Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-11-28
LOST ON THE BRIDGE TRAINS.
Passengers Who Travel In Order to Secure
the Salvage.

A well-dressed woman got into n
Bridge car recently. carrying gold
headed umbrella. A moment later a
fairly well-attired man came in, walk
ing carclcssly. and sat down besid o
her. says the ST Louis Globe Democrat.
Had careful observer noticed him
when he entered he would have seen
him throw quick glance at the unI-
brella before sitting down.
The train rumbled across. The
lady gazed at the river. and. watching
a swiftly moving craft. fell into Il
dreamy state Of observation. When
the guard called East St. Louis; all
out!' the lady got up with a far-away
look still in her eyes and walked out,
leaving the umbrella. The man be-
side her had ridden across with his
eyes closed as il fatigued. When she
had got out his hand fell quickly on
the umbrella and he was making off
with it when the guard collared him.
The fellow looked surprised ut finding
the umbrella in his hand muttered
something about 'picking it up uncon-
scously." shook or the guards hand
and plunged into the crowd.
THAT is the fifth time in month |
have caught that fellow taking lost
articles. " said the conductor to n re-
porter. 1.-The bridge cars are para
disc for such as he. There is more
miscellaneous collection of lost arti-
cles gathered in these trains than in
any other place in America, I'll war;
rant"
The number of missing articles be-
came so numerous and so many claims
were made by pretended owners that
several years ago system of checks
was put into use. Now anything found
in the cars is taken to the office. when
a report is made OF the article. Civ
ing the time of the ear OH which it was
found and other details. This is en-
tered on book Of blanks having stubs.
The trainman then gets receipt for
what he has turned in. When the
caller comes for what he has lost he
must thoroughly identify the article
before he can get it. The stub of the
trainman's receipt keeps thus per-
petual record of everything found.
These stub-books are filed away aud
are never destroyed. A glance through
them reveals bewildering variety of
lost goods. The stubs of 1889 are es-
pecially prolific in curious cases. Here
are some of the things recorded:
Pumice stone. diagram, two boxes Of
cigars. n pocket-book containing S52. n
white apron. spool Of cotton. pair of
rubbers. picture, n waistcoat brace
let, some surcingles. several remnants,
piece OF sheet-iron, three sauce dishes
and horsewhip.
Ono Saturday the record for variety
was eclipsed. That day the trainmen
gathered up these things:
Three pairs of stockings. left by n
drunken man; lady's veil. roll OF
sheet music. n teaspoon. a bottle
OF wine. gentleman's kid gloves.
Eyeglasses. portcr's badge, lunch. a
gossamer. a cranberry mould.
In one stretch. from Sept. IL 10 Nov.
90 200 articles were reported. That
was The rainy season. and forgotten
umbrellas swclled the list. But taking
The year around umbrellas have the
questionable distinction of being the
oftcnest overlooked. Pocket books.
however, singular to say. are not so
far behind. A count OF ifty-six stubs
selected at random gave this tally:
Umbrellas rs; pocket-bnoks. IL;
packages. Z; canes 2; keys. 3; walters
jacket. l.
On an average three articles are
found day. This makes nearly a
hundred month. Some sneaks have
loug ago :ouud tais Out. aud travel
across often each day and run the
chance Of picking up something Of
value. Even II they fail the low car
fare does not leavs them much out OF
pocket.