The Placer herald., 1858-01-09
Swindling California Passengers.

Noith III h'ShC, duu do many more ny tne
Granada were left at Aspinwall in conse-
quence of having been badly sold by the
vendors of bogus tickets in New York
They paid full fare through to California, but
found, on their arrival at Aspinwall, that
their tickets were worthless beyond that
point.
Items Ike the above are constantly finding
their way before the public, and it may seem
strange, after repeated warnings that any
person should be found so simple as to pur-
chase steamer tickets in New York at any
other place than the office of the Steamship
company. Persons who have travelled the
route several times, would never think of
purchasing tickets on the street or at any
place but head quarters. 1t is different how
ever with those coming to California for the
first time. They arrive in New York stran-
gers to the city, are unfamiliar with the sharp
practice carried on upon unsuspecting travel
ers, and very naturally buy tickets for Cali
fornia at the first opportunity that is offered
which may be at some office on Broadway,
or from the hands of fellows at hotels, who
are lying in wait for their victims.
That the steamship company is directly
responsible for much of the fraud upon pas
sengers, in the sale of outside tickets, we are
satisfied, from facts that came under our own
observation last spring, when returning to
this State. After the steamer left port, a
number of passengers, who had purchased
genuine through tickets at the outside off
ces, found they had paid from twenty-five to
to thirty dollars more for them than those
who had procured theirs at the office of the
company. There were also a number who
claimed to have paid the price of a second
cabin passage were found to have but a steer
age ticket. All these tickets, purchased
from sharpers outside of the company's off
ce, were found to be genuine when inspected.
Immediately after the steamer left her dock.
This proves that the company sells or places
tickets in the hands of the very rascas who
are constantly practising their roguery upon
the unwary traveller for California. If it
were not so, how is it that these tickets are
accepted aboard of the steamer. 1t will be
observed in the item at the head of this ar
tlcle, that the tickets spoken Of only brought
their holders as far as the Isthmus. This
showed them to be good for that distance,
and is proof that were obtaiied from the
steamship company. From this the inference
is plain that the company permits and en-
courages these outrages upon those who are
compelled to travel on their boats.
If the tickets were bogus, their holders
could not travel mile on any of The steam
ers, as it is the custom, whenever one of them
leaves port, to haul out of the dock into the
stream, and there remain until tickets are
examined and stow-aways hunted from their
hiding places.
To us it is plain, that three-fourths of all
the fraud, rascality and outrages, practised
by the outside ticket sellers in New York
and New Orleans, upon passengers, can be
laid at the door Of the S eamship company
itself If they desire to protect passengers
they can do so by not permitting their tick
cts to be sold outside of their own offices.
We believe this course is pursued at San
Francisco, and we have yet to hear of pas
senger being victimized with the exception
that the price Of passage is generally unreas-
onably high.
Persons who design travelling to or from
the States by the steamers, would do we'll
always to bear in mind to purchase their
tickets at the offices of the Steamship COM
panes and nowhere else.
The PHILosoPHERs SToNE.-John Ran
doph claimed to have found the philosophers