The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-18
NO LOCAL FAIR RATES.
Western Passenger Association Knocks
Out Concession.

There will be no reduction in rail-
road fares in Kansas for the Kansas
State Wide fair which will be held
here in Topeka September 7-12, and
the Hutchinson state fair. This defin-
lite announcement was made by the
different Kansas roads today.
The withdrawal of the rates which
were announced on July "A, is caused
by the Western Passenger association
which has jurisdiction over the grant
ing of special rates in this territory
At that time the Chicago Great West
ern road announced a reduced rate for
state fairs where their lines reached.
The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific
followed closely on the heels of the
Great Western with similar an
previous to the decision of the West
ern Passenger association.
The matter of reduced rates for
state fairs has been before the passen-
ger association for some time but no
definite action had been taken. Several
members of the executive committee
had expressed themselves as favor
able to a reduction in the rates for
such occasions. Taking this as the
cue. it is alleged by the other roads,
that the Rock Island and Great West
ern, anticipated the intended action OF
the Western Passenger association,
and acted independently and without
authority, kicking over the traces as
it We're and as result of the action of
the passenger association had to gig
back
On the other hand the Rock Island
alleges that the other roads had agreed
to announce a reduced rate of a fare
and a half for the round trip at the
same time the Rock Island did. This
they failed to do. according to the Rock
Island version of the story, and then
when the matter came to a vote in
the meeting of the passenger associa-
ton, the other roads combined against
the Rock Island, in order to show the
road up in a bad light before the pub
lie. The Rock Island charges the 9TH
er roads with bad faith and violation
of their agreement. while the other
roads charge the Rock Island with too
hasty action in the matter and pre-
mature explosion of plan to give the
public reduced rates.
The public is at liberty to accept
either version of the story, but the
fact remains that the widely advertised
rates of a fare and a half for the round
trip to the Topeka state fair are off and
the public will have to content itself
with a straight rate, of two cents q
mile. The conditions will apply to all
other states in the central west which
are under the Jurisdiction of the West
ern Passenger association and the
roads which kicked over the traces
are back in the harness again and run
ming together.
This action OF the passenger assoc
citation above, it must be remembered,
has no affect upon the reduced rate
which eastern people take advantage
of in connection with the State fair to
be held in Topeka. inasmuch as there
is a reduced rate in effect the same
week that the fair happens to be held
in Topeka through the Harvest Ex-
cursion rate
Through the recent action of the
Santa Fe and other Kansas railroads.
the Harvest Rate tickets which had
hitherto not been good for stopovers
in Topeka were made effective for
stopoyers here going and coming.
The fact that our fair happens to be
held during harvest excursion week is
our fortune.