The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-17
WISCONSIN CENTRAL
CUTS CHICAGO
RATES
Passenger Agent Pond An
nOunCed Yesterday That His
Line VIII Sell Tickets to the
Windy City at an So Basis---
Other Roads Will Meet Re-
duCtiOn.

Passenger rates between 81. 1duI
and Chicago received a severe jolt yes
terday, when the Wisconsin Central
announced a fiat rate of IS between
those points, effective June 80. The
new tariff is to remain in force until
further notice, which is considered as
meaning that the rate will be retained
permanently.
The announcement of the cut of $3.50
in the fare from the Twin Cities to
Chicago caused much excitement in
railroad circles. Before noon the
Omaha decided to meet the cut. and
notices Of the reduction was posted.
The other roads are expected to make
the IS rate today, as there is no other
course open to the milf they desire to
retain any of the Chicago-Twin City
business.
1t was said at the Burlington offices
yesterday that the new rate would GER
tainly be adopted by that line. Notice
ordering a reduction in rates was re-
Ceived by the Milwaukee. which will
probably suffer the greatest loss of
revenue by the cut, as it's business is
the largest. The Great Western, Rock
Island and Minneapolis & st. Louis
st. Paul officials had also received no
instructions as to what action their
roads would take, but were certain
that the cut would be met.
There is every indication that the
rate-cutting war will not stop at So,
although an effort to restore the old
rate of S115O will undoubtedly be
made by some of the roads within
week or two if not at once.
Wisconsin Central Acts.
The Wisconsin CentraFs rate applies
TO Chicago, Milwaukee and ManitoWoc,
and is the maximum for all interme-
date points on its Chicago st. Paul di-
vision. It is also offered to other roads
as a basis for joint rates. The Wis
cOnSin Central also announced rate
of $3.50 between Chicago and Duluth
which is a considerable cut and will
affect the Omaha to a great extent.
The Wisconsin Central justifies it's
action on the ground that the so-called
strong lines, whenever there is any
party business, have contracted the
business at cut rates, and then publish
ed tariff to cover them. The road
believes that if the rate between the
Twin Cities and Chicago is not low
enough it should be cut, and the gem
eral public given advantage of the re-
duced tariff.
Notice of the intended reduction in
rates was served on the other roads by
General Passenger Agent James c.
Pond, of the Wisconsin Central at the
meeting of the Western Passenger as
ISOLATION recently held in ST. Paul,
shortly after the $13 rate to Indian
apolis for the Woodmen convention
was adopted The Wisconsin Central
is a long line to Chicago, but has al
ways maintained the full tariff rates,
and therefore has not done a heavy
Chicago business.
Milwaukee Gets Woodmen.
Until few weeks ago the rate stu
alton between Chicago and the Twin
Cities has been unusually stable since
the enactment of the Elkins law. The
Milwaukee road has always hustled for
the Modern Woodmen business It
started out to carry the Twin City par
ty to the convention at Indianapolis,
and announced that it was going to
get the business, presumably at the
agreed rate of one fare plus 50. Then
the charge came that the Great West
ern was putting in a lower secret rate
to secure the Woodmen delegation, and
the Milwaukee published it's $13 tariff
When Mr.. Pond came to the West
ern Passenger association meeting last
week he was greatly annoyed by the
action of the long lines and said, then,
1t was his purpose to put in a tariff
rate that would not be cut by other
lines in the scramble for a few hundred
dollars worth of business. He said he
would start it at IS, or cents a mile.
II this was not low enough he would
keep on cutting, if he had to make a
rate of "a.
The officials of the roads were not
inclined to believe Mr.. Pond would
carry out his threat until the circulars
were received yesterday.
1t does not seem likely that the Wis
consin Central will be forced to make
a lower rate, however, to prevent cut
ting, as the reduction will make a
large hole in the passenger revenue
OF all the Chicago-St. Paul lines The
wisconsin Central had but little of this
business before, SO it is losing nothing
by it's low rate.
A short time ago the Wisconsin Cen
traI announced that it would not ask
for differential, but it is likely that
after week or ten days have ELAPSED
and the low fare has created all the
business it can the other roads will
endeavor to have the old rate restored
and the Wisconsin Central will be able
to secure a favorable concession from
the other lines.