St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-08-05
Wanted, 4 !SWeariig Band.

cHcctual lIlan tne efforts OF the SAM
number of individuals working separately
Their success has suggested that gooC
might be done, in different direction
and by different means, indeed, but BY
the use Of similar associated effort. Th,
work we would have undertaken is t.
travel about the country to the various
places OF summer resort, observing til,
eNtortions and impositions practiced OF
travellers, remedying them when possible
and when not, warning the public
against them. As such band woulC
be apt to see more occasion tor swearing
than for praying, and to find u juratory
course more effective than a conciliatory
one, it might take the name of swear
ing band" and could soon render itSei
descrvedly famous. About six young
men, we should say, would be the proper
components OF the party, and they should
have plenty Of time and money and
pluck, and wherever they find an out
rage completed or an extortion contem-
plated, whether on the part Of hackman,
hotel keeper or Snowman, they should
80 for it
If no young men are chivalrous enough
To undertake this work at their own eX-
pcnse, or if, having the inclination, they
have not the money, let US ty all means
have Il society formed "'for the protec-
ton of travelers,' and contributions So
hclted to pay the expense of a band that
shall travel for the purpose Indicated
Let some Bcrgh be found with sympathy
enough for the human animal TO induce
him to undertake the management of
such Il society and the control of such a
band, and then let Us see if their efforts
cannot render the season OF travel little
Ie>, terrible than now, less straining to
the pocket and less tearing 70 the tenn
per.
That thsre is need enough of the work
we have suggested Will be acknowledged
by every one who has Travelled even a
little. The evil complained OF Is not
IT, high price, though the prices at all
our hotels and watering places are too
lil4h. II "ut does not care TO pay them,
however, he can stay away. But what
We complain OF Is the eNtortion~. often
petty, but in the aggregate amounting to
a sum equal to the main charge. if one i
TO SEE or do anything. The paying OF
: an - Il day for very Indifferent fare
could be endured, perhaps, for the sake
OF vl-itin. some medicinal spring OF
,iLhtlv mountain or famous beach, but
when the extra charge make the cost : 10
u day, aS almost everywhere now. the
expense becomes serious to anybody but
a millionaire.
Ao samples OF the cNtOrtions to which
White Mountain region, a party hires
ponies to ascend Mount Washington, and
considering that the charge l. - each,
they suppose, Of course, that Il guide or
attendant VIII be furnished to look after
the animals But, having gotten Il
couple OF miles away from the house
they come to a sign conSplcuou,ly posted
tic guides are not paid 10y the house,
and - one or two dollars extra, accord
Irg to SIC size of the party, are expected
from cach-thc guides refusing to bC
shaken ott' till they have been paid. Ii
the Traveller gocs bv the way OF til,
Mountain railway Ii is bled still NOR,
severely. He Is charged more at first
l. made to pay Il toll of % cents on en-
tering and leaving the turnpike that lead:
to tbs foot OF the railroad, though the
railroad company own 1t and ought It
carry their patrons over it free at tn,
rate they charge for the ascent. and :.
on. Indeed. this railroad ''took in {;
Boston party still more extensively a Few
days ago. The party. consisting OF sever
persons, wanted to 20 up Mount Wash
| Ingtun Sund Nv. and understanding tha
| the REGULAR tram did not run Sunday
telcgraphed to know what they could b,
taken up for. The answer was $50, an,
presented themselves to find a tram wei
loaded, and plenty of other people golm:
up ut the regular rate,-about halt wha
they paid. The president OF the roa,
was on the train, and personally sane
toned the swindlc, the Boston party be
ing compelled to pay the 800, on tn,
ground that the tram was for their spccia
accommodation, and that the other nine
teen passengers were only incidentally
served. though in fact u>t such Il tGali
Is run every day. The Boston peopI,
would also have been Swindlcl into pay
Ing - each for Il ride down the othc
side of the mountain, by man VIII,
came into the ear before it got up TO th
summit, had they not previously engage'
Il team to come up after them, the drive
of which only asked them 50 apiece
The cN, ortions on travellers at Niagar;
are we'll known, and there are few per
sons who can not extend our illustraliv
list OF swindles by Il much longer lis
from their own experience.
Now it is these petty but outrageou
extortions that we want the eNcr;on
ut swearing band" to be directe,
against. The individual traveller oltc
has not the time, still less the inclinatio
to fight his way through a pleasure tour
and SO the eXtortIonerS gathering cour
age 10y success, grow bolder and NOR
outrageous i'll their demands. But
swearing band would soon rout then
entirely. If hackman who had mad
an ovcrcharge found that he got nothing
he would soon limit his demand. If
railroad company was promptly sue
every time its employees smashed Il trur
and made to pay, us it ought to, for tn
modification one feels at seeing his tray
cling possessions ruthlessly and wantonl
exposed to the public gaze, as well Il
for the value of the property destroyed
it would make It's servants more careful
If some of the White Mountain and n