The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-11
EIGHT. DOLLAR RATE
TO CHICAGO MAY BE
ONLY TEMPORARY
Rate Clerks, at Their Meeting
Yesterday, Entirely ignored 1t,
Giving Rise to Belief That
a Higher Figure Is to Pre-
va:I-This Fall.

The So rate between the Twin Cities
and Chicago is not yet to be consid-
cred permanent. This was made plain
yesterday by the action of the rate
clerks of the Western Passenger as
sociation, in ignoring the So rate in
checking winter excursion rates at the
Hotel Ryan, st. Paul.
1t was the regular fall meeting OF
the association to check over winter
tourist rates. The meeting Will con-
sumo several days.
The rate clerks were apparently act
ing under instructions to ignore the SO
rate between St. Paul and Chicago,
for in none of the rates checked yes
terday was the IS rate used as basis,
although the Wisconsin Central, when
it made the reduction from $11.5O to
IS between the Twin Cities and chi
cago, especially invited the attention
of other lines to the IS rate for baslng
purposes
The action of the rate clerks is taken
to mean that some agreement as to
the restoration of the rates to higher
figure if not to $11.50 will be taken
before September 80, when the rate
schedules, as checked at this meeting,
become effective
The action of the meeting yesterday
places California and Florida rates
back to the old basis of SO for the
proportion of lines leading through the
Chicago and Missouri river gateWays.
Several factors which have been dis
turbing the passenger situation for
some time past will come before the
meeting and will probably be re-
moved There was no controversy what
ever yesterday as the day was con-
sumed by outlining the programme of
the work to come up, and routine
checking of rates. 1t is possible, how
ever that the question of the So rate
10 crO fOr h1
come up in an active manner. If it
does the question will probably be
settled once and for all. If not, and
the rate clerks continue ignoring the
rate. it is probable that it is the
knowledge of q tacit agreement that
the So rate will be taken out early
in the fall.
Fall Travel viii Be the Test.
1t has all along been contended that
the fall travel, would be the test of
the So rate, and that the basis of oper-
ations would then be transferred to
the Twin Cities, as the majority Of
the fall traffic is South and East
bound. The Central Passenger asso-
citation never maintained rates better
than at present and refused this sum-
merlt to take any hand in the reductions
announced by ST. Paul Chicago lines to
Eastern points. Several representa-
tiVeS of these lines were at the meet
ing yesterday
Traffic men are inclined to the view
that in reality the action of the Wis
consin Central in putting in the So
rate was to force the strong lines to
grant the weak lines a differential the
same as is done in the East. This
was denied by the Wisconsin Central,
but nevertheless the actions of the
road point to this solution of the diff
ficulty very strongly, and it is proba
BILE that some differential will be
agreed upon before the SIS will be taken
out.
The strong lines were willing to meet
the IS rate during the summer when
travel was heavy, but will scarcely
wish to continue the rate When traf-
fic becomes lighter. The strong lines
have, since the passage of the Elkins
law, secured the lions share of the
business, and a differentiaI is con-
sidered the only way in which the
weak lines can expect to do any great
amount of business.
Session Will Be Busy One
The meeting of the rate clerks will
consider all-year tourist rates, re-
vision of the tariff, military rates, re-
vision of San Francisco military tariff,
and general military tariff; short line
mileage, steamship rates, eastbound
st. Lawrence river points, revision to
be made to agree with Central Pas
senger association revised tariff
Andrew Stevenson, of the Western
Passenger association, acted as chair
man Of the meeting. The representa-
tives of Eastern lines present were:
c. c. Bliss, and Douglas Shirley, his
assistant of the B. & o.; T. c. Seidener,
of the Pennsylvania lines; George In
gals, of the Big Four, and E. o.
Hayer, of the Michigan Central. Other
roads and their representatives at the
hearing were: Burlington and Mis-
souri, river, A. T. Lewis; Chicago &
North Western, r. Thomson, L. A.
Iterck; Chicago Great Western, J. H.
Colley; Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul.
w. ]. Cannon; Chicago. Rock Island
& Pacific, H. T. Miles; Illinois Central,
George c. Roney; Iowa Central, Min
neapolis & st. Louis, E. E. Aniblad;
Union Pacific, @. F. Campbell; Wabash,
L. A. Blatterman; Northern Pacific
c. B. Sealy; Great Northern, F. B.
Cudworth Minneapolis st. Paul &
Sault Ste. Marie, F. A. Waterhouse.