for the quarrel over inter-
changeable mileage tickets little
dreamed what the result might be. 1t
is well known that the abolition of the
present interchangeable credential
system was suggested by the passen-
ger traffic manager of one of the
transcontinental lines as sure meth
cd of forcing the Rock Island system
back into the Western Passenger as
ISOLATION.
The chance to introduce a new
mileage ticket was welcomed by pas
senger officials Of some of the other
roads. Various patents are held on
mileage tickets, and royalty is paid
to the patentee. In the past few
weeks frequent conferences of west
ern passenger agents have been held
and the claims of the various patent
ed tickets have been strenuously urg-
ed. For a time it looked as If the
real question was Royalty, royalty,
who gets the royalty?"
All personal interests were disa-
vowed by the passenger officials.
They stated officially that they want
ed to abolish the credential system
in order to adopt another form of
ticket which would not be SO popu-
lar. They said that many persons
were getting the benefit of a 2-cent
rate under the credential system who
were not entitled to it. In other
words it was scheme to raise pas
senger rates by practically limiting
the use of mileage tickets to CONNER
cial travellers. Such plan probably
would have resulted in the passage of
"a 2-cent-a-mile law in the western
states. If the Great Western sells a
1,000-mile ticket for 500 good for bear
er it is inevitable that all the roads
will do so, and probably some of them
will establish fiat rate of 2 cents a
mile.
DEATH OF A CHILD.