The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-11-30
The Passing of the Pass

reduction of passenger rates.
The pass question was abolished
in Nebraska and other states sew
eral years and as result the pas
senger rates were reduced TO two
cents a mile with a heavy increase
in travel and receipts. If these
conditions should prevail in Colora
do and a 2cent fare on the prairies
and three to three aud one-half
ON the mountain roads, it would
be case of the greatest good to
the greatest number, The caus e
of the calling in of some of the
ANNALS and their restriction dur :
ing the future is set forth in the
following statement taken from
the Denver Repu blican. This
action on the part of The railroads
may forestall more radical action
on the part of the General As
sembly but whatever is done it is
to be hoped that the good of the
railroads will be token into con-
sideration along with the bene-
fits to be derived by the travelling
public
THE railroad pass may soon be only
a pleasant recollection in Colorado.
The Colorado & southern taking war
ming from an indictne t by the federal
grand jury at Pueblo yesterday an
nounced the absolute discontinue ce of
free transportation except as provided
iu the interstate commerce law.
Although officials Of the Colorado
and Southern said that it was under
stood by them tn at the Denver and Rio
Grande would join with them in the
limination of passes. Frank A. Wad-
leigh, genera passenger agent OF the
Rie Grsnde, said last night that he had
been taken by his sys tenn. The latter
road was indicted by the Pueblo jury
on practically the same counts as was
the Colorado and Southern
The interstate commerce law makes
exception of railroad employees and
tneir families, officials and their agents
and servants, inmates of hospitals and
charitable institutions, travel ing sec
NJ Ifnri- as-
sociations and Company's physicians
and surgeons in the matter of issuing
passes. All who come under these
classification may travel on passes.
Politicians and shipped are under the
ban however according to the new edict
of the Colorado and Southern The
company has been indicted on the eharg
of Issuing state trans portation to inter
state shippers because 1T is alleged
that the company in so doing had
a desire to influence the interstate
business. Aside from shippers the
company could issue state transporta-
ton if it desired, but officials of the
road say that they are unable to draw
the line between their friends who ship
and those who do not and that there
fore they are compelled to cut off tran
sportation completely
1t is asserted that transportat ion
within Colorado was given by the
Denver and Rio Grande in order to in-
fuence the routing of fright over the
Missouri Pacific also a Gould line"
from the East. 1t is charged that the
Colorado and Southern worked with the
Burlington in the same manner, both
being chill lines" The Santa Fe has
its own lines both in the state and to
the eastward as far as Chicago as far
as the Pacific coast. 1t is understood
that the Santa Fe which was also in
dicted at Pueblo, will follow the course
of the Colorado and Southern and total
ly abolish passes in Colorado. The
Denver and Rio Grande is the only sys-
tenn of the three indicted whose ultimat
action on the pass question remains in
doubt.
The indictments returned come as the
r. suit of a secret investigation begun in
Denver by federal officers more than
year ago. For three months in the sum
mer and fall of 1911 experts represant
ing the government were at
work in the general railroad Off
|ces of the three roads indicted 1t
was from the testimony furnished by
This set of investigators that the in
|Iictments were drawn. The charges
vere brought under the Elkins law, and
proved are said to be punishable by
Ines aggregating ST., 900, 600
N Indictments we're returned against
y railroad corporations instead of