Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-06
BIC RETURNS WITH new LAW
Earnings Of Railroads Under TwO-Osnt
Fare show Good Incroassa
DO NOT SUSTAIN ARGUMENT OF LOSSES
some OmciaIs Cite Local Conditions
as Being ResPOnsible for
These Larger Receipts
on Smaller Basis.

II the final reports OF the railroads on
passenger earnings are I'm line with the
preliminary reports which have been re-
ceived the railroads. Il appears. will have
their hands fun II they undertake to try
to show that the 2-cent passenger rate in
Nebraska is 'conhscatory" or "noncom-
pensatory" as they claimed In their argu-
ments before the legislative committees.
Some OF the roads have reports on pas
senger earnings for the month of March.
three weeks Of which month the roads were
operated under the 2-oent passenger law,
the law having taken effect March Z The
Union Pacific Is the only road running In
Nebraska which has complete figures on
the earnings for March and these show 4
normal increase in local earnings, but the
officials, who are quite retioent In speaking
Of the matter. say this may be brought
about by the exceptionally heavy colonist
travel which the roads have had this
spring.
For the last 1--WE years the passenger
earnings OF the road have shown an In
crease week by week and there has been
no abnormal increase or no falling OF earn
ings for the weeks In March in which the
law was in erect" said one Of the offi-
! eials.
The Burlington reports that It has had
to put on no extra trains or cars to handle
| the increased business because OF the >
| cent rate. The figures showing the earn
| ings for March are not complete for this
road, consequently the ofhcials say they
have nothing TO so by An extra sleeper
was put on from Denver 20 Chicago be-
cause OF increased business, but they say
this was not due to an increase Of business
in Nebraska nor 20 decrease In the rates.
Northwestern officials say they have no
| rkr In Nahraaba and hnVN
no figures to show an increase or decrease,
MANY stations show a decided Increase
| in the number Of tickets which have been
sold" said one Of the Northwestern pas
senger officials, but that may be ac-
counted for by the difference in the way
OF selling tickets. 1 mean that the travel
ing men are now buying tickets instead OF
'using their mileage, and many are buying
tickets in the state when on an Interstate
journey. l don't know what our figures
will show when they are published"
Anti-Pnss Law Leaks.
THAT pass law is as full OF holes as
a Sieve" said a prominent railroad man.
1T will depend upon whether the railroads
want the anti-pass law to stand. for Il
has 30 many weak spots It can easily be
set aside If the railroads desire it.
II don't know but a cigar is all the
compensation that is now needed for q
railroad pass At any rate a 1O-oent piece
will be. sufficient II the railroads wish to
evade the law, for 1t does not specify that
tickets shall not be sold at reduced rates.
1t only prohibits the railroads from grant
ing any kind OF free transportation. The
Interstate law specifically says that no
tickets shall be sold at less than tariff
rates"
TOucey Goes Up Again.
Samuel r. Toucey has been appointed
assistant superintendent Of the Colorado
division OF tho Union Pacific with head
J quarters at Denver. vice w. c. McKeown.
who was transferred to the Wyoming
division. Mr.. Troucey was formerly private
secretary to General Manager Mohler and
was transferred last summer to be train
I master for the eastern Colorado division.
He was transferred from that position
/ again TO be private secretary to Mr.. MohleE
and has been with him during the winter
, in the conferences, which have been in
progress with the trainmen at Chicago. Tho
appointment is effeotive April TO-