The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-06-11
RAILROAD FARE
WAS PROH|B|T|VE
AND OKLAHOMA VETERANS OF
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBUR
CAN NOT ATTEND REUNION.

Oklahoma veterans of the battle of
Gettysburg will not attend the re-
union of their comrades in July. Pro-
vided with funds by the state to visit
after fifty years the scenes of the
worlds greatest battle, the Oklahoma
survivors Of Gettysburg have been
prohibited by the railroads of the
state from participating in the great
est reunion held since the close of the
civil war, according to the Oklahoma
Gettysburg reunion.
Veterans of every other state in the
union have been granted railroad
rates that will permit their attend
ance while the Oklahoma veterans
stay at home because the Oklahoma
railroads refuse to grant the same
rates within this state that have been
fixed by the foreign roads. The
Gettysburg commission Of Oklahoma
will send Governor Cruce a letter
Wednesday recommending that the
fund appropriated by the legislature
to send the Oklahoma veterans to
Gettsyburg in July be turned back
into the general fund of the state.
This action was taken Tuesday aft
er the commission had heard propo-
sitions made by more than a dozen
passenger representatives of railroads
in Oklahoma and outside of the state
which serve the territory between
Oklahoma and Gettsyburg.
One Cent a Mile In East.
Railroads east of the Mississippi
river sent representatives to tell the
commission that from the river the
fare would be l cent a mile in each
direction. Representatives of the
four trunk lines serving OklIcoma
announced that they would not reduce
the rates below cents a mile in
each direction between here and
points where the veterans could be
taken care of by the foreign roads.
In the opinion of the commission
this is prohibitive rate. The fund
by the state for trans
portation of the Oklahoma servivors .
of Gettysburg was $500. The bill /
provided that every veteran ir the |
state should be granted the privilege /
of attending the reunion at the eX-
pense of the state. Two hundred and !,
eighteen veterans proved their claims
as having actually participated in
the battle of Gettsyburg. Because of
he rates offered by the railroads in
this state the fund is insufficient to
care for them all and the commission
declares that if all can not go as
guests without expense they
I'll will remain away.
Railroads belonging to the south
EASTERN passenger association which
ixes the rates east of the Mississippi
liver have announced that they will
handle the veterans for l cent a mile
n each direction from all points east
'f the river to Gettysburg. This
means that the Oklahoma veterans
would be enabled to go from Memphis,
'enn., to Gettysburg for $21.40. But
rom Oklahoma to Memphis, where
hey could be handled by foreign
Dads, the Oklahoma railroads will
barge them 2 cents a mile in each
irection or $21, according to the ]
.ock Island rate. The other trunk |
mes have announced the same rate t
ut the Rock Island is used as an ex-
mple as it offers the most direct c
)ute. q
Comparison on Rates. y
This means that the railroads of {
lis state want as much money for L
lrrying Oklahoma veterans Asa miles a
J the outside railroads will charge g
lem the remaining 1,1OO miles. The e
'tal fare according to these rates p
i'll be si1.40 from Oklahoma City
Gettysburg and return. This rate Il
too high to take all Of the 21S vet Il
ans. The rate for tourist sleeper il
as granted is $3.50. 81
With these rates in effect the fC
Mount necessary to trarsport the | ~