Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-02-22

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mile. 1t is further ordered that maximum
rate not to exceed 21a cents per mile be
substituted and charged by said company
in lieu of the maximum of 5 cents per mile
now imposed.
FOR FAMILY MILEAGE BOOKS.
For the reason stated in the case of Buell.
vs.. the Chicago. Milwaukee X st. Paul rail
way. it IS recommended that 800 mile books
or tickets be issued which can be used by
the purchaser or any member of his family
for 4 period of one year from date of sale
be placed on sale and sold by the defendant
herein.
The complaint in Omaha case involves the
rCaSOnablrnesS in the rate of fare made by
the defendant railroad company for III,
carriage of passengers on its lines between
points in WISCONSIN The issue was Joined
thereon. The commission likewise served
notice of investigation raised by the pCli-
| ton on It's own motion.
The taking of testimony was begun April
%, 1906. and continued from tim" to tim,
until concluded and thereafter tn" ease was
support Of the allegations of his petition.
}. y. Sheean appeared as attorney for tic
The result of the analysis made in this
case leads to the same cone sion that was
reached in the case OF \. l.. Buell. vs.. the
Milwaukee railway. Herewith the scope of
analysis and reasons therefor are set forth
at length in the opinion referred to. No
useful purpose would be SuhS"rvPd by re
peatinS it, but if this is considered desira,
| bly, an additional statement will be filed
showing the applications of the principles
adopted in the Buell. case in dollars and
cents to the case now under consideration.
4 ~ cent maximum rate of fare Will
enable the defendant company to earn sub
stantially 5h per cent. on the value of that
part of its property assigned to intrastatG
traffic i'll Wisconsin. 4 reduction TO
cents per mile would still permit the COM
pany to earn substantially $40 per cent.
upon such value.
The detailed traffic analysis rs in the
two other cases decided was made for the
year 1908. 1t is the finding and determine
lion of the commission that the present
maximum basal rate of cents per mile
charged for interstate traffic in Wisconsin
is excessive and that a charge of not to
exceed 212 cents per mile between points
within such state should be substituted
therefor and such reduction can be made
without affecting other classes of tickets
that arc now sold for less than 212 cents per
mile.
ORDER FOR OMAHA ROAD.
1t is therefore ordered that the defendant,
the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis & Oma-
or enacting from persons desiring to travel
on its lines between points within the state
of Wisconsin which can be reached by in
traState journey the rate or fare of cents
per mile 1t is further ordered that
maximum rate of not to exceed 21a cents
per mile be substituted and charged by said
company in lieu of the rate of ) cents per
mile now imposed.
For reasons stated in the opinion in the
case of A. E. Buell. vs.; the Milwaukee rail
way it is recommended that 500 mile books
or tickets should be issued for the use of
purchaser or any, member of his family, for
one year from date of sale, be placed on
sale and sold by defendant herein.
In discussing its decision in the st.
Paul case, the rate commission says:
While the Importance of cheap fares
should not be minimized the demand for
adequate service cannot be ignored. There
are persistent demands for more trains,
faster trains and better trains. Perhaps
those who travel most attach more import
ance to good service at higher rate of
charge than poor service at lower rate.
1t is safe to say that many more com
plants have been before the commission, |
abou the alleged inadequacy of the service:
than have come about the eXccSSivCneSS of
rates. This may be due in Il measure to
the fact that it was generally known that
the commission was considering the rate /
question.
The necessities OF neither class of travel |
ers should be ignored. All will perhaps
agree that passenger cars should be kept
in Clearly condition, properly heated and
ventilated and should be reasonably com
Portable. The law under which the com
mission is operating does not undertake to
differentiate matters Coupled with each /
provision that rates must be reasonable Is /
the further provision that the service must
be adequate.
REDUCED RATES STAND.
In discussing the question as to
whether some people should be allowed
to travel cheaper than others the COM
mission says:
We must deal with the conditions as
they have grown up and have become eS- /
tabliShed. Carriers are not selling reduced
rate tickets to one class of travellers bel /
cause they like them better than some |
other class, or pay higher rate; they, do
so because they believe 1t to be Tor thnl1
best interests financially to DO So our
own judgment is that tho custom should /
not be abolished but rather that 1t might !
with substantial justice to all be extend /
ed.
MILWAUKEE ROAD RAPED.
OF all the roads involved in the Dassen- !
fer rate basis, the Milwaukee X St Paul
railway has the largest relative net earn
ingS OIL its passenger business. This IS due /
principally to two causes.
The number of passenger train miles on |
the North Western railway in proportion toy
road mileage in Wisconsin is largely in eX4 |
cess of the passenger train miles on the /
Milwaukee & st. Paul in proportion to ITS
road mileage, In other words the tram |
than on the ST. Paul
1t is only fair to say, however, that this |
difference in train service has to g some eX
which our calculation was based were
made up.
earnings is due to the fact that the defend |
ant has not in the years in question ex-
pended as much money for maintenance or
way has it's principal competitors
TWO-CENT FARE WRONG NOW.
We think the reduction to cents per |
mile would reduce the earnings of this com |
pany and of it's principal competitors below !
the point to which they ought to be re-
duced in Wisconsin. We think a reduction |
to 30 cents per mile could be made without |
affecting the tickets that now usually |
sold below that figure and that no violence |
or radical effect in the securities of the |
company will follow.
1t is usually better to make our journeys |
by reasonable stretches than by violent |
spurts and it frequently happens that he |
who pursues the latter course will fall by |
the waysde. We are now prepared to jour"
ney toward the 2-cent fare in the near or |
distant future. We all hope that it will |
come soon and come without trenching the |
rights of anyone. The old maxim. more !
haste the less speed should not be forgot /
ten. however. even if it has temporarily /
fallen into innocuOus desuetude.
TO INCREASE TRAVEL.
Discussing the question as to whether .
low rate would increase travel, the COM
mission says:
For the purpose of putting the question .
to practical test, would strongly urge .
that the 800 mile book be placed on the |
market and sold for SO, good for purchaser |
and any member of his family desiring to |
use it. say for period Of one year from /
date of purchase Such action would re-
suit in getting u practical test.
If it proves disappointing after & fair |
test aid the revenues to the carriers were
being unreasOnably depleted, the desired |
necessity would at least be acquired. If il /
accompliSheS what there is reason to hope,
the difficulty would be nearer q solution.
We are not unmindfUl of the objections, |
legal and otherwise, that can be made to |
this proceeding. If at any future time it |
appears to the commission that the earn
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