News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-03-06
TIE BLUE ENVELOPE.
How its Use was Originated on the Hudson
River X. k. by Commodore Wander
bitt.
From the Albany Evening Journal

From the Albany Evening JournaLl
'sThe blue envelope has been the en-
blem of misery on the New York Gen.
trail since 1861" said conductor on
that line whose service has extended
over a period of twenty-five years. A
train on which a Journal reporter was
going west the other day was in his
charge. The story he told of the origin
of the envelope beguiIed the tedium of
the journey.
ssIt was twenty-five and thirty years
ago." he said, ref1ectively, ''when to be
a conductor was to have berth which
was sure to land you safely into COM
potency. OF course | don't mean to
say that the opportunities for what Is
called knocking down made the differ
ence, although there was dishonest men
among us then as now. But the tunes
for ten years preceding the war were
| finsher than they have been since. Peo-
pie were not so careful about the change.
| About halt the travellers used to pay
| their fares on the trains, as 1t was not
| the rule then to have gate-keepers and
door-tenders. That, like the duplex
| coupon, is a modern innovation OF rail
road traffic. The old timers have told
me that many's the day that they had
over pay to the extent of SIS 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. With
out robbing the company picayune he
could make nice wages off these perqul'
sites. And nothing was thought of ac-
ceptinn them, The through trains to
New York and back again were the best
! to have. I knew conductor who used
to run ont 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 eighty years. don,
| believe he ever stole a cent. They tell
me that along about 1859 the road was
overrun, however, with fellows who used
to divide with the company. Tne11
| families are to-day living on the fat OF
the land. A good story is told of one OF
this crowd, now a resident of Rochester.
He had been on the road about five
years, when one day he received dis
patch saying his presence was urgently
desired in New York. Proceeding there
he found that Commodore Vanderbilt
desired the interview. The old fellow
was as cross as blazes that morning.
$50 you are Conductor So and So
| he said. as he sized up his man.
eyes. Commodore, was the reply.
"How long have you been running OF
my road p
Give years.
sHumphl And you carry better
watch than [ do the Commodore said
spving a ponderous chain on the vest o
his employee.
"1t isn't. is it? said the conductor
coolly removing it and exhibiting time
piece that he said cost him round five
hundred dollars.
"'They tell me you have farm just
outside of Rochester 2 said the Comma
dore, quizzingly.
90 so they say. It's pretty tin'
piece of property, as you may guess, TO
paid ten thousand dollars for it with
out a building on it year ago.
Keep any horses ?
"sNobodv in Rochester can give M
their dust when I'm up behind N.
pair was the proud rejoinder.
"sFive years on the railroad, medl
tated the railroad king, and how mucl
of this show did you have five year.
ago?'
- Nary a bit. Why I borrowed
money to get from Rochester to Syra
cuse to ask Supt. Chittenden for job.
"Don't you call that stealing !
No, sir, said our friend, knowing
by this time that his days were mum
bered and getting independent in con
sequence, and what is more, you don
1t will cost you as much again to tell m
that it is.
''The next day he got a blue envelope
! From that day to this the color ha
: never varied. The company had sever;
4 lawsuits, I believe, for having discharge
: conductors under suspicion. The hir
a envelope was hit upon by Vanderbilt
Y avoid trouble. A line inside states thi
: further services are not required. Whe
l the conductors first began to get the
= they used to demand an explanation
2 Never was one grati6ed. The blue el
: velope' has its meaning was the only r
plv ~