The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-12-20

10 stop over AT u way station one train
to do some telegraphing, but without
avail he would not sell the ticket. As |
could not wait three hours, l thought i,
would be a good time to use up my old
coupon, as | was accustomed to do upon
other roads under similar circum.
stances. Accordingly l presented the
coupon to the guard stationed at the
entrance to the cars. lie rudely and
imperiously refused me admittapce,
stating that the ticket was "good for
nothing" Some warm words passed
between us, and he finally called the
conductor, who stood near. The con-
ductor was, if possible, more imperious
than the guard. He said the ticket was
"good fer nothing" and peremptorily
ordered me not to 60 on board the cars.
l told him l thought the ticket was
good, and that l was accustomed to use
coupons in that way upon all other
roads over which l travelled. He re-
piled that sit was no such thing he
travelled more than l did and knew all
about il; and concluded by saying that
if attempted to get upon the cars
he would put me off," Severe re.
marks were made by several gentlemen
standing near to the conductor during
this time to the effect that this was AN
other manifestation of the general spirit
of insolence and towards pas
sengers for which that road was noted.
l then purchased a ticket to Providence
TIA New Haven and Hartford, and got
on board the train. l felt irritated at
the treatment l had received, and hav.
ing a constitutional objection to being
b~row-beaten, l determined to ascertain
why the practice with regard to tickets
on this road was so unlike that upon
other roads. Having had time to re-
cover my equanimity somewhat after
the cars had started, and supposing the
conductor might be still angry and un.
reasonable, ! determined to put the
case to him, as one gentleman would to
another, and to exercise s~elfcontrol,
that my manner should be quiet and
give him no aus for offense. Accord.
ingly, as he approached me in taking
up his tickets | said, "Mr. Conductor, |
there is no use for you and me to QUAR-.
rel about this ticket. This is a plain
business matter, an affair of dollars and
cents only. The case stands like this:
| am trav ling nearly all the time and
being frequently compelled to diverge
from the route that l intended to take
in starting am left with unused cou.
pons. These coupons all cost me
money and by the end of the year they
would accumulate to such an extent
tina. they would represent too large a
sum for me to lose.' The conductor
replied, "That oupon is good from
New Haven to New York, but it is not
good from New York to New Haven.
My directors ordered ME three years
ago not to take such tickets. and | shall
not do it." then said, "My position
is this: l have paid this road a certain
amount of money for a certain amount
OF service, whether my face is turned
east or west. You say this ticket is
good from New Haven to New York,
which is s~eventy-four miles: / think it
g good from New York to New Haven.
which is also seventy-four miles; and |
;annot understand the distinction which
'ou make" A gentleman who sat be.
ore me remarked at this moment, " (
here is any n which has ever I
'een discovered upon a railroad, it is !
ure to be found upon this one, for it is &
he meanest railroad ever Lana out of
replied, "If this is so / hope 7
hey will make an eepticn in ny case,
9 all l require are t.. common courte. G
les Of the road and an equivalent for t
ny money" The conductor said, s
ee you are all linked together to make 9
ne trouble" And he went along. The a
entleman who had spoken to me re- !
uested to see my coupon, and remarked a
hat he had lever heard the question S
aised before, and certainly had never b
card the case put in that way. He q
lrther remarked that whether it was b
w or not, it was common sense" A n
art of the Board of Trade delegation t,
{ Boston was in the car. returning o
ON the Philadelphia Convention. 7
everal OF these gentlemen, who had o
econe interested in the discussion, re. o.
1ested to see the coupon, and they G.
'ok the anne view of the matte. that Il
did. As we were approaching Siam. 81
rd the conductor again came to me Il
i'd said in a very abrupt manner. a.
Well, sir, how shall we settle this mat. S
RI" said, Just as before there is 81
le ticket, and / wish to 20 to New n
aven the circumstances have not 81
in the least" had determined 81
take the matter quietly. The con. ii
lctor saw that it was useless to attempt cl
frlghten me by his imperious manner, g
ID he then began to demonstrate, say ii
g, "You have no business to make o.
e disobey my directors and make me "
my place upon the road l have TO Il
t my living in this way, and it is mean sc
: you to do So" This wa q new as y,
ct of the case, and l replied, "That 81
the only embarrassing question which al
. arisen in this discussion. l have no fr
larrel with you, and l would not do re