Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-06
RAIL W AVS FIGHI
RATE WAR ls THREATENED THIS
SUMMER, MUCH 70 THE DE.
LIGHT OF PUBLIC.
Vacation Trips VIII Be Within Means
Of People With Slender Means ~
Milwaukee and Northwestern start.
ed Trouble.

ed Trouble.
That 1t will be cheaper to travel
than to stay at home Is among the
probabilities of the present summer.
Think Of 1t! Five dollars to Denver!
Fifteen dollars the round trip to Port
land! It's cheaper than walking
There are none SO poor but that can
afford vacation trip to the Rockies
or to the Lewis and Clark. exposition
at the aforesaid rate. In view Of the
recent development among the rail
roads it is not unlikely that rate war
on western travel will give the public
an opportunity to ride for almost moth
ing this summer.
Ready for the Fray:
The railroads comprising the West
ern Passenger association are on the
will disrupt the association for the
summer season at least. Difficulties
arising over the action of the Mllwau-
kee and Northwestern regarding rates
to the Woodmen convention at Milwau-
kee, and the retaliation of the Illinois
Central in announcing slash in rates
from Missouri river points to Chicago
June has aroused the fighting spirit
Of the roads, until now each is waiting
for the other to knock the chip from
the shoulder to precipitate general
battle.
Illinois Central Throws Bomb. 5,
w Int vt,
between the Northwestern and Mil
waukee railroads over the Chicago-Mil
waukee traffic has grown bitter within
the past several months. Train ser.
vice has been increased and schedules
reduced SO that now one may reside in
Milwaukee and engage in business in
Chicago. The Cedar Rapids division
has been the battlefield upon which
the two roads have fought out their
differences and marshaled their com.
petitive forces. In the light of these
fact, 1t Is not strange that when the
Woodmen convention date at Milwau.
kee drew near the Milwaukee and
Northwestern should each shy castor
into the ring. AS result there was
trouble in the Western Passenger as.
ISOLATION, an organization of roads
which regulates the rates. The ILL
nois Central seeing it's Chicago bust
ness from the west periled by the &C.
tion of the rivals for Milwaukee travel
kept quiet until Saturday when it car
ried the war into the camp of the en-
envy by announcing g. SIS round trip
rate from Missouri river points to Chi
cago.
While the bomb thrown by the I'LL
nois Central has had quieting effect
1t is believed that 1t will eventually
work destruction to westward rates.
Several Aspects to Situation.
1t has been claimed that the Rock
Island, Burlington and Union Pacific
control the Denver situation. Such is
not the case The Santa Fe last year
secured eighty per cent Of the Kansas
City-Denver passenger business, and
the Missouri Pacific had satisfactory
travel. There are several aspects tc
the Denver situation, and should a rate
war be effected, no power can stop il
until it has run its course
The Rock Island runs on it's own
tracks from Chicago to Denver, via
Omaha and Kansas City. The North
western, Milwaukee and Illinois Cen
trail use the Union Pacific west OF
Omaha and west of Kansas City the
Milwaukee has traffic arrangements
with the Santa Fe. The Missouri Pa
cific will make overtures from Omaha
and Kansas City for its share of the
through traffic. While not regarded
now as connecting line for either OF
the roads mentioned, 1t would be a
very desirable ally in case of war.
The public is anxiously awaiting de-
velopments, and many. vacation
otherwise beyond ones purse, is now
being planned.
Rates Lowest In Years.
Westward rates for the summer an
nounced by the Western Passenger as
sociation are the lowest in years ant
bring travel within the reach Of every
one.
Even if peace is declared before the
rate war begins, an unexampled oppor
tunity is offered the public in the
foregoing rates.
AWARDS PAPER CONTRACT.
Butler COMPANY of CHICAGO Will Sun