The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-02-03
Gossip of Railwaynen

Il was passing through a cotton Held
in Louisiana one day and observed that
every man. woman and child on the
plantation stopped work and looked, it
seemed to me. wistfully at our train.
said f. E Batturs. the new assistant
general passenger agent of the South
ern Pacific, who was general passen-
ger agent of the Hartman lines in the
south so it put an idea in my head
that the negro would travel if it was
made convenient for him TO do so. Fol-
lowing out this idea, Sunday excursions
were advertised The operating de-
partment was at its wits end. We had
TO drag out fiat cars. put fence around
them. nail up a few seats and the pic
nickers were just as happy as IL they
had been riding in Pullmans They did
not give cent for the time they were
on the road. and after we learned that
we sidetracked them every few miles
and let them enjoy the scenery. The
later we got back to New Orleans the
greater the success of the picnic. When
the train got to its advertised destina-
ton they would not leave the cars, but
waited till it started back
That was another good idea. So all
we had to do was to dawdle along the
line and get to the destination. in time
to pull back.
These Sunday excursions developed
a passion for travel among the colored
people and it would be no uncommon
thing for nice old colored gentleman
to come to one of our depots and say:
Look a heah, boss, I warn't able to
go on dat 'cursion las Sunday. Mighty
fine trip dey had, boss. All day and one
hat night on deh keahs. All for de
same price
Yes, it was fine excursion. They
were Il hours going and 16 coming
Yes. sab, you tell de truff, suah
Now give me ticket for dis heah sum
and keep me on de keahs for as long as
de money can go.
RaiIroadmen believe that a general
freight rate war will ensue among the
railroads in the United States and Can
ada and that the import and domestic
rate structure will be shattered in con-
sequence Whatever chance there may
have been of the railroads advancing
either class or commodity rates have
been destroyed. The policy of the Bos-
ton and Maine with respect 10 the inn
| port rates is the cause of the trouble,
and every effort to make the officials of
! that road recede from their position has
met with failure. Some years ago this
road had in effect from Boston via the
different lines TO Chicago class rate
scale on the basis Of 65 cents first class.
| The company was persuaded to take 1t
/ out and raise the basis to a 20 cent
scale This, the officials declare, has
been found unsatisfactory and they will
establish a 81 cent scale. which is the
same as that of the Baltimore. This
| it is claimed, would result in a demon
aIization of rates, and notice has been
given that the Baltimore basis is to be
/ put into effect on commodity rates as
against the Philadelphia basis, which
cent higher than that of the Baltimore.
/ The Philadelphia lines assert that If
Baltimore makes its reduction, as
threatened, to meet that of the Boston
/ and Maine the differential parity be-
tween Philadelphia and Baltimore will
| be destroyed, because they must at once
reduce their own rate l cent. Then if
/ this is done, the Boston and Maine will
further reduce until there is no vestige
of a rate left. Then New Orleans and
New York will have become so affected
as to be compelled to reduce their rates
with the result that the entire domestic
rate structure will go down with a
| crash.
Ground was broken a few days age
at Truxillo, Spanish Honduras, for the
construction of the Honduras national
railroad projected by American capt
falfSfs and intended 10 connect Tevafci.