The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-22
IN AND ABOUT THE CITY.
THE soALPERs' SIDE OF IT.
They Deny That They Have Bee
Using "B c. Punches.

They Deny That They Have Been
Using "B c. Punches.
The ticket scalpers were mad yesterday.
The MORNING NEWS interview with Cen
trail railroad conductor stirred them up
from the depths. They do not consider
that they are making harassing inroads in
the railroad ticket agents territory, so as
to necessitate the in vention of a new con-
duct0rS' punch to prevent them from using
baggage clerks punches. They say that
they do not use the 'B c" punches and nave
never permitted them to be used in their
o. ffices.
Levi J. Gazan is the only scalper in the
city who is a member Of the American
Ticket Brokers' Association. ID. S. Einstein
was a member, but in the official list of
members issued for September his name
does not appear. Harry Karger, who be-
gan the ticket scalping business on Bull
street, under the Screven house, a few
months ago, is not member of the assO-
citation, but his application is in for mem
bership.
When a MORNING NEWS reporter called
on Ticket Broker Gazan yesterday to get
the scalpers' side Of the case he found the
broker making an affidavit that he
had never used a "B c" punch,
nor had one ever been used in
his office as far as he knew.
He said that the railroad people think they
know something, but they do not know as
much in five hours as the ticket scalper
knows in one. They have an idea that the
scalper is beating them, without being able
to assign a reason that will justify the
belief.
at is a Legitimate business" said the
scalper, land the dem ands upon it by the
people sustain it," Mr.. Gazan said that the
scalper, if it were true that he used the 'B
e." punch, would not us it twice. because
he knows that railroads do not accept tickets
which have been punched twice.
If party bought ticket in New York
for Atlanta, via Savannah, the baggage
clerk In New York would punch the ticket
and the baggage would go direct through
to Atlanta, and wnen the tick t is presented
to the conductor he does not X low who
punched it; neither does the baggage clerk
in Savannah. 81 that if the conductor is
to be guided by the information which he
gets from the baggage agent about whether
or not he shall accept the ticket, q good
many tickets will be taken up, ID the rail
| roads will say that more inventions will
have to be invented to ''choke off'' the
scalper.
MIR. Gazan said that the association to
which he belongs protects the railroads in
NA
| tri-monthly sheet which gives list of all
| the tickets lost and stolen, which he said no
scalper will buy. The foot note read, This
| Is information for the broker, as the rail-
roads will not accept the lost ticketn Mr.
Gazan said that he had case the other day
where boy attempted to sell him pass
| over @ Central. The broker did not buy
| it however, but took the pas Up anG noti-
! led Genera Passenger Agent Charlton
Another thing the brokers do said he,
sis to keep visitors in the city," He ex-
planned that many times wrists en- route
from northern points to points in the south,
on limited tickets, have reached Sava lnah
just few days efore the expiration Of
their tickets. After going over The CITY
they conclude that they want to remain ere
longer than their ticket will admit Of. Their
only chance In such a case, he said, is to
dispose of the tickets tn a broker. The brokers
buy the ticket and risk the chance of catch
ing someb jdy going to Florida. THUS
we keep the visitor here he said, "whel
in our absence he would have left Savan-
nah to save the ticket Why is this not
legitimateW he asked. "The full amount is
paid for the ticket in New York, and each
road gets Its quota. Is il any mans bust
ness if l pus chase 100 cigars, and after
| smoking fifty sell the remainder to some
other dealer for one-half of what gave for
| themF'
The broker said that he does practice this
scheme upon the railroads ard they cannot
| help themselves. With every ticket that is
| sold the purchaser is entitled to carry 49,
pounds of baggage and for all over thi:
| amount he is required to pay Is per cent. OF
| first-class fare. If party has excess bag.
| gage he simply informs the broker, whc
buys a second ticket and turns it over t.
the traveller, and the baggage clerk is com
PEELED to check the baggage on the two
tickets without extra charge. The ticket
scalper is then remunerated, and the tIcke
is returned to him and he sells it to the mex
man who has no baggage.
In answer to the question as to wha
caused the railroads 10 change the con
| ductors' ticket punch, the broker said i.
was because the railroads suspected thai
they were being beaten by the scalpsrs
The railroads, he said, had no real reason
for making the change.
Harry Karger was very much excitet
about the mat err and he wanted it under
stood that no such sche ming is going on il
his office, If it has existed among Savannah
| brokers.