Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-04
RAILROAD "BUTCHERS."

A Lively Sketch Of the Terrible IB-
faDt BulfdOzer who Runs on Rail-
roads.
Correspondent Louisville COurior-J ournal,l
MEMPHIS, Tenn, April rs, 1877.
The Southern Railway News
Company, a pioneer enterprise in
the South, is a blessing to the trav-
cling public in that it adds to the
comfort and safety of passengers by
transforming that terrible nuisance
the train boy, or "butcher" as he is
generally known, into polite and
responsible being. l have studied
the habits Of the train butcher in
various parts Of the country and
fnd that though he persiStently
thrusts himself and his wares upon
everybody, his real character is not
known or understood. And as such
institutions as the Southern Rail
way News Company will soon num-
Der the train butcher of the original
style among the things Of the past,
l will sketch impertectly few of
his characteristics.
Train boys are divided into class
es, and are known among them
selves as "fy butchers" "snide
butchers" sandwich butchers "
"square butchers" "Jim Grow
butchers" "pie butchers" "news
butchers and "knucks." The
"hy butcher" is one up to all the
tricks Of the trade, has a cheek like
la government mule, dresses well
and always has plenty of money
he lives on the fat of the land and
has a good time generally. The
snide butcher r" is just the reverse
of the fly butcher" He is,either
too thick headed or too honest to
learn the tricks of the trade, or too
cowardly to practice them. The
sandwich butcher" is as accom-
plished as the "fly butcher" lie
never stops at a hotel, but lives EN-.
tirely on sandwiches and pies and
other portions of his stock, and
saves his moneyto elbow against a
faro bank" which is a special
weakness Of train butchers. The
"square butcher" is generally a
boy from the better classes, who is
thoroughly honest, who earns his
money honestly, and accounts fair
Ily to his employers. The "pie
butchers" are those boys who have
been promoted to the dignity Of
keeper a railway eating stand.
A" Jim Crowbutcher' is second.
class snide butcher" A "news
butcher " is one who deals almost
exclusively in newspapers on short
runs. A "knuck " may be any Of
the above and +" "knuck besides
| He is Il natural;born thief, and gets
| the position Of train-boy so that be
may ply his calling, His victims
are sleeping orintoxicated travellers
aud unmatched yalises and travel
ing bags. He generally has a con-
nection with a " fence" or receiver
of stolen goods, in the cities at the
termini of his runs, and is q dan.
gorous individual.
The butchers are paid a commits,
sion on their. sales of fifteen pei
cent. on S15, and twenty per cent.
on all over that amount each trip
and make two or three trips each
week. The majority of them were
originally newsboys and bootblacks,
They are a migratory set, and &C
South in the winter and North in
the sumner. Chicago turns out
more train butchers than the rest
of the cities combined. When ap
plying for a situation as train boy
they do not offer any recommends
ton. A prerequisite to employ
ment is security or collateral to the
amountof $50, and S25 in cash. l
l! must be understood that the privi
Z lege of selling newspapers, refresh
! ments, ETC., on all the railroads i
2 let out by the railroad company t
the highest bidder, always a respon
sible man. The successful bidde
: buys the stock and employs tn
} boys. The boys are required t,
turn over the proceeds and accoun
for unsold stock atthe end of ever
/. trip and are paid every fifteen days
The average time that they stay o.