The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05
NO MONEY IN FREE PASSES.
Sad Tale of Commercial Traveller Who Was
Beguiled Into Using One.


Beguiled Into Using One.
New York Mail and Express
$50 you think it must be a great thing to
travel on pass and not have to pay any railroad
| fare do your said the peregrinatng representa-
tive of Worth street dry goods house to a
friend who had corralled him in town the other
day and driven him into lunch-room. II re-
member when used to think so myself, before
knew anything about it. I've got more sense
now There is no greater delusion In the world
than railroad pass, and will tell you why. l
had been on the road two years, travelling in the
West before got pass. Then a friend put
me onto scheme by which l could get one of
the magic pasteboards as far as Chicago. bad
looked upon pass with almost superstitious
reverence, and upon the man who carried
one as singularly fortunate person.
When I finally got l thought
l had struck one of the biggest
pieces of luck of my life. Have you got piece
of paper there9 Well see how much saved.
I've been through this experience so much since
that know it by heart The regular fare to
Chicago is $50, but you can get pers ticket
Tor $l3 Now to get the pass | had to go to the
railroad Office and the clerk whose good Offices
used to get the necessary pull intimated that it
was usual in such cases to ask some of the boys
out to have something. I compromised on him,
and we went out and cracked a couple of small
BOTTLES for So. 90 Then met the friend who had
told me how to get the pass waiting to what
luck had. He also intlmated, and we bowled
mp again for 81. rs. Then, as | was going to save
SO much money, thought could afford to De
generous, and SO invited my friend to supper
with me. That knocked out So more. My
friend insisted on seeing me TO my train, and on
the way we had two Or three more drinks, and l
sent another dollar after the others. Then, for
another dollar, l bought a handful of cigars,
though seldom smoke Then / got away.
Il paid S. for my sleeping car berth, and feel
ing very good, spent 81 each for breakfast, din
me-. and supper the next day. Then bought a
book didn't want for 81. 90 in the overlooking
kindness of my soul blew in 80 cents for candy
for little girl, and sat in game of penny-ante
for So rs, because of the officials of the road
asked me, and, in view of the pass episode,
couldn't refuse. Pretty soon the conductor
struck up acquaintance with me, and at
station where we made long stop 'intmated,"
with the usual results. Next one of the boys
who never has a cent came and sat down with
me- He saw the pass when | pulled it out to
show another conductor. and instantly struck
me for So The next morning, when the porter
gave me back my pass, he took occasion TO lay
particular emphasis on this word, and of course
man who is travelling free of charge ought to
be generous 30 | gave the dusky capitalist an
other dollar 1t took another to buy the kind of
breakfast man who travels on pass shodld
eat, and another to ride In state to the hotel,
though walking was always good enough for
me before. Now let's what you have there:
Two small bottles SO so Poker with officials IS
One small bottle L75Struck by impecuni-
Two suppers- 800 ous.--.-....-. 200
Drinks, various 100 Intimation by con-
Useless cigars. 100 ductor ITS
Sleeping car berth -. 5O0Colored capitalist. 100
-Four alleged meals 400 Carriage to hotel. 100
Unnecessary books. 150
Candy for little girl 90 Total. $780, rs
This is SITS more than the price of the
scaper's ticket, and at least SO more than
would have spent had / paid my fare That
wasn't the worst of it, either The firm had
sent me to Chicago to close up shaky creditor
there. Because had a pass didn't go on the
limited express, as they expected, but took a
slower train; consequently the agent of another
house jumped in ahead of me and shut my house
out The result was, they lost nearly all of
their claim. and the next thing / knew was
fred Since then I have used passes frequently,
but never without spending more monev than
have when paid for my ticket OF course it is
pain enough why this should be when you get a
pass over only part of the distance A pass to
Buffalo ifyou are going to Chicago for instance
won't do you any good, because ticket from
New York to Chicago costs about the as
from Buffalo to Chicago But have invariably
found that free ticket over the entire distance
is Of about little benefit It's mighty fine
thing to have pass, my boy, but don'f delude
yourself into thinking there's any gooseliver
snap about it"