The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-27
RATE INCREASES
TO COST KANSAS
S27,5oo,oo0 YR.
Roads Will Get $9,SO3, $50
From Passengers.
G.. p. Nissen Bases Figures on
Statistics of 1915. ;.
CUT OUT MILEAGE BOOKS
Additional Revenues From
Baggage and Pullman Fares.
Official Copies of McAdoO's Or
ders Received Here.
CUT OUT MILEAGE BOOKS

Kansas. under the order issued by
W. G. McAdoo, director general OF
railroads, increasing freight rates 70
per cent and passenger rates to 8
cents a mile, will contribute, approx
mately, an additional $27,500,000
year to the revenues of the American
railroad, it was asserted today by e.
P. Nissen, assistant accountant for the
public utilities commission. Nlssen s
estimate is based on the freight and
passenger revenues derived from KAN
saS by the roads in 1916, the latest
year for which definite figures are
available. and which yielded an in
come averaging about the same as
the latter part of 1917 and the first
part of this year. r;
Nissen's figures do not, however,
take into consideration the additional
on baggage. switching, special trains
and the addition to the flat Scent
fare to be paid by holders of passen-
ger transportation tickets who ride on
standard SleeperS and Pullmans. 1t
is probably conservative t say that
the McAdoo order today will cost this
state in. round figures about $685.
100000 a year.
1915 Figures the Basis.
| Freight revenues in Kansas in
1916, not counting switching and
side" service, were $50. 9.126,o6s.
! Twenty-Five per cent of this amount
would be S17,2S1,517 or the addi-
| der the new increase.
Passenger revenues for the year
ending December, 1916, were $19,-
| 607, 800. Under the ruling or increase
order which hikes all fares to cents
a mile, the state of Kansas will pay
from its present 2 cent fare to. the
standard under the new order. This
| SO per cent increase will of course
mean an addition to. passenger srey}-
nues for this state of $9,S03,660, not
including the extra charge in Pull
mans and the additional excess bag
gage charge which is automatic be-
cause of the passenger fare hike.
Official copies of McAdoo's order
were received today in Topeka general
frei ght and passenger offices. These
copies show that the order applies on
both interstate and intrastate rates.
The increases are to be added on the
rates in effect the day they become eff
fective, the freight June rs and the
passenger June 10.
Seek Uniform Scale.
| Close study of the official order dis
closed the fact that the government
administration is attempting to work
out a uniform scale on a basis of the
| increase thruout the country. Imme-
diately after the increases are applied
differentials, especially in freight
rates, will be worked out.
The order as it affects passenger
rates, in addition to increasing fares
where they are below cents a mile to
the specified 8 cents, makes 8 cents
the minimum. In states and terri
| tories where the rates are above 8
cents, the fare will not be lowered.
| An additional passenger fare charge
on Pullmans and standard sleepers is
provided. This addition is 162a per
cent in addition to the normal one-way
fare, and means that the man who
rides from Topeka to Kansas City in
| a Pullman must pay 1854 per cent
more for his passenger ticket than if
he rides in a day coach. On top of
this extra charge the same charge as
usual will be made for the Pullman
seat.
/ Cut Out Mileage Books
i The order probably means the dis
continuance of mileage books as it
contains a clause saying that mileage
books cannot be sold at rate lower
than the minimum fare of cents
Passengers will save nothing by pur-
chasing the books and officials saw
there will be no demand for them. II
is probable, however, that it will be
possible for railroads to make excur-
sion rates to tourist resort territory
+ providing the fares are in proper re.
latIon to the one-way fare.'
Ine increase in passenger fares
automatically increased the excess
baggage rates which remain the same
on percentage basis however
Present excess baggage rates are 16 "a
per cent of the amount of the ticket
but under the new charge the ticket
will cost more, thus more excess bag
gage charges.
Tourist car travellers must paw ar
additional passenger transportation
fare as well as their brethren in the
standard Pu1lmans and sleepers The
additional passenger fare charge ir
4 tourist cars is 8k per cent
End Rate Litigation
Today's order will proba bly, end the
maze of rate litigations and applica
tions injected into the courts and pub
lie service commissions by the rail
roads. At the least, it is understood
the railroads will not press such eff
forts as long as McAdoos order re
mains effective.
n