Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-02
RATE UNDER PROTEST
Iowa Roads to Inaugurate 2
Cent Fare Law SO That APP
peal is Possible
THE COURTS MAY BE INVOKED
If Earnings Show Material Falling Off
Suits Will be commenced-Inter-
chanseable Mileage Books to be Sold
When Rates Are Adjusted - No
Half Fares.
THE COURTS MAY BE INVOKED
Special to Times-Repub,,can.
Half Fares.


Des Moines. July 2.-The 2-cent fare
rate will be put in force in Iowa under
protest" The rates on interstate bus
mess will be based on cents a mile
in the states where the 2-cent rate has
been adopted by the legislatures. but
this will also be under protest This
information was contained in circulars
sent out by the Rock Island yesterday
and it is generally supposed by the
local representatives Of the other lines
entering Des Moines that their roads
will follow the same course. 1t is gem
program agreed upon at conference
of the general passenger agents and
other officials of the various lines in
Chicago recently. .che Rock Island is
the only road that has issued any iu-
stl'uetions TO its employees. tho. The re-
yised passenger tariffs are expected to
reach Des Moines today or tomorrow.
BY putting in the rates under pro-
test" with the state railway commits
sion and interstate railroad commission
the roads reserve the right to appeal to
the courts if it is found that the pas
senger earnings show any marked oe-
crease in the next six months which
is the period allotted for the test. 1t is
not believed that IL serious decline Will
be noticeable in the earnings iii Iowa.
Statistics issued by the roads them
selves show that the average rate I'M
der the 3-cent rate was but ZIG cents
per mile. This was due to the low rates
being granted to travelling men and for
special excursions.
The western roads have asked the
interstate commerce commission to
waive the old rule of thirty days no.
tice in changing tariffs. This would
day for passenger tariffs This would
enable them to contest the law. if a de-
cline in the earnings for the six months
ending Jan. l. 1908, is shown iminedi-
ately, and to have the old 3-cent rate
put in by a court order pending the
adjudication of the case or cases.
1t is also semi officially stated that
interchangeable mileage books will be
sold just as soon as the passenger tar
iff revision is completed. Owing to the
present mileage books being sold for
more than cents, the roads have Is
sued orders to conductors to refuse to
accept them after July 4. Two thou
sand mile books were sold for $50 and
a refund of $3.50 allowed the holder
when the book had been used up. This
made the cost so cents more for the
1000 miles than cents per mile.
The new books will probably be
marked good only in the states having
2-cent fare laws. Two cents per mile
will be charged, and the only advan-
tages in issuing them wall be to relieve
travelling men of the bother of buying
a ticket every time they board train,
and will also serve to relieve the con-
gestion at, depot ticket offices and bag
gage stations about train time.
The advance circular OF, the Rock
Island states that no reduced rates will! |
be allowed ministers, inmates of SOL
diers' homes or charity passengers in
Iowa. Children between 5 and IL
years of age will be carried for half |
fare except when the half fare ends in
a half cent, and then half cent extra
will be charged by The company.
The states which will have 2-cent |
fare laws after July are Iowa, Hi
nois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Mime
sofa, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, |
North Dakota and Pennsylvania The !
Illinois law went into effect July land |
a number of the other states earlier
than that. The Wisconsin railway
commission put in q 2 and cent rate
in that state.
Those patrons OF the railroads who
have been worrying over the statement