Geis Botsford, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, said today:
"All Des Moines people and all those from outside the city should be made acquainted with the 'hold-up' the owners of so-called jitneys tried to and in a measure succeeded in putting over on people going to the Speedway at Valley Junction last Sunday because of the probability that they will try to repeat it."
"These fellows stood at the end of the street car line in Valley Junction and called out that it was two miles to the Speedway. As a matter of fact it is but nine blocks, a walk of about twelve minutes, and about the same distance that the grandstand on the Chicago Speedway is from the Illinois Central trains. To top it, they charged 25 cents for a one-way trip to the Speedway, where 10 cents would have been a reasonable charge. At the Speedway all ticket takers are were instructed to notify grandstand patrons that the Rock Island service would take people from the Speedway downtown for 14 cents."
"Those who do not care to take advantage of the 5-cent fare on the street car lines and walk the distance from the cars to the Speedway should take the Rock Island trains. The fare is 25 cents for the round trip or 14 cents one way, and going passengers are landed within a block of the Speedway and returning are brought to the depot at Fourth street. There is no excuse for the holdup."