, 1884-03-08
THE BLUE ENVELOPE.
How Its Use on the New York Gem
trail Was Originated by Com
modore Vanderbilt

ALBANY Journal
HThe blue envelope has been the emblem Of
misery on the New York Central since 1888, y
said a conductor on that line whose service
has extende over a period OF twenty-five
years A train on which q Journal rsportar
was going west the other day was in his
charge. Tn story he told Of the origin OF
the envelope beguiled the edium Of the
journey.
at was twenty-five or thirty years ago.
he said, refectively, @wben to boa conductor
was to nave berth which was sure to land YOU
safely into a competency. or course / don't
mean to say that the opportunities for what
Is called knocking down made the differ
once. although there was dishonest men
among us then as now. But the times for
ten years preceding the war were nusher than
they nave been since. People were not so
careful about the change. About half the
travellers used to pay their fare on the trains,
as it was not the rule then to have
gate-keepers and door-tenders. Tint.
like the duplex coupon, is . modern
innovation of railroad traffic. The
old timers have told me that many's the day
that they have had over pay to the extent OF
s. and $40. Passengers were In the habit of
handing the conductor a bill for their fare
and asking no change. 1t was the custom,
and all conductors recognized it. Without
robbing the company u picayuns he could
make nice wages off of these perquisites.
And nothing was thought OF accepting them.
The conductors in the early days were n
higher-toned lot OF men than they are TODAY.
So there was no disgrace in accepting these
little extras. The through trains to New
York and back again were the best to
have. knew a conductor who used to
run out OF Albany south, before the
Hudson River was consolidated, who got
rich in seven years. He lives at Pough-
keepsie now in elegant style, although an
old man over years. l don't believe
he ever stole a cont. They tell me that along
about 1870 the road WINS oyerrun, however.
with fellows who used to divide with the
company. From Albany to Buffalo their
families are to-day living on the fat of the
land. A good story is told of one Of the
crowd, now n resident OF Rochester. He had
been on the road about five years, when one
day he received a despatch saying his pres
ence was urgently desired in New York.
Proceeding there he found that Commodore
Vanderbilt sought the interview. The old
fellow was as cross rs blazes that morning.
- 90 you are Conductor So and Scr said
he, as he sized up his man.
ayes, commodore was the reply.
How long have you been running ON my
roadf
alive years.
"'Humphi And you carry a better watch
than DO the commodore said, spying a pom
derous chain on the vest of his employee.
at isn't, is itr said the conductor, cooIly
removing It and exhibiting a timepiece that
he said had cost him a round $500.
"'They tell me you ave a farm Just out
side OF Rochester, said the commodore uniz-
zingly.
o they ay. It's a pretty nne piece Of
property, as you may guess, for l paid SlO,-
ooo for 1t without a building on 1t a year
ago.
keep any horsesF
Nobody in Rochester can give me their
dust when I'm up behind my pair was the
proud rejoinder.
Five years on the railroad meditated
the railroad king, and how much Of this
show did you have fivo years agoP
Nary a bit Why l borrowed money to
get from Rochester to Syracuse to ask Super
intendent Chittenden for n job
Don't you call that stealingf
"'No, SIR said our friend, knowing by this
time that his days were numbered and getting
independent in consequence, and what 4
more you don't. 1t will cost you as much
again TO tell me that it is
THE next day he got q blue enyelope.
From that day TO this the color has
never varied. The company had several
lawsuits, 1 believe, for having discharged
conductors under suspicion. The blue en-.
velope was hit upon by Vanderbilt to avoid
trouble. A line inside states that further
services are not required. When the conduc-
tors first began to get them they used to de.
mand an explanation. Never was one graft
fled. The blue envelopes has its meaning
was the only reply. They have been rather
scarce for the past three years. see that
several have been distributed lately. No one
can tell whose turn will come nert.n