The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-28
TICKgI.soALPEKa.a
SEINE Little Insight ISi0 RniIrpAd Ticket
nEokaEaEe.

AAAANh
HJOR0FaEe.
Newspaper readers have heard Of the
Ticket war nov gotngOn between the New
York Central and other railroads and the
PenpSylvania Central railroad in New
York, and understand, probably, that it
arose from the operations Of the "Hcalp'
smp
Doubtless the question occurs to the
minds Of many, how can retail railroad
ticket sellsrs have sufficient power to stir
up 10 the very depths Of their true In.
Wardnsss mighty railroad corporations,
and cause them 10 puraue q courhe result
Ing in financial losses OF hundreds upon
hundreds Of thousands Of dollRrs2
The occasional traveller has doubtless
thought Of ticket ''lcAlpers'' a. small spec:
ulStors who would buy or sch N unused
portion Of 3 railroad ticket At . discount
on the regular rates, And such, indeed.
he was in his early development. Now,
he 10 Q member Of 9 brotherhood which
has representation 10 almost every village
in the land, whose system Of interchange
10 so complete, yet simplei whose com6in'
cd power 10 80 great that its influence has
bsen made perceptible on the railroad
kings. Like an army Of anls, they could
attack the corporation mountain, end
under their combined effort It 10 likely
that q portion would have to cEumble,
Such 9 test, however, has not occurred,
Notwithstanding that this might bs the
apparent solution to the reduction Of the
passenger rate racket now going on be.
tween the railroads mentioned.
The ticket Scalper 10 not only an indus
trious and shreWd worker but 10 often bet
ter posted than many q regularly employ
cd ticket seller, In addition to this he 10
q sort OF q public convenience, or, II 1t
comes to that, . AOcsssity, which will DO
shown further on.
Now the trunk lines, ashley oftOn do
when dividends or profits have 10 be made,
or when circumstances offer 10 harvest
large profits, enter into mutual arrange
ments about both freight and travel. In
order then TO get the balance oil trade, the
noted qualities Of the BcAlper bring them
into immediate reQuisition. The roads,
mot 10 violate contracts sell largely to
scalpers, who act 90 go.betweens, Then
he also operates for himself, carrying out
the same principle, For instance,
say that he 10 in New York Oily, he will
visit the passenger agents OF the trunk
liues and AJAX what discount will DO slow,
ed on the purchase OF 30 many hundred
tickets to Buch and such pointsI OF course
the road that Offers the most liberal In.
ducements in the way OF Commissions"
gets the business, Then the other roads
have TO make commissions, and 30 II goes
until astounding low rates are offered. But,
invariably, the sCalper always has the adj
vantage OF the railroad. II secures him q
profit and the common saying Of o promi.
nent eastern "scalper" Is brought to mind:
mo matter what the railroads sell for !
can undeTsell them. they gave tickets
away | could afford to offer fifty cents for
Q person to travel by q certain route"
The latter portion Of this expression was
Of course exaggerated, but II illustrated
the 90 between principle ,of the railroads
and himself. The truth 10 thstsCalpers In
the lsrgest cities are quasiagents OF this
or that railroad, whiCheVerit 10 their best
interests TO Bubeerye.
To CLEAN some detail information oil how
scalpers operate without loss 70 them
selves, for ordinarily people think they
run quite Q risk In buying q railroad ticket
OF 0 small reduction, a reporter went 10
the several BCalpers now operating Ia this
city. Lou. o. NSidhArdt OF the stamm
House, 10 the only;agent In this city Of
what is called 1.-THE American Ticket
Brokers Association" which is a semi
secret affair, and 10 conducted with refer.
ence 10 the purchase and sale Of tickets
pretty much like financial banks are with
relation to drafts. The association has
offices In the principal cities Of the eoun.
try. The objects Of the association are Get
forth In the following:
FirSt-The sale Of railway tickets 10 oil
leading points In the United States and
Canada at reduced rates.
Second = Furnishing information oil
strictly reliable and impartial character on
all points pertaining TO travel.
Third-The purchase Of tickets from
travellers who winh to sell them, or OK.
ohsnge for others more desirable.
Fourth-Uniaillng courtesy In all deal.
ings with their patrons.
The members all over the country are
furnished with a revised monthly pam
phlet with figures giving the regular price
Of tickets from aud to such and such
points, with Instructions about the value
Of such tickets for ceiling purposes. In
case Of any cutting Of rate On any road, all
members are appraised by telegraph there.
oil. It can easily be Q Q that with their
correspondents or co.partnerB In other
cities interchange oil tickets from all parts
Of the country 10 made safe and reliable.
In order to prevent fraud OF any kind,
drafts are furnished ticket buyers when
there 10 q rebate to he collected in another
CITY, and also with II is given a card in the
following form.