The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-05
NO PENALTY
Railroads Put Flat 2-Cents
Rate in Today.
Cash Fare Passengers Get a
1O-Cent Rebate.
SAME AS AT PRESENT.
Will Try Existing Plan Tempo
rarily at Least.
No Interstate Tariffs Have Yet
Been Arranged.
Can Ticket to Mo. River Points
Except on Z. p.
SAME AS AT PRESENT
Will Try Existing Plan Tempo
rarily at Least.
No Interstate Tariffs Have Yet
Been Arranged.

For the time being none of the rail-
roads in the state will attempt to col
lect an unusual excess fare over ana
above the two cent rate, which went in
effect today, from cash fare passengers
as penalty for their not having pro-
vided themselves with ticket.
y Authoritative information to this eff
feet was obtained today from a promi-
nent official of one of the big railroad
systems operating in Kansas.
I'VE have decided for the present,
said this official, Ito maintain the same
conditions which have prevailed hereto
fore in the collection of cash fares on
r the trains by the conductors. We will
collect, under the two cent rate when
a cash fare is rendered, an excess OF
ten cents. This will be the maximum
excess we will collect for any cash fare
rendered, whether it be a fare of 40
cents or 81. And for this ten cents ex-
cess the conductors will give refund
check which may be cashed at the ticket
offices. This is exactly the conditions
which have prevailed under the old
three cent fare Cash passengers
have been charged this ten cent excess
and given refund check for 1t. And
so it will be for a while at least under
the two cent rate.
1T is my understanding that all the
railroads doing business in the state
have agreed to this plan, or rather, Will
proceed in the same way.
I'VE hope, however, that before long
some plan will be worked out where we
will have authority to charge an excess
fare to cash passengers, perhaps on a
graduated scale. which the railroads VIII
be permitted to retain. OF course, un-
der the present plan. an excess fare of !
ten cents, or ten dollars for that mat
ter means nothing as it is refunded, I
What the railroads desire is a chance
to charge an excess fare which may be |
retained by the companies. There is |
only one reason for this desire. They |
want to discourage the practice of pas |
sengers paying cash fares. They be- |
lieve that there is only one way to ac- |
complish this end and that is by max
ing passengers who do not buy tickets, |
pay for the privilege of rendering cash
fares.
What sort of plan can be worked |
out for the future which will permit
us to charge a reaSona BILE excess fare
for cash passengers which we will be
able to retain. do not know. But until
such plan is worked out we will pro-
coed for the present, as 1 have stated,
by merely collecting a ten cent excess
OF all cash fares rendered and give a
refund for this ten cents. 1t will be
just the same for the present under the
two cent rate as it has been under the
three cent rate in regards to cash fares.
Tickets to Missouri River Points.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas
have not only put in the two cent rate
in Kansas points but also interstate
rates on two cent basis to Missouri
river towns. For instance, a Santa Fe
or Rock Island traveller can purchase
a ticket from Topeka to Kansas City :
or St. Joseph and a couple of other
Missouri river points from now on at
a rate of two cents a mile.
AS to the Union Pacific, it has put
in the two cent rate to interstate
points but no interstate rate to the
Missouri river points. This is because
they have been unable to arrange
their schedules as yeti to these princi-
pal interstate points along the Mis-
souri, river The Union Pacific ex-
poets to be able to get things fixed up
so that it can put in two cent rate
TO Kansas City, Mo, and other Mis-
souri, river towns by October s. i
At present the Union Pacific re-
quires its passengers to Kansas City,
Mo. ST. Joseph, Mo-, and other Mis-
souri, points on the river to buy
cash fare the rest of the way. This
makes a trif1e difference in cost, but is
in the checking of bag
gage.
But while the railroads have put in
a two cent rate to the Missouri river
towns they have not put in a two cent {
rate for interstate travel beyond these
points.
From Kansas to Chicago now there I
Is not state which is traversed by !
the big trunk lines which has not a
two cent fare law in force for the I
time being at least. Still persons In !
Kansas who want to buy through {
tickets to Chicago will have to pay the s
Did rate of three cents a mile. The '
same condition will maintain for per- t
sons who wish to buy through '
ticket from any point in Kansas to a
point in any other state, except the
few Missouri river points indicated.
This condition is said to be only
however. as the railroads
have not had time to fix up interstate
schedules and besides when they fix -,
ID a new series of interstate sched-
1les. whether they be in advancing
rates or reducing them. they are
forced to file these schedules with the
interstate commerce commission 7
thirty days in advance of. the rate 60
ng into effect. This is one other .
potent reason why the interstate rates :
among those states where two cent :
'ares prevail cannot be put into oper-
ltion Immediately.
tt is believed that as soon as the
'o- the Interstate rates on a basis of
Interstate commerce commission to '
of the new interstate sched- a
lles being filed with the commission I