The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-18
SAY UPPER Berth
sH0ULOC0S LESS
Travelling People Anxious to Sec
Federal Commission Scale
Prices on All Roads.
LOCAL CHARGES DISCUSSED
Flat Ruling as to Uppers Ex-
pcctcd to Apply Generally
Unless Courts Interfere.

Unless the courts hold that the In
terstate Commerce Commission Is nor
authorized to order a reduction in Pull
man sleeping car rates, especially In
tho matter of declaring that an upper
berth is not worth as much as lower,
railroad men believe. and even predict
that the whole tariff will be revised
III taking that view. they admit that
they cannot get around this point az
laid down by the commission:
The present rate of 81 for n lower
berth from st. Paul to Chicago over
tue Chicago, st. Pnul. Minneapolis and
Omaha ana the Chicago md North
western IL not found unreasonable, but
the rntc for nm upper berth Ia unren-
sonnblc to the extent that IT exceeds
S15O.
The present rate of $3.50 for n lower
berth from st. Paul to Superior * not
found unreasonable, hut the rate for
mn upper berth is unreasonable TO the
extent TINT II exceeds S1.1O.
While rates generally will stand
until some final decision Is reached 1t
is made clear that any citizen who con-
tends that the charge here or there is
excessive can appeal to the commission.
in which case tho commission. to be
consistent, must hold that regardless
or the line on which a Pullman car
Is operated. the company cannot charge
the same amount for upper and lower
berths Even the Railway Age Gazette.
the official railway organ. says In an
editorial that the commission is right
In snyins that the man who sleeps
near the top of the car should sleep
there for less amount than Is paid
by the man down below
been too intricate for the ordinary man
time on the road 10 solve. An exam
inauon of rates out of Richmond is
of interest. The night rate from
Richmond to Philadelphia and New
York Is the seme-s2. A seat in
parlor or Pullman car from Richmond
to Philadelphia is s160. where the Trip
Is made in the day time while the
charge TO New York is s1.75. From
Richmond TO Washington and Balu-
more 1t is the same-si50 by night,
but the day tariff to Washington is so
cents and IS cents to Baltimore A
man leaving Raleigh. y. c.. at night.
for instance. pays 50. whether his
pullman ticket reads Richmond, Wash
ington or Baltimore. But If he buys
a seat from Raleigh to Richmond it is
SO cents. S1.30 to Washington and sls5
TO Baltimore. Still, If q day traveller
from Raleigh to Baltimore buys seat
to Richmond for 80 cents and then
buys seat from Richmond to Balti-
more for rs cents, he can Make the
trip for s1.55, but If he buys direct
from Raleigh to Baltimore 1t will cost
him si.65. or 10 cents more.
Going out OF Richmond over the
Southern Railway at 1876 p. NJ. man
pays $l.50 for berth-upper or lower
to Danvllle; 50 to Greensboro. 50 to
Salisbury and 81 to Charlotte. The
distance from Greensboro to Charlotte
Is exactly ninety-three miles. But If
he leaves here on the morning train
he pays s5 cents for seat to Green's
boro and SLAB TO Charlotte.
Again, the night rate from Rich
mond to New York, 344 miles, is 81:
the night rate from Richmond to
Raleigh less than one-half the dis
lance. or 157 miles, is SO.
According to Pullman people the day
rate is based more largely on mile
age travelled than is the case in making
night rates, the idea being that a
sleeping car Is much like hotel. and
t makes little difference when a man
gets out of bed. This "hotel" argu-
rent is being used BY business organt-
,ations and the travelling public in an
attempt to show that a man, there
ere, should be charged less rate for
IN upper berth lnasmuch as the ac-
:cmmodations are inferior.
IF fiat 50 rate for lower berth !
,arried rate OF s1.50 FOR an upper"
said a railroad man yesterday you
would find fewer people scrambling
.or lower. Hundreds would prefer
he less tax. which would give the man
Who Is willing to pay the top price
1 better Chance of getting what he
wants. My own idea is that the tariff |
ought to be graded that the person
sleeping in the top of the car should
he charged less than the man in the
over. Railroads, which are often
blamed, do not fix Pullman rates. Tn
ess a car earns so much per annum |
he railroad company must come across
with the deficit. Personally, T hope |
he commission will straighten out this
pullman tangle. especially as it re-
ates to upper and lower berths, even
z 1t does not disturb the published
charges for the latter. IT has got to
,one some time.