The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-20
Western Passenger Association
Meets in Kansas City.
Discusses Many Matters With
out Taking Action.
SUMMER EXCURSIONS.
Desire Of Some Roads to Abolish
Them FrOWned On.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Kansas City, No, Dec. 2o.-Fifteen
leading passenger officials. represent
ing twelve different roads and com
prising the Western Passenger associa-
don, held one of their regular meet
tngs here yesterday at the Hotel Balti-
more At the conclusion of the meet
ing it was announced by E. E Nc
Leod, chairman of the association.
that no definite action was taken on
any Of the matters discussed and it is
likely that another meeting viii be
held here within a month or six weeks.
Among the matters of Importance
under discussion yesterday were sum
mer excursions. and labor and steam
ship rates. These summer excursions
are those which are held by the vari-
Gus roads each year and there has
been a disposition on the part Of two
or three Of the big roads to try and
secure an agreement to abolish them
on the ground that the revenue de-
rived from them does not justify the
Eisk taken in operating the special
trains. While no decision was reached
as TO the nnal disposition Of the ques-
tons involved regarding these ex-
cursions 1t was agreed generally that
they would not be abolished ana 1t IS
believed that the association will con-
tinue the general plan under which
these excursions were run last year
According to this no two roads run
ming between two given points viii
hold excursions between these two
points on the same day. Thus if the
Santa F'e adVertises an excursion from
Topeka to Kansas City, the Rock
Island and Union Pacific are to keep
hands of and wait until some other
time to hold their excursions. In this
way each road has a fair chance at
the business which these excursion
rates stimulate. The labor traffic in
cludes the reduced rates made for Ia
borers such as those usually granted
during the harvest season for those
who wish to work In the wheat fields.
The steamship traffic is the through
business, say from Kansas City to
Liverpool. Some hint has gone out
that one or two roads in the Western
Passenger association have been cut
ting on the rates for this business.
Whether this is so or not was not given
out and it was stated that after
slight discussion this topic was con-
tinued until the next meeting. The
same fate was accorded the other mat
tiers under discussion.
The holding of these meetings else
where than in Chicago Is something of
an innovation. Until recently they were
always held in the Lake city, as that is
most convenient to the general offices
It was decided recently, however that
Sc might not be a bad idea to assemble
IN the other centers of trade within the
jurisdiction Of the Western Passenger
association. In this way the local men
who have charge of the business at such
places as Kansas City would see and
learn Of the friendly feeling that exists
between the heads of the various roads.
Moreover Il would give the general pas
senger agents chance to view the
growth of the business of their roads in
the different localities through which
they run. This was the first meeting
held in Kansas City. since the new sys-
TEN has become operative.
Those who attended the meeting were
W. J. Black of Chicago, passenger traf-
nc manager, and J. NJ. Cornell of To-
peka.. general passenger agent of the
AtchisOn, Topeka & Santa Fe; S. S.
Crane, general passenger agent Of the
wabash, St Louis; j. F. Leblanc, gen
eral passenger agent of the Cotton Belt,
Tyler, Tex; F. a. Miller, general pas
senger agent. Chicago, Milwaukee & St
Paul. Chicago; W. A. Labor. assistant
general passenger agent. Burlington, St.
Louis J. P Elmer, general passenger
agent, Maple Leaf, Chicago; G. J. Charl-
ton, general passenger agent, Chicago,
and ID. Bowes, assistant general passan-
ger agent Of the Alton, St Louis; Alex
Hilton, general passenger agent of the
Frisco St. Louis; H. c. Townsend,
general passenger agent Of the Missouri
Pacific, St Louis; L. NJ. Allen, general
passenger agent of the Rock Island.
Chicago; Samuel Warner, general pas
senger agent of the Kansas City South
ern, Kansas City: E, Hannegan, chair
man of the Southwestern Passenger
agent, St Louis; q. +. Macleod, chair
man Western Passenger association.
Chicago and T. Thompson. chief clerk
to Mr.. Macleod.