Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-08-25
Unfair Railroad Cha,,e.

P~S' anu uncallet- fo-
discrimination on the part ~ ~
American railroads, the various Cb."
tauquas are facing the problem bon. ;.
continue the high-class educational So,
vice they have been giving the nub,;,
for many years without increasing ,bo
cost The question is so serious ,ha.
an effort is being made to arouse ,rh
lie opinion in behalf of this impor,on.
enterprise to the extent that the Cbar
tauquas be given fair play.
Chautauqua week has come 70 :.
one OF the most important in tho
yearly activities of hundreds Of ,r.,.
and small cities in the United S,o,oo
and Canada. Through the wort =,
this splendid organization, famous lee.
turers, prominent singers, musician.
and other entertainers have been heard
in many places that otherwise would
have been deprived OF the pleasure.
each year has shown new develonm.,,
OF the project, and people everywhere
look Forward to the annual visit Of the
Chautauqua forces.
II this is to continue without il
creasing the cost, the American rail
roads must cease to discriminate
against Chautauqua. In the tariffs OF
the Norfolk & Western Railroad, for
example, Chautauqua is classed with
theatrical companies, and Chautauoua
asks only the same rates and consider
alton that is shown these other enter
prises with which the railroads asso.
ciate it. But instead Of this, Chautau-
qua is charged double for personal
transportation. And all because of a
"joker" in the tariff schedules.
The railroads agree if twenty-five
persons travel with their theatrical en-
tertainment baggage will be carried
without charge. Naturally, theatr.
cal company can thus travel from place
to place without other cost than the
individual fares of the players. But
the nature OF Chautauqua makes its
system differ, in that its equipment is
sent ahead, remaining from FIVE to seven
days in each town, and although the
various companies using each equip.
ment total about sixty-three persons,
or two and a-half times the number
necessary to obtain free baggage trans.
oortation, because they do not all trav.
ell with it, and because they do not all
travel together, the railroads not only
charge Chautauquas thirty-six cents a
mile extra for Transporting baggage,
but require the purchase of ten passen.
ger tickets in addition, which means
double fare for the FIVE persons who
travel with it. In addition to all these.
there are all the talent and the trave.
cling, executive and working forces, so
that the total number Of miles Travelled
is more than sufficient to entitle Chau.
fauqua to free movement Of its bag.
gage cars.
Chautauqua does not ask that its bag
gage be carried free under the circum.
stances; it merely asks that it be not
REQUIRED in addition to this exense to
purchase passenger transportation other
than for the persons actually carried.
Canadian railroads do not discriminate
In this way. The Pennsylvania and
southern Railroads and some Others
agree that it is unfair, but other Amer.
lean railroads refuse to agree to any
change.
Chautauqua has grown to be one OF
the greatest educational and entertain.
ment enterprises ever launched in any
country. Last year S,571 Chautauquas
were held; there were ninety-three
circuits covered; 51l lecturers employ.
ed, and 5,757 persons engaged in Chau.
tauqua work, more than 5000 of whom
were constantly travelling all summer, at
time that most theatrical companies
were disbanded. There were more than
thirty-five million paid admissions to
Chautauqua entertainments during the
season.
The subject is to be taken I'D with
the Interstate Commerce Commission
IN the near future Chautauqua pa
irons are urged to express their dis
approval of the "gouge" and make
public demand for fair play.
q. -o-