Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-02-10
A Veteran Conductors Confession.

hA''iiSi - 'yS' "YS' u" b"~".
A Veteran Conductors Confession.
A reporter met an old railroad con-
ductor yesterday, and was surprised to
hear that he had been discharged.
Yes" he said, !" the old man side
tracked me-"
"What forP' i .... ......,....i.
"Well, suppose he thought L had
toolmuch money" -a.. r1.
Yours or hisP'' And he laughed.
"You remember 1 began working
for the X. @. Road in 1865, at the
close of the wa.. From $50 month |
was gradually raised to 800. The
other day the 'old man. (he Super
intendenD found out that owned and
was paying taxes on $4,000 or $4,000
worth of property. So he kicked.
He offered to keep me if | would 'resti-
tute,' but l said guessed | had rail
roaded about long enough"
"How did you save all that money
in fifteen years from a salary of 5000
increased gradually to $1,000 a yearp"
And he laughed again.
"As Pm out of the business now
and kind o. like railroad companies,
don't mind explaining the conundrum.
I'll hold up my hand. though, and
swear always accounted for every pas
senger | ever carried. But / watered
'em-watered the company like its Di-
rectors water the stock. And L did it
this way: You see, every year the
President and general officers issue an
unlimited number of annual passes.
Some of these are in exchange with
other railroads, but most of them are
to high-cock-a-lorums, Congressman,
and members of the Legislature. al
ways made it my business when one of
those fellows took my train to pipe
him off'-that is, get in conversation
with him, find out where he lived, and
what his business was. You know,
passengers always like civil treatment
from conductor; it seems odd like.
With this acquaintance / used him."
fused himP' r.p
"Yes, used him. Knowing about
how often his business required him to
travel, / travelled for him. Do you
catch onp When he didn't travel, 1
just deducted that much from my cash
receipts and credited the annual bum
mer with one trip. My division cash
fare was little less than seven dollars,
and it was u poor run for me if didn't
turn in two or three old duffers.''
All, see. You robbed Peter to pay
Paulpn ina 44.g t-. -. y
mo, robbed the annual passholdcr
to pay myself. But my best holt was in
catching the passholder who wanted to
rob the company. There's where. |
made the most of my money. You see,
the average member of the Legislature
not only thinks the company should
carry him free, but all his friends. So
he loans his pass to Tom, Dick and
Harry, his neighbors. made it my
business to identify every Legislative
passholder. Every two or three weeks
a man would get on my train and show
up that pass. would give him his
check, go on through the tSain, do my
work, and then come back and sit down
by him. would say, Let me look at
your pass againp' He would hand it out
i would then turn to my memorandum
book and read: = Archmedes Skruben-
dixie, tall, dark hair, thirty years old (;
annual, Ol97.' Then / would turn to
the rooster, and SAY, Why, you're not
Archimedes Skrubendike; you've no
right to ride on this pass. Read the
conditions on the back-Not transfera-
ble.' And then the fellow would 90 all
to pieces. He would beg, and plead,
and offer to pay fare, but was too fly.
When / had him bad enough scared |
would say, . I'm sorry, and hope this
thing will never occur again. Now, I'll
tell you what I'll do I'll not take up
this pass, MS / am instructed to do, for
Skrubendike is good friend of the rail-
roads, and wouldn't have him get into
trouble for anything in the world, You
give me ten dollars, and will let you
keep the pass to give back to him, only
you must promise never to tell him you
got caught And the fellow would
snatch out ten dollars quicker'n wink.
It's an honest fact, in one year worked
one old Skrubendike for more'n $500.
The old duiler even loaned his pass to
women.n ri . .l ..lU....
Anything else?" ru..'
"Well, if these two rackets don't ac-
count for what I've gotit no use buzzing
to n blankety-blank newspaper fool. -
Chicago Tribune. .I. ....l.