Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-27
PUBLIC VITALITY
CONCERNED IN ANY
RAIL FARE BOOST
Study of Requests Brings
Out Startling Figures in
Cost of Travel.

The travelling public has taken lit
tie notice, perhaps, of the railroads
application for increased passenger
rates and a surcharge of so per cent
on Pullman fares, asked partly to
offset the $780, 900 increase in
wages awarded to railroad employees
by the rail labor board.
The average man doesn't bother
himself to figure out what he will
have to pay toward granting the rail-
roads employees their increased
wages. If he did he would find a
number of things. some of which fol-
low.
Now Costs $11.S7 to New York.
ticket to New York, based on
present rates. costs 1892. A lower
berth costs -$2.70. and if any excess
baggage is carried the fee is $1.95 per
100 pounds. The total cost. therefore.
for man travelling in a lower berth
from here to New York, carrying with
him 100 pounds of excess baggage. is
$11.97.
other increases. 20 per cent increase
in passenger fares, a surchafge Of so
per cent on Pullman fares and a 20
per cent increase on excess baggage
rates. The surcharge on Pullman
fares means that so per cent is added
Z
ditional fee going to the railroads in
stead of the Pullman Company.
Figuring on these increases. the
fare to New York would be $S.7S A
lower berth would cost $4.05, and the
excess baggage would cost $2.34
making a total of s15.17, or an in
crease of $3.17.
Fare to Chicago May BE $44.42.
The fare from Washington to Chi
~ T..
the lower berth costing $5.94 and the
excess baggage rate being $3.50 per
100 pounds, a total for a man travel
ing in a lower berth and carrying 100
pounds of excess baggage. of 1851.
Figuring on a basis of the increases
asked by the railroad, the new rate
would be $44.22, an increase of $S.S5.
The travelling public will be hit
hard if. the requested. increases are
granted. But this increase will be lit
tie compared to that asked of the
shippers.
For the eastern district, in which
Washington is located. the railroads
request an increase of 1915 per cent
in freight rates. This includes the
9.13 per cent increase asked to cover
the additional wages to be paid rail-
road workers. The other increase is
asked to insure a suitable return on
the carriers property, which return
is estimated at more than 81 100000
900 per year.
Freight Rate Changes.
The freight rates vary so much
for the different commodities shipped
that an example is hard to select.
But taking the rates on coal, shipped
here from the Cumberland district,
the consumer will have a fair idea
of how the increased freight rates
will reflect on him. The higher
freight rates. naturally, will be borne
to a great extent by the consumer.
Present rates on bituminous coal
shipped from the Cumberland mining
district to Washington are $2.2O per
ton of 2,240 pounds, minimum rates
depending upon the time the car is in
use and the type of Car. Should the
increase of 1915 per cent be added
to the present rate it would cost
little more than $500 a ton to bring
coal to Washington from Cumberland
mines, an increase of a little more
than Sc cents a ton
The increases in the freight rates
vary with the district and with the
commodities. There are special rates
on special commodities. The rail-
roads hope to get s1,359,379.675 ad-
ditional revenue annually from the
freight rate increase; $238,827 1882
annually from the passenger fare in
crease; S46,63S,344 annually from the
surcharge on Pullman fares; $S,662,-
OS9 annually from increased rates on
milk transportation, and $1,420,995
annually from increased rates on
excess baggage.