The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-09
LEGIsLATIvE DEADHEADs.
The System OF Wholesale Deadheading Prac-
ticed on the Hudson River Railway.

ticed on the Hudson River Railway.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YoRK, May 8.-At the Grand Central
Depot, last evening, as long line of cars rolled
in an attendant said, in answer to a query:
aThat is the deadhead train from Albany, the
biggest train run on the Vanderbilt system of
railroads 1t rs bringing the Legislature to New
York and if you'll look at their faces you'll agree
with me that they're the toughestlooking lot of
men you ever saw" 1t was the 2:40 o'clock p
Nj. from Albany, the first one that leaves there
after the weekly adjournment of the Legisla-
ture. He was right as to it being a deadhead
train There are never two score of persons
aboard who pay their fares. All the members
of the Legislature except two, and all the clerks
without exception, are supplied with season
passes; and of all the lobbyists politicians hang
ers-on and loafers who infest the Cap
itol there are not enough to count
on the fingers Of both hands who
do not get passes from the members when they
ride to and fro. They. either write direct to
Chauncey M. Depew, ask for passes from Mr.
Lloyd, who represents the road at the capital
great many women, the wives, daughters and
msrresses Of the legislators and lobbyists, ride
in this manner
The scenes in this train are interesting. 1t
averages ten or twelve cars in length, and seven
or eight of these are drawing-room cars In the
closed apartments games of poker are kept run
ming during the whole trip and the chink of the
chips sounds through each car whenever the
compartment doors are opened for an instant
The car porters supply these chips for poker.
and also for the popular game of hearts" which
is played openly in the main saloons of these
cars This game, which has long enthraled the
hearts Of great men. like the wicked Senator
Gibbs, John keenan,. John j. OBrien,
Bernard Biglin, Senator Jacobs and
the lights of both parties, is
simple arrangement by which the players seek
to get rid of all the hearts in the cards that are
dealt to them, and pay to the man who first does
it fixed sum for each heart they are caugh4
with when thesame ends Hearts" and ':pe-
nuckle" 1.-THE German form of the old French
game of bezique) are the leading games among
politicians nowadays. The old Tweed gang
stuck to poker exclusively, the Roosevelt re-
formers played whist and now every one takes
to hearts"
There is plenty to drink on the cars. Some of
the porters have private bottles. that they keep
in the closets with their dust brushes, wiping
rags and brooms, and many of the legislators
carry TASKS. Besides. there is a stop of ten min
utes for refreshments at Poughkeepse. It was
owing to drunkenness on this very
train that some one pulled the air
brake rope at Spuyten Duyvil, nearly four years
ago. and caused collision in which a senator
(Mr Wagner gambler. priest, bride and a
boy were killed, and the train was burned. AS
to the fairness of calling this tranload ''hood-
lums" there is question. Most of the New York
city members are certainly of the lower order of
beings. New York, Brooklyn and the other
cities of the State have had the dishonor of send
ing some very rude and crude citizens to Albany
year after year, and the New Yorkers and Brook
lynites always contain the worst of the lot. but
they keep well dressed wear shinny beavers and
have monkey-like aptness for initiating polite
behavior when it suits them to do so. There is
no one now in the Senate who would be apt to
ask to his nibs" when calling on the Presi-
dent, as Congressman Tim Campbell is said to
have done recently, though one Senator from
New York retains great deal Of the racy East
side flavor in his speech, and occasionally en-
lghtens the Senate upon how he FUSED to make
a good thing in the sheriff's Office" or assures
his grey-beard associates 'there is aarthing in
this-not dollar; it's all visionary, I'm a-telling
you"
But there is an important study in the run
ming of such a train as this deadhead one from
Albany. The parlor cars hold thirty passengers
each, and the extra fare is $l-that is $50 for
each car. or $210 for an average train of seven
cars Then the railroad fare is $3 10, or 500 for
each car, and $651 for all the parlor cars, with
$2l0 added making 1920 in all for the parlor
cars. In the three ordinary coaches are $50 per-
sons, who ought to pay $685. so that the New
York Central railroad makes these persons gift |
of 81, 419 every Friday, and the same back to |
Albany on each Monday, to say nothing of the |
stragglers who go 10 and fro on later and earlier
trains, and through the week This leaves out |
altogether, also. the western trains, which are |
almost as misunderstanding two thirds as |
much as the metropolitan train. The whole free |
traffic must amount to 81, 00oa week, for twenty
one weeks, which is $s4. 600 altogether.
Whenever the railroad presents pass to |
member, or other person connected with the |
it is always accompanied with the |
remark, Now, remember, we ask nothing in |
return; this is merely act of courtesy" and |
the friends of the road are fond cf saying that |
the only return the road gets is in freedom from
the strikers" or cranks, and yet it has been OBJ
served that there is persistent method of deal |
ing with that great rival of the Central railroad
the Erie canal that looks as though the Wander
bilts were getting something far more valuable |
than freedom from annoyance. The canal, the
regulator Of freight rates and bulwark |
of cheap traffic, is going to decay. It's string |
pieces are rotting away, and the earth is washing
in. so that boats carry OILY twO-thirds Of load,