Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-05-14

Perhaps there is no class Of employees
who have greater inducements or better op-
portunities TO pilfer, with less feaf OF detac.
tion, than conductors on steam railroads.
They receive great deal Of money, and
must necessarily be left to render their own
account OF il, and the correctness Of their
returns consequently depends in great de,
gree upon their honesty. TIE well-estab>
lisbed weakness Of human nature requires
that same sort Of surveillance be exercised
upon them, and this is done BY "spotters,"
detectives who make "run ming . railroad
business, and are extensively employed
BY the different railroad coE,panie3.
To run a road I" successfully requires
the outlay Of considerable capital, ~ the
operation consumes from three weeks TO
three months, and requires the services Of
from Elk TO a dozen men, or even more, ac>
cording to the length,or tho road operated
upon, AID the number of its branches.
There must also be taker into considers
,ion the number Of trains run dAny 70 and
from eertaia points, asd Che average num>
bev of cars ~ . train. as each ~ hAs to
bs covered By certain number of opera
tivcs.
Upon starting out to run road each op-
erative is furnished with written instructions,
printed blanks, which specify the number
Of the "run," the points TO aud from, the
time OF departure and arrival os the trim,
the car be is to enter, whether passenger,
baggage, or smoking car; its location in
the train, the seat he is to occupy, either
right side or left, aud its number counting
from the forward end Of the car, the end
nearest the engine.
Each operative is furnished with an cut
it Of stationery, which includes report and
expense paper, blank cards, envelopes, pens,
and leai pencils. Thus prepared, the detec-
tiyes leave their quarters for the place agreed
upon for starting point, each one going
singIy and by different route. so rs not to
excite suspicion. Upon arriving at the train.
each operative enters the car and takes the
seat assigned him in his instructions. If he
is late in reaching the train, and finds the
seat already occupied, be takes the next
nearest unoccupied one and keeps it till he
reaches his journeys end, unless otherwise
ordered.
The least experienced "spotter" is placed
in the forward part OF the car, abou. the
fourth or 9Th seat from the front the next
most experienced is placed on the opposite
side, in about the eighth seat, while the
most experienced one takes his sea, in the
extreme end Of the car.
Neither of the operatives is expected to
makes notes Of fares other than those paid
by passengers occupying seats between him
self and the operative ahead Of him; all
though il often occurs that the operative in
the forward part of the car will see fare
paid in the rear end Of il sufficiently plainly
to enable him to make correct report Of
it. But an operative in trying to note fares
paid by passenger in The rear Of him, mus.
use extra care and caution, DO that be does
not excite the suspicion Of either the con-
ductor or passengers, for among the latter
may be friends of the former, Who would
lot hesitate to put him on his guard.
of fares paid, uses . pencil not more than
two inches long. and has "a u lie with Il in
his pocket on blank carda. ! paekare ~
-: y. Ss,1ss ~, "
- sniou I ns s es'''is Is ~ ssosr I@aa nlsl
a I - a.. - !. =. e ~ Wy a.
o.o ..1 CO ~. n. spsl pas4s ~
.s ~ - .s n .,, ~ 80. 80. 80 - "o Ia ~ It~"
nsrs".l l - ~ tsseSs 1870 81
% -. 49,. Z, \. u y y
hs.J---;.;nr : a-scn,aJ - .aps
- - ,,sr., :, - In.L 80. ~ E--s.:a.
h;s.oai,ni';.. -. ..-ia 80 ~ ~,
Is common use. =
When making mem oranda of fares paid
to the conductor. the following facts must
be noted down fhe uame of he station
a which The nas,euce- 80. n. whether
alone, or with another person he .ea, he
occupisd. whether near The aisle or window :
the Denomination. Character ard amour ~
money handed 10 the conductor. Also. lie
change received b. the PASSENGER. II anv.
and sny conversai;on averheard het wasn
the couduc and nasseueer. The firm ~
the memoranda made by the Operative
when taking nown fares. i ahont tbns.
"NrwsuRcn.-youpe man in 9Th 49, .,on.
gave conductor U. S. Treasury note. saving
Bedford and received some postal esrfsne5
and yellow check, which eosdacter tore fiom
pssaa.S ana ss0'e on WIN Feaeu' Wsrt to
Ths n.h.. o,.-.,; :; a..
"a niscs5 - "a q. ~. g.. go m - ~
49, . ~. ~ az, - .s.ho..h M - 49, ps 80. siso
shia 10 no,s - ii, ii = x. .o .Ss.;a.,..: ~ . - Ss
nj 49, - as,h. FL. S;m - -
ns;d Ws.. % ~ =. "a ~ -. = 49,. - s.nou.'
aao~r ooa. - . .o.-.S... ~ -, ~. =. no,e
hv ,bs anar.,;vs ,.Io 80. a... ,t -
ger aud saw he whole transaction.
u,,, .rr;,;n, :, ~. s,a,;a, L.. a..
:. rur esss.. e.eS on...,;sa s ~. H. u'e
bara wi, ~.sa liz liz ~ 49,. NJ .'se nsa,M 4
has s,raaa. hasa 5.a;aaa IA.su .I
name and ,ocs,;o, % , ~ ~t;.. .Dpv"' anu nv '.s
b;s ;ns,rro,;nns an'hs Az 80. 80
% ~ re 81 =. ho,ai - !, -a..ls = -" ~.
exe;fe snsn;c;c, r.,o o..srss ~ "
nnt nm - ,hs I. ~. nor.a 'a a:sl - s.e 1os''
n;rg In s;rc,v srd snr.r;nr ~ .oP>
Wl;la :, Nv t,,s, IN ,hav r,ns, .ss.. nas I sah
er as eu,;ta strsnrsr, nd md ~ .,lo..sS No. ~. :.
only when In ,bejr rr;vats
apartments.
At,er each run ard ,n.. ~. o,,...,;..
ba. reached b;s br,s, (. s:.s =, @ ase
M rencrt When IL $500 - e x.:ns $3.50
the oners,;vss ass.,. susI
compare notes, beginnipp With the iir.t mass.
enger car in The Train. II 4 seldom that
there is any grea. variance IN he reports.
Sometimes there may be q dispute as rerartis
the amount Of fare paid i, : parti.nIar Is,
j stance, but when the places tha passcnccrs
got in and out at are decided lie sccount of
fare paid is sson setiIed by a reicrcuce to tbS
schedule Of prices. g
R-;a. -. .-o... ate..;, !.
Of the conductor, whethes polite and asien,
tive 70 passenger. vhe.hsr The car VAS
- ~ A-I "A