REDUCED RATES TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
By L. A. Hoopes
REDUCED rates have been secured for all who desire to come to Battle Creek to attend the General Conference, as follows: In the Central Passenger Association (the territory of which includes the States of Illinois [except the northwestern portion], Indiana, Ohio, Lower Peninsula of Michigan, southern Ontario from Port Huron to Toronto, and western New York and Pennsylvania on a line west of and including Buffalo, Salamanca, Kinzua, Oil City, and Pittsburg) ironclad signature form of tickets will be sold to Battle Creek, at one fare for the round trip, March 31 and April 1 and 2, with final return limit, April 25. Any person in the territory described can go to any railway station, on the dates mentioned, and secure a round-trip ticket to Battle Creek, at one full fare. No certificate is necessary to secure these rates. The only requirement is for the person to present himself at the railway station with money in hand, and call for a round-trip ticket to Battle Creek, of the form already described, and the rates will be secured all right. In regard to rates in the Western Passenger Association, we have no further definite instruction than what was published last week. We are definitely informed, however, that leading lines of the association are working for one fare for the round trip. Those purchasing tickets will need to inquire of their station agent whether he has received advice to that effect or not. The proposition that the association is working on is as follows:— “Rate.— One regular first-class normal tariff (not temporarily reduced) fare from points in association territory east of and including Colorado common points and Cheyenne, Wyo., to Battle Creek, Mich., and return. “Dates of Sale.— Tickets to be sold from points east of the eastern State line of Colorado on March 31 and April 1, and from points in Colorado east of and including Colorado common points, and from Cheyenne, Wyo., on March 30 and 31. The sale of tickets must, however, be so regulated that passengers will not reach our eastern gateways later than April 2, in accordance with requirements of Central Passenger Association lines. “Limit of Tickets.— Tickets to be good for return, leaving Battle Creek, to and including April 10, except that by depositing same with the agent of the terminal line immediately upon passenger’s arrival at Battle Creek, return limit may be extended up to and including April 25, 1901. All tickets to be limited to continuous passage in each direction, going trip to commence day of sale, and return trip date of execution.” If the preceding proposition is adopted by the association, the rates will be one fare for the round trip; if rejected, they have already promised rates of one and one-third fare for the round trip, on the certificate plan. The rate of one and one-third fare has been named for the territory in the Southeastern Passenger Association, which is south of the Ohio River. Every person purchasing a full-fare ticket to Battle Creek, March 31 to April 3, will ask the agent for a standard form of certificate, which, when signed by me on presentation in Battle Creek, will entitle the holder to purchase return ticket at one-third fare not later than April 25. This reduction is on condition that there is a total of one hundred persons from the territory of these two associations who have bought tickets at full rate coming, and hold certificates described above. “No refund of fare can be expected because of failure to secure such certificates.” Each person desiring to come to the Conference should see his local railway agent, and obtain definite instruction regarding rates, etc. We advise our brethren outside of the territory of the Central Passenger Association to purchase tickets to boundary points of that association (unless the one-fare plan is made effective everywhere), and then purchase round-trip tickets from there to Battle Creek, as that will be cheaper for them, even better than clergy rates. For instance, the round-trip rate from Chicago to Battle Creek will be $4.15, while ministerial rates are $5, plus fifty cents, fees for securing permits for those outside of the territory of the Central Passenger Association. L. A. HOOPES, Trans. Agent Gen. Conf.