The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-09
Passenger Officials Claim That
Protection From Ticket Brokers
Is Absolutely Necessary.
CONCERTED ACTION PROBABLE.
George W. Risbine, Director Of
Transportation of the Worlds
Fair, Points Out the
Danger.

Il Is highly probable that unless perma-
neat and effective protection is given the
railroads against scalpers the Worlds
Fair rates viii be but little, il any. less
than the regular rates.
Interviews with many OF the passenger Of
ficia,s of the st. Louis Lies disclose the
fact that all are very uncertain as to the
attitude of their reads toward granting re-
duced rates to the Fair under the present
conditions
While no action has been taken by the st.
Louis Passenger Association in the matter.
1t is stated that it IS tacftly understood tna1
the roads will make no concessions in thls
matter unless granted protection.
A passenger official. discussing the situa-
ton, said: The scalpers have been granted
q writ Of prohibition against our temporary
injunction, and can at present sell our re-
duced tickets at will. but We will try to
have this writ dissolved in October. when
it comes I'D before the Supreme Court, and,
II we succeed, We viii then ask the lower
court fer permanent injunction.
III this is granted. and We believe It VIII
be, the scalpers cannot do business In 81.
low rates 10 the Fair. Otherwise do not
see how we can make mucn cheaper th1Si
the ordinary rate.
ut certainly does seem that the rai.
matter. The Supreme Court has decioeo
that signed ticket is not transferable anu
the use OF 1t by another party save !ns
original purchaser is not legal. Excursion
tickets are uniformly made III sisnaturs
form and It is therefore q clear violation OF
the law TO sell. buy or deal in them.
Another reason supporting our con,en,
ton is that II we were to sell low rae
round trip tickets to and from ST Louis
and the scalpers were allowed TO operate
our passenger earnings would not be SUM
cient to pay our coal bills
IF, for instance. the fare to st. Louis Is
reduced to one and third round trip
person can buy ticket to ST. Louis ana
sell the return half for almost as much as
stance the road Is out the two-thr1ds rare
besides being the victim Of q fraud.
But the most objection TO the sealpsrs
Is the practice Of many Of them OF changing
the destinations on their tickets. by which g
ticket between local points is made to read
from PERHAPS one end Of the line to the
other. Naturally the railroad suffers a Sc
we're loss by this practice.
THE reason why We may take this ACTON
In regard to 81. Louis Is that at the tine
Of the Worlds Fair there viii be an enor-
from and to ST. Louis: naturally they Will
avail themselves Of the cheap rates: II
the scalpers are permitted to do business
many OF the persons coming to st. Louis
without any intention Of going away again,
such as drumme-s for local houses. resu-
lar patrons. and persons living In the city.
VIII avail I0eluSSiNSs VI tic sOSpoA ~
save money by buying round-trip cheap
ticket and selling the return-trip half to the
scalpera ..
ot,is next year hundreds Win avail them
eelyes of this and the loss that the rail-
roads would sustain would % enormous II
IL therefore for preservation as Wen a.
for fairness that We think We snouio Do
protected
against number OF scalpers. but VIII
80 Nv YtfS0 T. n
valiant " Of the Supreme Court. ordertns
that the temporary injunction be held up.
Tho motion to dissolve this writ VIII be
argued before the Supreme Court In octo-
SHOULD PROTECT RAILROADS.
Georxs ". Ristipe. Director Of TRnspor-
tation Worlds Fair. has been in CORE
spondence and conference with the impor-
tant general passenger agents Of the United
States, with view Of securing stopover
privileges on through tickets. so as TO ena-
bic travellers to zee the progress being made
in the construction OF buildings and to Sc
cure their cooperation in making reduced
rates during the Exposition period.
Early in June the matter was first taken
I'D and the prospects looked very encourag-
ing that the railroads would grant the re-
quest.
..The request made by the Worlds Fair
on passenger associations was not unreal
sonable. and, barring the everyday unlaw-
full transactions carried on by disreputable
ticket scalpers, would doubtless have been
conceded without discussion.
1T is claimed that in no other leading
city Is there an aggregation OF ticket bro
doing business in st. Louis 1t is known
that the success of their business is In sys-
tematically counterfeiting. forging and 9TH
s err Sc frauduleTntiy altering and ntterinE
Annual passes are bought
and sold. numbers and names are changed.
passes issued in Frior years are successfully
manipulated and washed SO as to make
them good for current year. tickets which
have expired are .'pfugged'' and future limit
put on them, subordinate employees OF rail-
do disreputable things. business firms In ST.
Louis are known to sell mileage books
(Which they secured for advertising con-
brought in COLLISION with scalpe-s. tickets
are purchased for short rides so as to de-
ceive that the passengers intend TO go a
long distance. oaggagemen are bribed to
utable method is rssorted 10 without the
railroads being afforded any protection.
The recent seton of the Missouri Legis-
forgery Of tickets a felony has worked
against the interest OF the Fair. which ali
must admit cannot be made success with
panle.. ee
,.Passengers have the option Of buying
M; sn unlimited tickets The railroads
eonS SA@SpeASA - " WQ9Iftley Shall do
with them. but they do object 10 HAVING
their business and employees demoraIized
when they mako special reduced rates on
limited time for special occasions to have
chanees AA'A'
THE railroads take the position tina. while
they are DESTROYS of carrying to q success
ful issue this great Exposition. they de-
plore the fact that they should be foreed
as last resort to protect Themselves from
the piundering operations of dozen or so
brokers. who seem to command the situa-
tio.. e ais@
Unless the citizens and CITY of Ct louis
take this matter In hand and see that the
ordinance licensing ticket brokers and es.
t;Idl supervision over their transac-
ers' business in st. Louis wiz serioi,siv men
ace the issuance OF attractive excursion
fares TO the city curing the Exposition
The subject Is such Serious one for
The Worlds Fair MANAGEMENT that so,ne
action must be taken Immediately hv the
various business organizations and the NM
nicipaI authorities. or otherwise fha rail.
roads VIII probably refuse to MAKE snv
reduced fares Ai1s
Prohibition In Texas.
REPUBLIC. SPECIAL.
Dallas, Texas. Aug. S-BuI,etins from