The San Francisco call., 1909-12-17
Gossip of RaiIwaymen

ULES CLERFAYT, general agent of
the CULVER tours, was happy yes
- terday- Clerfayt is always happy,
but his unusual spirit yesterday after
noon was due to his return to the
Palace hotel. It's a secret, but Jules
tried to be the first to sign the regis
ter at San Francisco's newest hotel.
When he discovered that that honor
was not for him he waited until shortly
after noon and then turning over to
the third page, skipping spaces, for at
least five signatures, he registered at
the top of that page. Happy? More
SO than usual.
The western railroads have an
nounced that after January 1 the
United States government will no
longeE<bes honored with reduced fares
other than normal one way and colonist
fares unless cash is paid for the trans
portation AS the government always
asks for bids on the moving of troops
and selects the route by which the
greatest economy is offered the formal
decision of the railroads will place
limit TO which these low offers of rates
can go.
The decision was arrived at by the
Western passenger association lines
some weeks ago, subject to the con-
currence of the Southwestern passen-
ger association. The latter has just
announced that the recommendation is
acceptable to its members and that the
change will be made effective Janu-
ary Is.
The decision, it is said, was due in
part to the long delay which has been
usual In securing returns for trans
portation for the government. Where
as the usual low rates to others are on
cash basis, the roads have had to
wait long periods for appropria atoms
by the government in payment for
moving of troops etc.
The fourth annual dinner of the en-
ployes of the local ticket offices of
the Southern Pacific, scheduled for
Saturday evening at $50 o'clock.
promises to be the most successful
dinner ever given by that aggregation.
Several surprises have been prepared
by the committee in charge of the af-
fair and those who will attend are
given quiet tip to take umbrellas
with them.
According to advices received from
New York yesterday Daniel Willard,
ager OF the Burlington, has been of
fered the presidency of the Baltimore
and Ohio.
Carl Howe. general manager of the
New York Central fast freight lines.
with office at Buffalo, is in the city on
a visit.
Announcement has been made of the
purchase by the Santa Fe of the sun
flower route. a new railroad surveyed
from Niles to San Angelo Tex, and
projected south TO the gulf.
The directors of the Louisville and
Nashville yesterday declared a semi
annual dividend of 31s per cent, an
increase of half of / per cent over
the previous half yearly dividend. Yes
terday's declaration places the stock on
per cent basis.
Fred Sullivan. commercial agent of
the New York Central at Los Angeles,
is in the city on business.
William f. Schmidt. general western
agent of the Missouri Pacific, left yes
terday morning for Los Angeles, where
he will remain until the first of next
week.
The common stock of the St Louis
and San Francisco railroad, recently
purchased by B. f. Yoakum and his as
sociates from the Chicago, Rock Island
and Pacific railroad, cost the buyers
$3.50 a share, or in gross amount $1O,-
$4,000 AS the Rock Island per cent
bonds issued to make the original pur-
chase of the ST. Louis and San Fran
cisco require their redemption at s17.-
79S,267, Wall street learned yesterday
that it had been necessary for the Rock
Island interests to make up difference
of about $7,000,000 between the cost of
these bonds and the cash received for
the sale of the Frisco common stock
collateral under the bonds.
The Chicago and Northwestern has
decided upon the installa tion of a COM
plete system of telephone train dis
patching on considerable stretch of