The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-04-03
TICK EFT SCALPING.
The Dem0raiiZlng Effect on Rail
road Il Employees OF this Guess
tiOnab bic Business.

From the Philadelphia Press.
The developments in the recent trials
of railway conductors i'll Philadelphia
and elsewhere for embeZZlementb bring
to light new feature in the sn-called
business of ticket sealping and explain
very clearly one of the principal rea-
sons for the crusade which is being
waged by the railroad companies
against the gentry whose boast it is
that they can discount the standard
rates of the companies. There was for
long time, an element of mystery in
this peculiar traffic, which was par
TALLY dispelled when the methods of
the scalpers were ventilated in the
courts and by the clear expesitions of
railway officers on the subject.
IT is apparent that the scalper de-
rives some of his support from some of
the various links, large and small, of
the longer lines between distant points
AS matter of course, rates by the va
rious lines between important centres
must be uniform, and the longer lines,
by reason of their greater length and
properly so, hope to obtain any con-
siderable proportion of the through
traffic, save by the operations of the
scalper, who buys for the intending
| traveller who falls into his hands, a
regular ticket by one of the longer
routes, sells it to him for dollar or SO
less than it cost, collecting bonus
| from several of the short lines compos-
| ing this route, as reward for divert
ing the traveller from more direct
routes, and pocketing fair profit on
the transaction, although the passen-
ger NAV not be so fortunate, as the
greater length of time consumed on
the trip, and consequent increase in
cost of meals and sleeping accommo-
dations, may more than cover the
saving in the cost of the ticket, and
the traveller has no compensation for
his lost time. as 10, ~ -t.-
But this and other operations which
the scalper is wont to consider legit-
innate" would scarcely explain the
magnitude which his profits must as.
sumo to maintain him in the traffic,
and these late trials furnish the in
formation necessary to complete q
solution of the mystery. The testi-
mony showed that the railway en-
pIoyes retained the tickets collected
from passengers and sold them at nom.
inal rates to the scalpers, who resold
them to travellers at discount from
standard rates, the companies thus
: carrying two or more passengers OIL
> the same ticket.
These disclosures emphasize will
painful clearness the moral characte
of the scalping enterprise. For year
4 mast it has been the aim of railroad
companies so to adjust their rules ant
. regulations as to relieve conductor:
from even the slightest imputatiOn O
8 dishonesty. Whether this | a beel
J. from motives of self interest or not, j
: immaterial to the point at issue. Th
q result has been apparent in the eSpr
du corps and the morale of their employ
: ees. The feeling that, in view of tn
; safeguards thrown around them, the
IS were above suspicion, has wrought
remarkable change in this class OF eli
ployees, and has made the position
Q railway conductor highly honorabl
+. as it is responsible and eXactlng cal
Y ing. But just as this condition
things has been so happily consumm
ted. a new element of evil arises, an
1t it is not strange that amongst such
r. host of employees some should
is found willing to listen to the tempting
of of the scalper, and become eventual
, his willing but guilty tools.
- In the cause OF morality, and in b
half of an important and deservil
I'd class of railway employees, we CT
cordially endorse the efforts of Il
h. transportation lines to utterly aboii
-, this traffic, which has long been
Ill misdemeanor in this State, and Y
ss, earnestly hope that the various Stat
of will speedily take cognizance of t
he growing evil, and, by statute simil
to our own, put the scalper under t
u ban of the law and compel railro
he companies to redeem for cash, fre
sa passengers, their unused or partial
:, used tickets. In the meantime
~ traveller will do well to consider whel
er he can conscientiously aid the sea
ch or or incur the risk of riding on
III. stolen ticket,