The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-12
SAINT PAUL CHICAGO
LINES CANCEL
CHEAP RATES
Central Passenger Associa-
ton Refuses to Honor Half
Fare Tickets to Eastern
Points Sold in the Twin
Cities Roads Withdraw
Special Rates.

The st. Paul-Chicago lines special
one fare for the round trip to Eastern
points has been Cancelled.
An order from Chicago was received
late yesterday afternoon at the Mil
waukee office annulling the advertised
rate, because the Central Passenger
association refused to honor the tickets
sold on the one-fare basis.
The action of the Eastern lines has
thrown the local passenger agents into
quandary, for it gives the 500 line
almost a complete monopoly of the
east-bound excursion business. Rail-
road officials say that the matter will
be satisfactorily adjusted within day
or two, but in the meantime the 500
has an open field, with no competitor
able TO meet its rates.
Several hundred cheap tickets to
Eastern points were sold by the Chi
cago-St. Paul lines yesterday, the first
day that speciaI-trip tickets were on
sale. 1t is not known whether the
tickets sold at the reduced rate will be
accepted by the Eastern lines, and one
railroad official last night said that he
feared the trunk lines would refuse to
honor the cut-rate transportation.
A general passenger agent said that
he did not know what action the men,
bers of the Central Passenger assOcia-
ton will take in regard to the tickets
already sold. 1t is likely, he said, that
the Eastern roads will accept the
transportation, but will charge the diff
ference between the cheap rate and the
regular fare to the lines issuing the
haIf-rate ticket
The fight for the cheap Eastern rate
is - interesting one. 1t began some
weeks ago, soon after the Milwaukee
road inaugurated it's fast Chicago train
service. The other strong lines, in
Guiding the Burlington, met the time
reduction, but the so-called weak
routes were unable to do so. No diff
ferential was asked. but a concession
is said to have been granted regarding
the movement Of excursion parties and
Of delegates to conventions and re-
unions. The strong lines were to cease
husthng for party business, and to
leave that class of traffic to the longer
routes This was the compensation
the weak lines were to receive for the
action of the strong roads in placing
fast schedule in operation.
But the plan did not work out as in
tended. Instead of harmonizing the
conflicting interests it only widened
the gap. One of the strong lines want
ed Its share of the party traffic, and
set its agents to work to secure it,
Then one of the weak lines slasned
rates. The first move was to cut the
price of transportation to Chicago and
return on account of the Modern
WOOdmen's convention at Indianapolis.
This cut, which is said to have been
made secretly, and later Iegalized by
the filing of special tariff after the
business had been secured was met
by one of the strong lines.
The same weak line that made the
first reduction in order to secure the
Modern WOodnen's business is now
accused of putting in a special one fare
Eastern rate, presumably to meet the
500 lines special rate schedule.
When this action became known at
the meeting of the Western Passenger
association Tuesday it was decided by
all the st. PAUL. Chicago lines to in
augurate a similar rate
A rate of one fare for the round
trip to Eastern points was announced
Tuesday night, and the Chica 60 St.
Paul lines at once advertised the fare
as effective from June II to June 20,
good returning until September.
The special tickets were placed on
sale yesterday at the offices of the
Rock Island, Wisconsin Central, Min
neapolis & st. Louis, Milwaukee, Great
Western and the Burlington Just
before 6 o'clock last evening word was
received from Chicago to cancel the
rate, as the Eastern lines had decided
to annul the One-fare tariff.
When the special rate was made by
the Western Passenger association the
Eastern lines were not consulted, but
the rate was made operative immedi-
ately. This angered the members of
the Central Passenger association, and
at meeting held in Chicago Wednes-
day it was decided to annuI the ac-
ton of the st. Paul Chicago lines by
refusing to honor the half-fare rate.
An uItlmatum was sent to the West
ern Passenger association yesterday
by the Eastern lines, in which it was
definitely stated that the members of
the Central Passenger association
would not participate in any cut rate
scheme. Then came the order to can
eel the special Eastern rates.
st. Paul passenger officials refuse to
divulge with what Eastern road the
one st. PauI-Chicago line made it's
agreement prior to the action of the
Western Passenger association in de-
cIari1lg a haf-fare rate in vogue on
all the Northern lines.