The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-06-03
BETTER SERVICE TO
sT.L0UNSPR0M|SE0
Wabash Will Provide Late Afternoon
Train That Will Make Good Con-
nection at Fl Wayne, Ind.

Better train service between De-
troit and st. Louis. Mo-. Is practically
assured as a result OF the conference
Wednesday morning. between officials
OF the Wabash railroad aud represent
atives Of the Detroit Board OF Com
merce. What the board desires most
in the way OF increased facilities ut
this time is fast train leaving De
troll: at about $50, reaching st Louis
formerly run by the Wabash road.
but was taken OF three Or four years
ago.
President Delano. OF the road. look
ed favorably on the suggestion and
agreed 10 divert any contemplated ex-
penditure for improving The service
between Detroit and Chicago to bet
tering the Detroit-St Louis service. II
was the sense OF the board members
present that the present service Via.
the Wabash between Detroit and Chi
cago Is satisfactory.
II the suggestion Of the Board CT
Commerce Is adopted. the $3.50 fast
train will run only between Detroit
and Fort Wayne, Ind. At that point
1t Is figured, the train would overtako
train No. 3. as II Ia known, leaving
here at $3.50 and reaching Fort Wayne
five and one-half hours later. This
train Is a local TO Fort Wayne aud
would remain so, but makes faster
time from Fort Wayne on. IL would
there pick up passengers from the
5: 80 fast train and carry them through
TO St Louis This would constitute
practically a through service.
Such train would mean much for
Detroit business men. III they wished
10 20 west they would not be Obliged
to depart without first getting the
days business out OF the way. And
business men from ST. Louis and Cit
les en- route would similarly have o
whole day In which to transact their
business before boarding the train Tor
hCme In the matter OF mail service 1t
would be big Improvement. Under
the present arrangements, unless
letter is mailed before 24o y. M. II
will not reach st. Louis until the FOL
lowing afternoon and will probably
not be delivered until the morning OF
the next day, and large proportion
OF firms correspondence is not post
ed until after this hour
AS an argument I'm favor OF the res
toration of this fast train 1t was point
ed out that Detroit's population has
increased about 20 per cent since the
train was taken of If 1t is restored,
the board will not be content with Sc
curing a train only one way Just as
soon as the feasibility OF the plan Is
demonstrated IL will ask for CORE
spending service from st. Louis TO De-
trot
In It's EFFORTS to secure these I'M
provements. the board made II plain
that 1t is not hooking out for the per-
sonal convenience OF business men,
hut ;hey are desired for the purpose
OF bringing the two great municipali-
ties closer togethe- in a commercial
way and for opening up the possibil'-
ties OF the vast southwest for DetrCi,
manufacturers TO a greater extent
than they are now open.
Those present. representing the
road were President F.. A. Delano.
Chicago; General Trailic Manager W.
c. Maxwell, St. Louis; Henry Miller,
vice.president and general manager,
st. Louis, J. ID. Mcnamara. general
passenger ard ticket agent, ST. Louis;
G.. q. YeOman. assistant 10 the prcsi-
dent. Chicago; Supt j. Sim Detroit:
T.. n. b. Gull. division freight agent,
Detroit, and A. F. Wolfschlager. nas-
senG,r agent. Detroit.
The Boar o. Commerce was repre-
sented by Resident Sumner, John Y.
Russell George II. Russell. T II. Simp'
son. ]. +. W hiteheau, Andrew Green
Jr. J. H. Hudson, Z. II. Doyle. S. {.
Lconaid, c L.eillch. Frank Standar',
James lngls. Harry 5. Taylor. J. B.
Howarth, T. A. Holmes. Secretary
Charles b. Sawyer and J. B. Van
Vechteh, manager OF the transporta.
tioa bureau.
The conference was held in the
board rooms. The dinner that had
been planned for tho railroad officials
was called Of. as the party had other
important business to look after and
needed the time.