New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-05
THE DEAD-HEAD SYSTEM.

pl euctoibS NP'H tAN o"fyNNh W
the system be broken up or not the discussion
consequent upon the proposition TO do away withit
will result in benefit to all parties, and especially
TO the Press which has heretofore been ridely
misunderstood and very liberslly misrepresensed
in the premises. The fact that certain editors
and reporters are seen fitting shout places of
public entertainment, here at concert asd there
at tbeater and the general impression that they
pay nothing for admission, added to the circum-
stance that they are known by sightto almost
everybody, has given rise TO the very erroneous
idea that the Press is the great dead head, the
recipient Of the lions share Of free tickets, and
By consequence the fast friend Of the thester or
manager that most literally dispenses these So
called fsvors 1t is true there are journals whose
bearing toward artists and managers warrants
such an inference; but generally speaking, the
opinion is the opposite Of truth. To the many
who seldom enjoy free tickets, these perquisites
of journalistic life appear to be drops of mama
worth any sacrifice tosecure; busto thosewho have
them thrust upon their notice daily and hourly,
they are great nuisance, unless the recipient,
throwing cOurtesy out Of the question and look
ing upon them in busines, light only, kicks
them under the table. OF the tickets, invita-.
tons and free passes sent TO the leading daily
papess of this city. we think not one in twenty is
used and of the dead heads in general attend
ance at the the ,ters and other places o. amuse-
ment, not one in ten are legitimate members Of
the Fourth Estate.
With regard to free passes on Railroads we
have made special inquiries, and have collected
reliable data, and we must say, much as we knew
before of the facts, quite astonished at the
extent of the abuse, and wonder that the com
panies have not long since protected themselves
against ID. Upon inquiry of the Hudson River
Railroad Company, we were informed that they
commenced the present year with the determi-
nat on to isfue no free passes whsteyer; but the
Legislature in a measure compelled them TO
abandon their position. No sooner was the Leg
islature organized than notices were given of in
tentiOn to introduce certain bills abridging the
CompaDy's privileges, putting them to great
trouble to answer frivolous inquiries, looking
into their arrangements with neghboring COM
panies and other equally annoying movements.
One Of these resolutions was aimed at the
Harlem Road also demanding to know whether
there were any mutual arrangements be
tween the two companies for the trans
mission of passengers aud freight. The trlft
of these resolutions was apparent, and the repre-
sentatives of the two roads, well knowing that
the practice of fOrmeryears had been to send the
members free passage tickets some days before
the beginning of the session, prepared an answer
TO one OF the resolutions, crammed their pockets
full OF free tickets to from the st Of January
till the let of May, and thus armed, appeared IN
the lobbies of the Capitol. Senators, Assembly.
meD, Clerks and other officers, aud Reporters
got their tickets, and all the notices and bills
proposed to defend the people against the terri
bic Hudson River and Harlem moDopolies slept
the slet that knows no waking" on the gen.
ersl orders calendar. The reports OF the two
Companies were printed and ordered on file, and
for the remainder of the session not whisper
was heard prejudicial to the best managed
railroads in the State" Thus about three hun
dred end fifty season tickets, free on all trains,
were disbursed-a greater number at one dash
than were ever offered to the Press Of New-icrk
City since railroads were invented.
But this was not the end. The immaculate
Common Council of this City, hearing of the
,icual success Of the Legislative conspiracy sud
denly began TO feel remarkable solicisuds
about the termini Of these roads, how far they
should run with ste am, and other little local mat
ters; and committees were sent up TO Albany to
fix things right. Within few days the required
number of tickets was fortheOming-a ninety,
if the distribution was fair-the committees
came back. their report was - satisfactory" and
that was the last that was heard in the City Hall
about the railroad nuisance. Whether the con-
mittees charged railroad fare to the City while
traveing on these free tickets we do not knows
the Con rollers report will tell. Aside from
these notorious instances, the Hudson River Rail-
road Company has issued 10 season tickets this
year, except TO officers Of connecting roads.
They have, however, given out trip tickets
passes to 90 and return within given period
10 the number of one thousand since the lst OF
January; and of these, only thirty-two have been
Issued 90 persons connected with the Press Of
this City.
On the New York and Erie Road, according to
very careful computation, the deal heads would
produce. ii they paid regular fare, 100000
yesr-equal to 10000 through passengers, or
nearly GO per day. \ specimen Of GOODNESS is
recorded in the desd-head archives OF this Com
psny which is worthy of immortality. One day
not long since the Secretary received note from
an Assistant Superintendent OF O,e OF the City
Railroads (fare five cen;s) asking the Erie Com
pany to pass young man to Dunkirk and back
free, and the favor would be reciprocsted on the
Ci,g Road