The Washington times., 1908-08-03
Executive Committee Be
lieveS Washington Is Being
Disseminated Against.
TARIFF FIGURES
ARE GIVEN OUT
Campaign to Be Holly Waged in
Behalf of Business Inter
ests of Capital.

Discrimination against the city Of
Washington in the matter OF passenger
rates to and from this city, as com
pared particularly with rates from
Alexandria TO other points within Vir-
gInia, was the subject OF a meeting Of
the executive committee of the Wash
ingtOn Chamber OF Commerce today.
The matter was discussed at consider
able length, as the committee has en-
tered upon a vigorous campaign, having
Tor its end the removal Of the alleged
unfair treatment of this city as reg9 rds
passenger rates.
Important Figures Secured.
Specific data were at hand today pro-
viding the committee with figures which
showed Just what are the tariffs 10
and from Washington 10 points in Vir-
ginia, Maryland. Pennsylvania, and
other States. Special 4.tention was
given TO the difference N the rates
charged from Washington TO Virginia
points, and the rates charged from Al
exandria. Va. TO the same points. De-
tailed information as to these rates had
been obtained by Secretary Thomas
Grant, part from the Interstate COM
Inerce Commission and part from the
railroads. and was laid before the com
mittee by him.
IL is understood that the committee
will endsavOr TO find measures where
ky the discrimination may be removed,
and VIII not cease 10 wage the cam
Daign which ii has inaugurated until
the desired result has been achieved
out OF twenty-five Virginia towns and
cities, there are only two the rate 10 and
from which favor Washington. The rates
10 and from the other twenty-five axe
considerably higher as concerns WASH
ingon than as concerns Alexandra,
Ill E--5r al rafar
this city TO Alexandria. The difference
In round trips runs as high as 50 10 some
Virginia cities, so that, deducJlng the
round trip fare TO Alexandria, Wash
ington passengers suffer to the extent
OF $50.
Look For Low Fares.
The executive committee believes that
travelling men, in choosing the city in
which 10 place orders for their supplies.
will select that place which he most
often visits himself. and is more likely
10 visit the market center to which the
train fare is the least. On this account
it is believed that Washington fares
badly at the hands Of the railroads,
hence the campaign against the dis
elimination.
II was shown at the meeting today.
for instance. that the fare from Wash
mgJon 70 Danville, Va, is S6.15 for the
S465. or $3.50 less. Allowing for the Is
cents single fare to Alexandria, the
passengers from that city are favored
with a fare less by $L35. For the round
trip the fare is less by $780, or $40 al
lowing for the round trip fare 10 Alex
andria from this city
The fare from Washington to Hot
Springs Va, is $500. From Alexandria
IL IS S4.l5, a difference Of S1.45. The
round trip from Washin ton costs So;
from Alexandria, $3.50, difference OF
$3.50. To Lynchburg. Va, the fare from
Washington is $40; from Alexandria IL
is $3.50. the difference being S1.15 for the
ia miles. For the round trip the fare
from Alexandria is $3.50 less than from
Washington.
Is An Imposition.
Similar differences were shown in
rates to other points. the figures IA
VOring Alexandria in all but the two
cases mentioned. and running from 50
down TO IS cents The executive com
mittee believes that the continuance Of
these rates IS an actual imposition on
the business men Of Washington.
An anomaly was shown IN the cases
OF Berryville and Winchester. Although
the single fare TO those points is greater
from Washington than from Alexan-
from Washington. This contradictory
state of affairs served 10 fix the com
mittee's attention the more fixedly on
the instances where the fares We're con-
siderably greater for Washington peO-
pie.
a letter had been sent by Secretary
Grant, on behalf of the committee ask
ing the officials of the Southern rail-
way as 70 the cOmpaHy's attitude to-
ward possible changes in the tariffs
The reply from W II. Tayloe the gen
eTal passenger agent evaded the ques-
tion somewhat by indicating thai no
change was feasible while the case Of
interstate tariff in Virginia was pend
ing in the United States Supreme Court.
II called attention to the fact that
mileage books for commercial use at =
cents per mile can be used to and from
washington AS SHOWN by the dis
tances mentioned, however. the cost Of
thus travelling from and 10 Washing
ton is greater than from and TO Alex
nndria.