, 1873-11-21
RAILROAD TlCkET.AGENTS.

dally newspapers. CoIsTouH.
RAILROAD 1lCkET-AGENTS.
Tb the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
s1n: In speaking Of tho proposed abolition Of
ttckes-agonts' commissions, You mako use OF tho
following language: Since tho exposure Of tho
swindos porpetratod by local agents, runners, and
sca1pera, undor tho present systom Of paying
commissions for selling Tickets" etc.
AS local agent in country town, bog leayo
to protest against any such association; md
fail to SEQ where thors s, or can be- any s,cindle
in consequence Of paying fixed rase Of commits
sion for the aalo Of coupon-tickots, to those To-
gitimatoly engaged in tho business. You fail to
make any distinction, but 1t seems to mo there
is great difference betweon selling coupon
ticket, and receiving, perhaps, 81 for the extra
trouble it involves, which is what agents in
country towns do; and specnlating in tic1sota
by buying thom in ono place, and dividing
and selling them in others, aud by practicing
various other tricks md devices, which a what
those you designate as scalpers do. Wo know
nothing about thoso sc0lpiHg arrangomentB, but
receive all tho coupon-tlckots ne soil from the
company by whom wo aro employed, and sell
them at the ratcs and Under tho rule9 aud regu-
lations prescribed by our superior officers. I,
for ono, most decidedly object to boing Chased
with nwind!ora and scalpors, because I receive,
in addition to my regular salary, small sum,
averaging about 81 each, for q portion Of tho
coupon-tickets sold at this station.
Tint thoro ID no intuatico in such payments,
either to tho railway companies or the travelling
public, T think the following REASONS will show:
causos good deal Of extra labor and risk on tho
part oftho agents. Separate and somewhat intri-
cato accounts haYe to bc kept; and separate TO-
porta Of ticets sold, on hand. kc., havo to bo
nladc. Ho has to handle moro money, thoro-
connterfcits, mistakes in making change,
&c. He Ia required to keep himself we'll
posted in regard to tho running Of trains over
great number OF roads, 80 as to DO ablo to givo
passengers who buy through tickets NIL nec-
Of much trouble and gomo risk on tho part OF
tho agent, it is OF corresponding benefit to tho
traveller. When ono has purchased D ticket
through to destination, any further trouble OF
worrY On that acore il avoided. aud information
as to rourcs, rates, time OF arrival and departure
Of trains, changes OF cars, and thousand otlor
points, iA Obtained from tho ngont who soils the
ticket. Tho small amount lie receives a8 COM
miaafop, while it stimulates lin to keep well
informed es to these matters, is no more than u
and trouble which the selling OF coupon-ttokets
neceBsitate5. At 1east Euch Ia tho opinion OF
Yours truly. A WISCONSIN, T1cKET-AoENT.
Nov. II, 1878.
10 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune.
e1n: Are you not hasty In oondemning the sys-
tenn Of outside tickot-oflces7 Tho writer is m
old traveller, and can speak from experience rs
vol as observation of tho bonef1ts Of the sys-
tenn. I oarnoHtly hope that it will not bo abol-
ishod, oven though 1t be necessary to increase
fares to sustain it. I, for ono, always mako it a
point, wheQ possible, to purchase tickets at such
offices.
II is often necessary for even tho most expert
eneed traYoler, in soliciting his routes and mr.
ranging wners to stop oyer, to make inquiries Of
ticket-se1or much more 80 for those who only
occasionally make q journey, Yougo to the edopot
tickot-ofllco, and find hole which can only
DO reached by standing on tp-toe. sud oyen this
parturo Of treiu. Yon make an inquiry about
4 certain point. The agent reaches for ticket
end begins to stamp Il, aging $40 or $40, Us
tho caae may bo., You Ray you do not want o
aro told CURLY to atsnd aside aud lot othere come
up. It sooms to be tho rtnly Of many. Of these
gentry to mako themselves Mpapproachable lot
oourso thero arc honorable oxceptjous}. ThiB
rery day, boing at Burlington, Ia, 7 sstnto9 to
t. take tls first !Fain for Chicago, Witch AL la0g f.
hours earlior, kgd acoing train 10 front Of the
tickatotce ready to start, it struck .ne that por
haps that train might BE- Going as far as 0aloa-
burg, aud, i 20, would 60, md there await the
'Yha Of To fekot-seliaT whoro 'tlst traia
was going. The only satisfaction got was TINT
,hero were many traina going In eyory direction,
and would find out about them BY looking at
the card posted up outside. Now, how easy for
him to have said that the train was going to
Quincy, which fact soon ascertained. +
But where tharo arc Union t.ckot-oilcos, the
t1ayolor goeH and naakos bis inquirles. Thero Is
a counter, on which tho egont spreads map
friendly Suggestions, and a: fIoket c.n DO pnr-
chased wlfh aatiafpatjon. Instoad Of abolinll!ug
ouch Offices, the groatsst boon that can BE- con-
fortea upon the Travelling pnllip would be to es-
tablish moro of them, ESPECIALLY at such impot-
tant railway centroB as indianapolis, Pittsburgh,
aud othere. II oiter are nboliShod, lot it bs lje
depot-ofcas, or ut least lot them DO restricted 60
the local tickets nj single road.
NOV. Is, 1873. V1AToB.