Salt Lake Tribune | 1909-03-28 | Page 11 | Hot Letter is Sent to Traffic Bureau

HOT LETTER IS SENT TS TOM BUREAU General Passenger Agent Burley of 0. S. L. Makes Interesting Comparison of Rates. D. E. Burley, general passenger agent of the Oregon Short Line, has addressed a communication to S. H. Babcock, head of the Commercial club traffic bureau, in which he makes a comparison of rates which cannot help but be of interest in-terest to the railroad people and tho public generally. The letter is a reply to that sent Mr. Burley by Mr. Babcock on Thursday, and is as follows: ' Salt Lake C!ty, Utah. March 27. 1909. Mr. S. H. Babcock, Commercial Club Trarflc Bureau. City Dear Sir 1 have noted your letter of thc 25th, but from the fact that I read It In tho newspapers before the original was received. 1 fear, good naturedly. It was Intended more for public consumption than prompted by a desire to get at the facts. A closer Inspection of the Northern Pacific Pa-cific tariffs to which you refer will disclose dis-close the fact that their passenger rate between Butte and Spokane Is based on 3 cents per mile; also between Spokane and Seattle and between Seattle and Portland, 3 cents per mile. The fare from Spokane to Portland via the direct route is likewise figured 3 cents per mile, so It will be readily seen you have picked out a poor Illustration. You have merely taken tak-en the rate via the most direct route and figured out the rate per mile via the longest long-est route between the two points. Now, It may not do any harm In this Instance, but. confidentially, I do not be-Hevo be-Hevo I would lay any more emphasis on tbo principle upon which your complaint Is based than I had to. If the rato In an isolated case wore to be taken as a standard of compensation for all other rates. It would only have tho effect of forciig the long route out of the business and effectually kill all competition without with-out any corresponding advantage. The general rate por mile on the Oregon Short Line Is 3 cents, the same as It Is on tho Northern Pacific and Great Northern North-ern In corresponding territory. We have kept fully abreast of thc times anil havo consistently reduced our passenger rates from 5 cents per mile to 4 cents, and from 1 cents to 3 cents, and when the population popula-tion In our states Is as dense as In Now York state, we shall be glad to adopt tho same rate as prevails In that state. As to excursion rates. I know you will be glad to learn that a long time before your communication was received wo had made arrangemonts for a series of excursions excur-sions to California, which will yield a good deal Jess than any rate per nillo mentioned In your letter. Yours truly, D. E. BURL1SY.