Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-13
Street.car MORALITY.
REsPEcTAbLE PAssssGgRs WHO NEVER PAY
AND CONDUCTORS wHo ARE NEVER CAUGHT.

RESPECTABLE PASSENGERS WHO NEVER PAY
AND CONDUCTORS wao ARE NKvERCACGHr.
From Ae NeD York Tribans.I
1t Is an admitted fact that, in a considerable
proportion of cases, il the conductor elects 70
ask for the fare the passengers fails 10 remind
him. There are few of us who have not seen a
man whose appearance would preSUppOse \
well-llned pOcketbOOk and a balance in bsnk,
sitting for a while with five cent piece between
his thumb and finger, and after the conductor
has passed by quietly slipping the coin back in
10 his vest pocket. There is, however, a greater
trust on the part of the car companies in the
average honesty of the passengers than in that
OF the conductor. The "patent- box" system.
more in vogue in other cities than our own, de-
ponds upon this faith. Yet we are informed
that even this soon indicates progressive de-
cline OF morality. The patrons OF the new route
pay as they enter with great promptitade and
honesty; but il is the conviction of the road
owners that after a year or two thew are carry
ing considerable number of regular passengers
who seldom OF never pay their fares.
But the deterioration of morals in the case of
conductors, If report speaks truth, is something
rlghtful to contemplate. At all events, all
systems OF management at present are based
upon the suppostion that conductors are dis
honest. From time TO time a change Of the
method or the introduction OF some continuance
for checking the receipts, indicates the extent OF
previous Generalization. The remarkable cir
cumstance is that sooner or later all checking
contrlVances are more or less evaded, and the
old piltering is resumed. The index that used
TO be placed in cars to show the number OF fares
proved yaiueless on long routes, because the
would not tronble themselves about its record.
Inc patent box was introduced on a Brooklyn
road, and suddenly raised receipts bv 20 per
cent; hut gradually they fell away, and in a few
months they were at their previous STANDARD
We all admit that there is a high moral tone
about the atmosphere OF Boston that GNCitcs our
hopeless envy. Yet from that blssIul locality
there came some time ago a tale OF ingenious
horse-car immortality which would raise a blush
on the indefinite cheek of New York condsc-
tor. company there had introduced the
punch-gong system. Each constructor, as he
took fare, was obliged to squeeze a punch
which marked its record on slip of paper, and
simultaneously rang small gong attached t.
the punch. The passenger was to note the ring
of the gong. For a while the receipts were
largely swelled. Then they declined. At length
they reached lower point than ever before
Detectives rode up and down in the cars, listened
faithfully for the note of the gong with each
fare, heard it every time, and yet the receipts
were short. Months elapsed, and the proprie-
tors were at their wits end. At length the trick
was discovered. An ingenious artisan had fur
nished almost every conductor on the road with
small duplicate gong, which, carried concealed
in the hand, did the ringing without the record
ing.