Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-02
Ticket Scalping.

THE DEMoRALIZING EFFECT on RAIL
ROAD EMPLOYEES OF THIS QUESTION
ABLE BUSINESS.
The developments in the recent trials
of railway conductors in Philadelphia
and else where for embezzlement bring
to light new feature in the so called
business of ticket scalping, and explain
very clearly one of the principal res
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 a long time
an element of mystery in this peculiar
traffic, which was partially dIspelled
when the methods of the scalpers were
ventilated in the courts and by the
clear expositions of railway officers on
the subject.
1t is apparent that the scalper de-
rives some of his support from some OF
the various links, large and suall, Of
the longer lines between distant points.
As matter of course, rates by the va
rlous lines between important centres
must be uniform, and tho longer lines,
BY reason of their greater length aud
time of transit, could not, and very
properly SO, hope to obtain any consid-
cradle proportion Of the through traffic
save by the operations of the scalper,
who buys for the intending traveller who
falls iato his hands a regular ;ickst by
oae OF the longer routes, sells it to him
for q dollar or 50 less than it cost, col
lectiDg bonus from seversl of the
short lines composing this route as are
ward for d!verting. the traveller from
more direct lines, and pocketing fair
profit on the transaction, although the
the passenger may rot be SO fortunate,
as the greater length Of tine consumed
Oh the trip, ard consequent increase in
cost Of meals aud sleeping accommoda-
tions, may more than cover the saving
III the cost Of the ticket, ard the trav-
eler has no compensation for his lost
time
But this and other operations which
the alper is wont to consider as "leg-
itimate," would scarcely explain the
magnitude which bis profits must as
sumo TO msintaio him In the traffic, and
these late trials furnish the information
necessary to complete resolution of
the mystery The Testimony showed
that the railway employees retained the
tickets collected from passengers and
! sold them at nominal rates to the scalp p
ers, wto resold them 20 travellers at a
discount from standard rates, the com
panies thus carrying two or more pas
sengers on the Same ticket.
These disclosures emphasize with
clexrness the moral character of the
scalping enterprise. For years past il
has been the am of railroad companies
so to adjust their rules and regulations
as to relieve conductors from even the
slightest ipputation of dishonesty
Whether this has been from motives OF
self interest or not, is immaterial to
the point at issue. The result has been
apparent IN tie esprit du corps And the
moral of their employees The feeling
that, in view of the safeguards thrown
around them, they we're above .uspi-
cion, has wrought remarkable change
in this class of employees, and has
made the position OF railway conductor
. highly honorable, as it is a response
bic and exsctipg calling. Blu. just as