The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-02-16

hS bAA NhttS NAiNAN 40 lAObhibtS
new under the sun" has lost great
deal of its insigniflcance in these days.
Especially is this so when applied to a
Woodworking class of men, universally
known as baggage smashers. They are
Of American growth and origin. In
fact, they only seem to thrive in the
land of the free, and the home of the
Saratoga trunk. The jokes on the bag
gage smasher extend back to the time
when the memory of man runneth not
to the contrary.
The baggage smasher is a genial sort
of fellow, who likes nothing better
than smashing sample cases and smok-
ing a short, black pipe.
In order to protect themselves against
the pranks of the baggage fiends trav-
elers had iron.clad trunks made of
great weight and strength. For a
time the smasher was baffled, but not
long. A few months ago a notice was
put up in every baggage-room in the
country to the effect that no single piece
of baggage weighing over $50 pounds
would be carried as baggage. This
was a poser on commercial men who
had invested their money in anti-de-
structible trunks; but they had to come
to time, and now trunks weighing over
$50 pounds are sent by express.
The system of checking trunks has
been reduced almost to perfection in
this country. In England, where they
have no baggage, but luggage" the
trunks are all dashed out at the station
to which they are destined, and the
owner is compelled to pick out his own
baggage from all the rest. In the far
West and South, where the baggage
men have not had the advantage of a
college education, there is trouble
sometimes about the baggage, but bit
Of colored wool or a queerly shaped
chalk mark on trunk, almost infalli-
| libby contains enough information to the
unlettered agent, SO that baggage is put
off at the right station. But how is ii
that thele is so much trouble about
checks and trunks getting lostp There
is no mystery about the affair; simply
the carelessness of the owner. Ladies
will often pick out trunk among sew
elal others and have it checked, whel
upon opening it they arehorriied to fine
they have checked someone else's trunk
and there is 10 knowing where thei
own valuables have strayed to. A cas-
of what might have caused great dea
of trouble happened to a laly in thi
city a short time ago. She went t,
New York for the purpose of purchas
ing her bridal trOusseau. After remain
( ing several weeks and spending a littl
, fortune, she had procured one of th
most complete and elegant bridal outfit
D ever brought to Toledo. En- rout
:. home she met gentleman and wifi
from San Francisco, day was spent a
~ Niagara with the couple, the trunk
e were rechecked by the gentleman of til
| party, and they proceeded westward
r parting company at this city. TIL
o next day the young lady invited IL
7 bridesmaids and interested friends I
u view her bridal robes, but what VIZ
,e her dismay when SIZE beheld instead {
is the trunks which should have containe
|, her treasures, two well battered trunl
i marked g San Francisco. WI
y y ever young lady put in more mise
" able plightS Her wedding day ia
Is approaching and her bridal robes ia
ct recedlng. Detectives and the telegraI
10 were both employed. 1t was an o
Q, story. The man had checked Il
"a trunks all right, but had mixed up Il
10 checks. The trunks were returne
r, and the wedding was one of the soci
lg affairs of the season. 1t is a remarkal
to showing that out of $4,000 pieces
baggage handled by single compa
~ during the month of October, in Il
at city, not one was reported lost.
Ike In case no owner applies for a tru
he in thirty days it is sent to the gene
IT. office of the company, held by them
:, year and then sold to pay charges.
VI, Speaking of baggage" said an
ar smasher, ''there's one kind of bagga
IRE we handle very carefully and that's de
m people. 1t isn't the incest thing in
are world to be shut up in car all mig
NJ. with two or three corpses.
slow many cOrpses can a man Il
.cb as baggageP" inquired medical st,
zen ent.
ace "Not any" said the smash
ige "corpses has to have first-class pass
per ger tickets; they go as passengers,
.o ~ as baggage" AS the subject was 9
lge tins liiouliilui anu Ilaiil JUST COIN
In, the subject was dropped.