| Show I OFFICIALS SA SAY Y YRA RA rES ARE LO LOW Passenger Men Declare Railroads Rail Rail- roads Earn Little on Coast Traffic HOLD MANY EXCURSIONS EXCURSION Some Cheap Fares Are Pointed Pointe Out That May Enjoy Passenger officials of ot tho Salt Lake Lak e ha have replied to the tho request of ot tho the Salt Sail Lako Lake Commercial Club Traffic bureau In letters which treat the tho re request rest re- re quest st mado made a few tew da days das s ago afO with careful careful care care- ful tul consideration although so far Car nothing Is la gained pained towards procuring for tor Utah rates as low as those accorded accorded accorded ac ac- ac- ac corded other cities of ot tho West Pest letters are arc given Iven with the following statement front from tho the traffic bureau In order that the public ma may be fully tully advised concerning the viewpoint t tot of ot the tho carriers on the question of or reduced re reduced reduced re- re passenger tares fates between Salt Snit Lake and Los Angeles recently re requested requested re- re quested the attached Interesting letters letters letters let let- from Crom General Traffic Manager F F. A X A. Wann ann and General Passenger Agent T T. C. C Peck Pack of or the San Pedro Los Ios An- An and Salt Lake railroad aro oro offered offered of of- ot- ot to the tho press as the tho officials deal deul with the subject In tho the deliberate and thoughtful manner usual to most hl high high- h- h class traffic officials of ot the country oven en If It no purpose of reducing the fares tares In question Is la announced therein th The letter Jetter to the Salt Lake was addressed to Mr Mrs Ir Wann ann general traffic fic manager asking for tor a n rate of ot 21 2 cents a milo between Salt SnIt Lake and Los Angeles Mr Ir Wann ann writes to S S. H II Babcock saying that the tho letter wa was turned over o to Mr Peck general Jeneral passenger passenger passenger pas pas- agent for tor his consideration Mr h Wann says tho local passenger rates of ot the Salt Lake route var vary from 3 to 6 cents a mile but tho average fare Care on the local traffic of or the tho road Is less Jess than 23 cents a mile for tor each passenger Figures are shown frome from the e Interstate commerce commission reports showing the tho average a expense of or operating and maintaining tho the railroads railroads rail rall- roads of ot tho the country for Cor 1907 a mile J learning Arc Small When rhen I tell teU you ou that this company compan has lias not earned per pel milo since the tho lino IIno was built wrote Mr Wann ann I think you will agree with me mo that no traffic man could see his wa way clear clearn In n making the startling reduction In passenger fares tares that you jou OU suggest We e are aro willing to meet any reasonable reasonable reason reason- able demand made upon us and It will alwa always s be our aim to be fair Calr to allour all allour our lur patrons The Tho letter written by Mr Peck calls attention to the fact that the tho rates between t Butte Dutte Spokane and Portland which are less than 3 cents a mile are arc figured on a n competitors competitor's mileage Figures on passenger earnings are quoted showing that the passenger revenue for tor each mile carried c. on tho the Salt Sail Lake ke louto route Is 2 2019 cents Tho The Great Northern railroad receives between be be- tween cents and 2302 cents and the he Northern Pacific 03 to 2124 cents for tor tho the same sarno service Quoting Mr Pecks Peck's letter the statistics statistics statistics statis statis- tics show Khow We do about 54 64 per cent tho the amount of or passenger business done by tho the Great Northern and ond about IS 18 per cent of ot that done h by the tho Northern Pacific and about 14 per cent of or that done by 11 the two lines In the territory outlined In tho the table Tho The passenger train earnings s per vet mile of the two roads Is from per pcr cent to 83 per cent larger than ours oura ur In other words words the volume of ot enger er traffic Is la Immensely immensely Immensely Im Im- larger Jarger between cn Butte Butto and the Pacific coast and ond Intermediate points than between salt fait Alt Lake and tho the Pacific coast coa t and intermediate points point We Ve Yo authorize a great many more moro special excursion and reduced roundtrip roundtrip round- round trip and antI one wa way one fares than are aro authorized authorized au- au b by the tho Northern Pacific and Great Grent Northern as ns our rate iato per mile per passenger is Invariably less In other words we wc are arc much more liberal I than those lines In authorizing the character of fares that will Induce people people peo peo- pIe to travel to Salt Lake and In authorizing au au- such fares taros as will stimulate travel between Utah and the Pacific coast which latter purpose Is Js one of oC the results aimed at b by Mr Babcock's prop proposition At present we arc are earning but ap approximately approximately approximately ap- ap proximately 2 cents per pel mile per passenger passenger pas pas- and our passenger trains arc are operated at the tho very cry lowest possible margin of ot profit 1 Our rate ate Salt Lake to Los Angeles Is relatively lower ver than tho the rates of or ortho tho the Great Northern and Northern I Pacific cited by Mr Ir Babcock everything every every- thing taken Into consideration ru To I Travel Ravel It Is our desire as you know to encourage passenger traffic In every overy reasonable manner and antl promote In ever every way within our power closer commercial and social relations between between between be be- tween Utah and the tho Pacific coast cities cIUc continues Mr Peck Our obligations gallons however will not permit us to do this aa at a loss Furthermore If IC It wore possible to operate our trains at a profit under rates ratos proposed b by Mr Babcock it II is my opinion that our present system of or passenger fares tares does docs more to accomplish the ends desired by bye Mr 11 Babcock than a fiat Hat reduction For your Information I desire to state that we have at t present on salo sale In Utah a 90 scrip scrip book In tion with which our rate from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles will be bo 1955 55 as soon as our tariff tart which Is now In inthe tho the hands of or tho the printer is flied filed with tho the Interstate commerce commission On thirty nine days das this summer we will have a reduced trip round fare of ot 30 Salt Lake City to Los Angeles On days this summer we will have havu havea a CL reduced trip round-trip fare tare of or 40 HO Salt Lake ako to Los Angeles on August 4 to 9 Inclusive 1909 wo we will have a re reduced reduced reduced re- re trip round-trip fare of or 30 Los Angeles Angeles An An- geles to Salt Lake r The above are merely examples given to show that wo vvo havo have In mind the he desirability of ot frequent travel be between between between be- be tween Utah and tho the coast We Vo have done and are doing everything wo we consistently can to promote such travel with its resulting Interchange of ot ideas Idea and as stated by Mr Ir Babcock closer commercial and social relations As s 8 far tar as na passenger traffic Is concerned concerned concerned con con- I believe the Interests of ot Utah will be bo best served maintaining by first superior and efficient train servIce service Ice co Into and through that state and antl second authorizing at the proper Intervals Intervals intervale Inter Inter- vals vale reduced trip round-trip tares faros which will bo be an nn incentive to travel |
