St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-08
A STREET RAILWAY SPOOK.
Car NO. 80 That Puzzled Phila-
delphia Railroad Men.


and officials connected with nearly every
street railway line in the city have been
frequently puzzled to account for the ap-
pearance of a mysterious car upon their
trucks. 1t was generally about the time
the theaters were over and in the early
morning and evening when people were go
ing to and retiring from work, and was
always well filled. When it first made its
appearance the drivers and conductors
thought that it was an extra car put on to
accommodate the rush. and for a long time
no notice was taken of it. Finally conduc-
tors who made late time would report at
the Office that ''car No &c." just ahead of
them 'lOafed and kept us standing for half
an hour" or lone of Car 99's horses fell
down." or similar excuse, in each case
laying the blame on ''car No. co." An in
vestigation would discover that in the ma
jority of cases No. 80 had not been out of
the depot that night, or if out at all had
reported Oh regular schedule time. The
officials concluded that ''car No. 99'' was
nothing but a myth" and dubbed it the
Flying Dutchman." 1t was regarded as
an invention of the drivers and conductors,
who wished to account in some reasonable
way for their laziness.
The latter class, however, swear that the
mysterious corporation on wheels was no
myth. They had seen it too often, and it
was always described as plain yellow
car, with the figures ''99" painted on its
sides, together with Paramount Park"
Germantown" etc. 1t has been known
to disappear in the most surprising manner,
and would turn off the tracks of one com
pany On to those of another without regard
to switches. Thus it would be seen on
three or four lines in one night. COnduc-
tors would be frequently accoSted by the
remark: 81 see you have five-cent fare
car on at nights and in the mornings now"
by some passengers. Upon the conductors
eXpressal of ignorance, the passenger would
astonish him by telling him thathe rode in
a car on this line the other night that only
charged five cents fare" In many cases
the passengers could not remember the
that it was 49," Efforts were made to
fathom the mystery of &c.," but they
failed in every case, as the vehicle seemed
veritable ignis fatuus, and could never
be cornered. During the past month or
two it has disappeared entirely from the
tracks, much to the relief of the drivers,
who began to regard it with superstitious
awe.
1t now transpires that an enterprising
genius, who formerly lived in comparative
poverty with his wife in the lower
section of the city, was the proprietor of
the supposed Flying Dutchman." He
conceived the idea about two years ago, but
was year building the car and getting
everything in operation. The car was
stored in his side yard, which Immediately
adjOinS a large lot. and it would be run in
here and carefully covered over after the
trips were finished each night. The neigh
borhOod is rather lonely, though tracks run
in the vicinity. 1t was only on condition
that no names or residences would be pub
lished that the story was furnished to a
Call reporter. The genius acted as a
driver, while his wife, dressed in mans
clothes. and armed with a dummy bell
punch, so as not to excite suspicion, Off
ciated as conductor and collected the fares,
which were invariably but five cents for
one person. In consequence of this popu-
lar rate the car would at all times when
running be well crowded, and the copprs
fairly coined money. Though many peo-
pie who rode on it could not account for
the five-cent fare, yet their suspicious were
not aroused. and they never dreamed the
truth or noticed that the vehicle contained
no license. Others knew all about it, but
said nothing. For over year this was
kept up, and the car was run on any track
which best suited the couple, though care
was taken to avoid the railway depots of
the various lines. Then the couple, having
made $50 900 out of the venture, withdrew
the car from the tracks and destroyed it.
They are now living in aff1uence down
town, and only few of the nelghbors are
aware of the means whereby they gained
their competency. Their success is only
another argument in favor of the five-cent
fare, and shows the enormous profits which
will accrue from a laudable desire to serve
the public, coupled with enterprise and in
frr,rity