The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-24
TO ABOLISH DIFFERENTIALs.
VIII Adopt System of Basing Rates on
the Running Time of Trains.

Chicago. Aug. 24.-The heads of the
Vanderbilt and Pennsylvania lines are
considering a proposition to abollSh
the present system of standard and dit
ferential passenger rates and adopt IN
stead a graded scale OF rates DaSed
on the running time of trains.
About twenty years ago, chiefly to
prevent the weaker lines from cutting
rates. an agreement was made where
by the Pennsylvania lines and the
Lake Shore and Michigan Central were
designated as standard lines and bound
to maintain d rate OF $40 between
Chicago and New York, while all other
lines were to maintain rate OF S1S-
Ostensibly, the privilege of making
lower rates was given to some roads
because their line was longer and their
cars and engines inferior.
In q measure the granting of lower
or differential rates stopped open rate
cutting, but the plan never proved so
successful as was anticipated in equal
izing passenger traffic among the Var1-
Gus roads. The Pennsylvania COM
pany, to protect itself, found it nee
essary to have a differential line, and
the Panhandle was given the right to
make an SIS rate between here and
New York. The VanderbiltS secured
differential line in the Nickel Plate.
When the Fort Wayne line of the
Pennsylvania system and the Lake
Shore and New York Central roads of
the Vanderbilt system decided to inn
prove their passenger service by rum
ming trains between here and New
York in less than twenty-eight hours,
howl went uD from The differential
lines. The result was a decision of
the board of managers of the Joint
Traffic association that any railroad
wanting to give the public better SER
vice should he penalized at the rate of
81 an hour hrr every hour less than
twenty-eight hours in which it ran a
train between Chicago and New York.
AS usual, the public had to pay the
bill, the railroads adding ''excess fare
on their faster trains
The rule made by the Joint Traffic
association was that excess fare should
be charged on fast trains between St.
Louis and New York. as well as be-
tween here and New York, but the bus
mess men of st. Louis protested so
vigorously that the rule was never en-
forced again st. Louis. Chicago men
had more money and were willing to
pay extra price for extra service. st.
Louis, however, demanded as good ser
vice as was given from Chicago, and
got it without paying anything extra
for it.
Not content with lower rates on reg
ular traffic, the differentlal lines have
always insisted on making lower rates
than the standard lines for special or
excursion traffic. The standard lines
have protested for years against the
application of differentialS to excursion
business, but never until the 6. A. r.
encampment in Boston this month did
the standard lines make a stand on
the issue. The Michigan Central and
Pennsylvania lines declared that their
rates to Boston during the encamp-
ment of the G. A. r. would be low
as those of any other line. In an effort
to maintain their differential basis 9TH
er roads reduced the G. A. R. rate from
the original basis of 5000 to $50. The
latter rate was met by the Michigan
Central line, which announced that it
would meet any lower rate of a. COM
petitor.
1t is understood that the action of the
Michigan Central and Pennsylvania
lines on G. A r. rates was to pave the
way for abolishing the differentials system
and establishing passenger faxes on a
basis of speed. For example, on all
trains running between here and New
York in % hours the fare should be
SIS. whether via the Lake Shore or Bal
timore & Ohio road, while on any train
running from here to New York in 36
hours the rate should be SO, the adj