Omaha daily bee., 1884-10-24
RAILROAD SPOTrERS.
One ofthe Low OccupatIonsin Which
Greedy Man Will Engage.

1
Chicago News.
The other morning as representative
of the Kansas City Star stood under the
awning of the union depot watching 9
train slowly pulling in he discovered,
among the many individuals who alighted
an elderly appearing gentleman, one
who. perhaps, has on this mundane
sphere existed for period of over fifty
years. He was not ricularily struck
by the gentlemans handsome appearance
but that which was the most impressive
was his age, knowing that his experience
as railroad man would naturally be di-
varsified, more so than that of his young
er associates, owing to the fact that he
had been longer ION the road."
1he scribe hurriedly started in quest of
the party named, and as he wended his
way through the dense throng of humani-
ty, each one of whom had perhaps asked
this same man question for the tenth
time, he at last reached the side of the
veteran railroader, and, gently tapping
him on the shoulder, the reporter, for
the man hada gruf appearance and frown-
ing face, ventured to ask if he had just
arrived on shat train.
"Yes," replied the conductor, bringing
into use the stereotyped smile whicli he
80 aptly presses into use on all coca
sions, 81 just arrived on that train.
Anything spscial that yUg wish to
anowW
"Was there. any one on your train
who by the railroad men are termed spot
ters2"
Here the tioket-puncher slowly re
moved his hat, disclosing to vfsw per-
feetly bald head, the general outlines Of
his features indicating that ne was some-
thing more than ordinaril ginteRigent.
II have been on the road for over
twenty. Eve years" continued tiie 9ues-
land during thai time l
have never seen q man acting in the
of spotter but that \ could
readily distinguish from the average one.
But as to your question, l do not think
that there was one on the s-ein On this
particular trip, but j Iihave had them and
carried them for miles.
"In what name, do they. usually act
to ascertain whether'or not the oonduc-
tors posaet the fsres collected on the
train2"
''That is a very diff culs question to
arswer. They usually deyise new
scheme on each trip, FOR as, soon ar> the
conductop becomes aequ aintsd with Ole
which they are working it travels far In
advance Of them.
"Firat, there is tie co untrY passenger
who GETS On at small station, breath
lessly scramAes into o. se vt, never having
time 20 buy ticket, but closely watch
ing the oDs who is oo,lec ting fares. OF
course he has to pay,hiD are to the next
station, wsiols he worry reluctantly con.
,entc-to do. Thess M, m are employee 4
oy the railroad COMPANIES orthe purpose
Of fir.ding cut whetaer r not the con-
luctor apypopriates. to- b is own use any
IF the fares he collect 5. In any case,
whethera Sars is callecse d Or not, they
invariably send IN In ,ir report Of 80
many farce, collected by No. 10, or what
,ver ms number might Q. Hhave known
several instances wllsr ;nnocsnt men
we're discharged o,i,a ia, lse report sent in
BY spettens. AS they are employed to
letectsuoh they always report in their
;avor, for aD other, reas on than to hold
heir velT SMALL situ ation. At times
shercrare from two to hrea,in car but
Ibis only occurs daring heavy travel.
During the passenger season it is hard to
tell who are passep gerc~ and whe are
spotbsrs. -
"HeVs you eyer met aay lady 'spot-
ters' durin your quarter of century's
travelG A,ked the reporter
"ho, remarked the conductor, 81
navs,never seen any laGies engaged in
this, business. / have heard OF their
being employed by street railway COM
panies, but never have rles one serving a
railoOAd company in such an oflne. L
don't think thaa they wonld engage in
sush n business, 1t being too little, for any
one TO undertake excopb very unprin''
cipled men,"
"Are these spOtters moro vigslant .
the actrs Of the yonugier
than those oS the older ones y
"Oh, by, fan. Upon this claSs they no.
ly chief n for success. The conductors,
taken aa body, are a5ont as honest and
truthful,aa the once. who closely wasch
them. The young conductor is esrsci.
ally honest, for he fosls timiaity, oven
if inclined DO do any such deed. The
class of conductors who woald willfully
steal the number oa,fares thoy collect are
tho6e wh0would commit a aft ofagJeater
chsxactes and unesp any Pand all Sondi-
tions. Such mon should be promptly
discharged. and shsy usually are. But
ia, maaY instances the innocent ones
have 10 suffer fos the underhsnd trisl!
of a hsguiling brother
Al this junciure large, hoshy hdy
with three children, two biri-cagss,
parasol, and a large buadle rushed up Il
his side, commencing 10 make diligen
inquiries in regard to the arrival and de
parture of certain trains, saying that sh
was en- route to lei Dorado county, Cali
fornia, and wanted to know Ii he coul,
toll her ths exact hour of the day tina
she woulA arrive there in order that sh