The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-10
RAILROAD news.
Rock Island Slashes Fares to
the Southwest.
Puts in Homeseekers' Excursions
on Every Tuesday.
MAKES A FLAT TARIFF.
Rates Will Be 20 Per Cent of
One Fare With a Maximum.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Once a week from now until Deem
Der 1. next. on Tuesday of each week,
travellers from Topeka and Kansas City
can go anywhere in the southwest, in
Guiding all of Texas. except Ell Paso.
and return within 80 days, for $40.
Announcement of this rate was made
by the Rock Island, Frisco and East
ern Illinois lines yesterday after
fruieless conference in Chicago with
the other roads in an effort to agree
upon basis for homeseekers' excur-
sions.
John Sebastian, passenger traffic
manager of the Rock Island Frisco
Eastern Illinois system, had determine
ed upon low rates to the southwest this
season for the avowed purpose of in
augurating the greatest development
era that country had ever known His
plans in this direction which are COM
prehensive, including the listing of all
saleable and undeveloped property
| along his lines of railroad, have been
outlined.
Mr. Sebastian went into meeting
OF all the western, northwestern and
southwestern lines in Chicago yester-
day and proposed to put into effect
round trip rates of rs per cent of the
regular one-way-rate, with a maxi
mum of $50 from Kansas City and St.
Louis and $25 from Chicago to all
southwestern territory. Competitive
lines raised objections to this and Mr.
Sebastian gave notice that his roads
would make it effective, regardless of
action of the other lines, tickets to be
/ sold on all regular homeseekerS' dates
until December !, with a return limit
| of 80 days to all Texas points.
The proposed low rates will apply to
/ FL Paso, Tex, on account of the desire
/ to protect the rates through Ell Paso
| to California which would be badly
| cut by the application of the home
/ seekers rates to Ell Paso.
The Burlington and the Chicago &
| Northwestern announced yesterday
! they would meet thed rates named by
the Rock Island. applying the same
basis to the northwest
This probably will result in all the
western, as well as southwestern and
northwestern roads meeting the Rock
Island action, in which event travel ev-
erywhere in the west will be cheaper
this season than ever before.
The whole rate situation is based on
the desire of the southwestern and
northwestern lines. particularly, to
colonize their territories Each section
is jealous of the other and every move
made which would benefit one section
is Immediately met by a counter move
to give the other an equal advantage.
The putting in of a maximum iaIe of
/ $50 from Kansas City for the round trip
| to any Southwestern point, whatever, is
an innovation in rate making and looks
4 like putting the passenger busiress on
what the hotelkeepers call the "Amerl-
can plan" 1t is a little like the postal
1 business-the passenger paying his $40
and going wherever he pleases. just SO
his destination is within the prescribed
/ area.
If the Rock Island rates are met by
the other Western, Northwestern and
! Southwestern lines, the area within
with they will be effective will be so
great that no one going in either of
Il these directions need figure on paying
more than $50 for the round trip to any
4 point this side of the Rocky mountains,
Il except Ell Paso, and, possibly other
I gateways, low rates to which would re-
j suit in cutting the transcontinental
j fares.
The new Yoakum lines in Texas and
other extensions of the Moore Y GA KUN
| roads. of which the Rock Island Frisco
! are the leaders. are responsible for the
insistent attitude by Passenger Traffic
| Manager Sebastian That it has been
decided upon after due considera ton
and repeated conferences between the
interested executive officers is evident
from the fact that the plans for the
proposed southwestern COLOMBIA ton
campaign have been laying for several
months
! unparalleled travel to the southwest
because of these low rates. Kansas
City is the natural gateway to all this
territory, many more passengers going
through here than through St. Louis.