New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-15
Tise in Communication Rates Fosters City Con6es11on

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'aThat tunnel is now ono OF the coo.ess
nlaces In town. It Is a downright comfort
TO go through It after stinins summer
day. But most people still think OF IL -
hot ana sooty hole, where steam trains
tear elons and they may be killed any
minute. The road ought to give the puono
at least a chance to find out the new ao-
vantages before It puts up its communication
fares.
Many persons who rest in the commence
that government bodies OF one kind or an
other will take care Of the Communication
question do not stop to think that the
whole tendency Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission and most Of the different state
commissions has been toward doing away
with ali sorts of special rates and eQualz-
ing all passenger mileage charges There
has been no "gentlemens agreement IN
force between the railroads, at least so far
as the present communication rates are con-
cerned The charges a mile are different
on different roads. and the rates change De-
tween stations at varying distances from
the terminus.
All roads charge less mile for the
long distance commuter than for the man
who comes only short distance. A man
who Is going four miles takes up as mucn
room as one who rides forty. and the road
has to furnish cars to carry him out of its
metropolitan station. But the rate at
which the charge decreases varies accord
ing to the Judgment Of the railroad In
general the present rates Of the New Haven
road are az high or higher than those of
the other suburban lines, and the new
rates are all far above those OF any other
line.
Here Is a comparison Of the Communication
rates Of five New York roads first to sta
tons fourteen miles distant from New York
and next to stations twenty-four miles
away The regular monthly Communication
ticket is good for sixty single trips over
the road, which must be made within a
calendar month by the purchaser and no
one else. The sliding SCALE rate, which
Is still good on the Central Railroad Of
New Jersey, and which the New Haven
road is now abolshing, is obtained by buy
ing monthly Communication tickets for
twelve consecutive months, the price being
Slightly reduced each month. The figures
given are for the average of the year.
FOURTEEN MILES FROM NEW YORK.
New York. New Haven & observation-disclosures
Vernon N Y, 50 90 (old). So (old slidinG), IS 20
new.
Central Railroad Of New Jersey-H Mora.
"
New York Centrai-Mount Vernon, y. Y.
EFie-clifton. y. T.. s. So
Delaware. Lackawanna & Western-Athenia.
TWENTY -FOUR MILES FROM NEW YORK.
New York. New Haven & Hartford Rye.
Central Railroad of New Jerssy-PlainfeId
n. J.. 81 go, 81 0s tslidingl-
Erie-Underclif. n. j., SIS 50.
Delaware. Lackawanna & Western-LincoIn
Park. n. j.. SO A.
Now, however, the roads are said to have
agreed to bring their rates to a more even
balance. The first step in this direction
was taken in 1907, at the time when the
New York Central made its general increase
of 10 per cent. The New Haven also made
a change at that time. It had always sold
its Communication tickets on the Sliding
scale" basis. 1t then added a scale of
fiat rates, the same for every month IN
the year These averaged considerably
higher and squared in general with the new
charges of the New York Central for similar
distances. Now these rates are being In
creased 20 per cent, and the Sliding scale
has been done away with altogether
When the officers of the railroads them
selves are asked about the situation they
have little to say beyond vigorous deniais
that there is any agreement or plan of con-
certed action between the roads Gerritt
Fort general passenger agent of the New
York Central. said what the railroads have
to say in a teTse interview
Our communication fares" he said. "seern
TO have been made with an axe They are
unequal, and give towns on different
branches unequal rates for the same dis
tances. We have not decided upon making
change. but If We do It will be toward a