The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-02-12
DISHONEST CONDUCTORS.
Tho Peculations OF Those Who Run Rail-
way Trains.

Tho Peculatlons of Those Who Run Rail-
, way Trains.
There is popular impression that
the receipts from the passenger service
form large percentage Of the earnings
OF road. 1t is not 80, writes Frank FL.
Spearman In Harper's Weekly, save
under exceptional conditions. The fact
is that such receipts are much smaller
than the freight earnings, and one very
good reason for this is that while
company receives practically the whole
Of the latter, 1t receives a very uncer-
tain percentage of the former. The
peculations of the railway conductor
have been fruitful theme for the par
agraphcr for many years. Some Of the
conductors have been so successful that
they can laugh their critics sarcasms
TO scorn.
It is singular fact that while some
of the Western roads lose very little in
this way, on others the number Of cash
fares stolen from the company Is simply
incredible. Owing to variety Of
causes, cash fare receipts arc heaviest
on the new divisions Of road. There,
naturally, the losses are the greatest.
The ticket station equipment Is imper-
feet, and the people who travel on the
frontier are the most Indifferent Of all
passengers about buying tickets. On
one OF tho best paying railway proper
ties in the West, the stock Of which Is
still above par, and which has paid div
idends without break since the panic
OF 1878, nine-tenths Of the conductors
retain large portion of the cash fares.
Such thing can be possible only where
the practice is general We're It other
wise, the comparison Of the trip receipts
Of an honest conductor with those Of one
who had his own ideas about dividing
with the company would soon result
in the exposure of the latter. It has
happened that some conductors, not sat-
isfied with what cash fares they could
retain, have turned over to station
ticket agents equally dishonest un-
punched tickets to sell again, the pro-
ceeds being divided. Happily such
combinations are not likely to work
smoothly any length Of time; yet they
periodically occur when an especially
unscrupulous conductor gets passen-
ger train. One enterprising youth made
the phenomenal record of "knocking
down" twenty-five dollars day while
In charge of construction train,
which. it need hardly be said, is never
supposed to carry passengers. Under
the rigid rules of the average auditing
department it is doubtful whether
money turned In from such a source
would be accepted by the presiding
Solons.
But the carrying Of passengers fell
under the eye Of the construction de-
partment and a dismissal followed,
Discharged for this violation Of rules
our promising flnancier re-entered the
service on another division Of the road.
where his industry and patience were
rewarded In time with a passenger
train It would appear that he stood
better In the confidence Of his superiors
that In that Of his fellow-conductors,
the more cynical Of whom expressed
doubts about theo company's ever get
ting the train back after he had left
town with II.
In contemplating the beginning OF
the career OF such an incipient Napoleon
of finance, one reflects that, after All. ]
the difference In the ability exercised In
stealing the cash fare receipts Of q
train, and stealing q railroad entire Is
one Of degree rather than one Of kind.
Yet the two operations and the two
operators are called by widely different
names.