Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-04-18
A RAILWAY BLACK LIST.
Not Many Copies Are Printed and Out
siderS seldom, 600 a., - rs,,.

Not Many Copies Are Printed and Out
siders seldom See One of Them.
A decidedly queer little pamphlet is
The Confidential Memorandum, :" which
Is intended ''for the exclusive use of
those persons to whom it is sent. The
little book does not bear the name Of its
printer, proprietor or compiler. and be-
sides having an exceedingly small circu-
latlon 1t makes its appearance only about
twice year. The persons to whom it
Is mysteriously sent keep it under lock
and Key and refer to it in a surreptitious
manner. 1t passes through the mails in
a plain sealed envelope, and letter post
age Is paid thereon. Nothing improper
Is printed in the Memorandum" and
yet Its pages are guarded with jealous
care.
The Confidential Memorandum" is
neither more nor less than a railroad
black list, and it contains some startling
information about various people whose
names are not unknown to the American
public. Only the higher officers of rail
ways can obtain it. Some persons whose
names are contained therein might con-
slider the charges brought against them
hbelous, and so to avoid responsibility
and evade law suits the names of the
publishers and the place of publication
are not printed upon the title page.
Nearly every railroad IN the United
States is part proprietor in the "Mem-
orandum," and those who compile it
draw their pay and inspiration from the
records of hundreds of railroads in
Uncle Sans domain Little short of
special dispensation of Providence en-
ables any one except a railroad official
to see the book.
The book contains nineteen pages of
names of delnquents and seven pages Of
the names of periodicals and their edit
ors who abused the courtesies extended
to them by railroads. Notwithstanding
the edicts of the interstate commerce
law an uncommonly large number of
persons other than railroad men secure
passes and reduced rates from railroads.
and it frequently happens that the re-
cipients dispose of these favors to friends,
scalpers and even to strangers 'sfor a
consideration.
When a person is detected in loaning,
selling, exchanging or altering a pass,
his name appears in the next issue of the
Memorandum" and when he next an
plies to any road for favors he is met
with fixed smile and a polite excuse.
but never the true one.
Unhappily there are found on the
black list the names and residences of
several clergymen, as well as statesmen,
who have abused the privilege The
charges are in some cases stated in an
almost brutally specific manner, and
would prove rather shocking reading to
the wives, children or friends Of the cul-
prits
Among the LAS" are twenty-three
names, including that of a clergyman,
who is charged with altering and loan
ing half-fare permits. The list of sixty
eight names commencing with ''B" de-
scribes one as theatrical agent and a
I'd. b., first water"
There are sixty-fve names under the
head of &C." among them is that of a
man in Houston, Tex, who represents
himself as a special correspondent of a
New York newspaper, and is summed
up as "a fraud" A Santa Fe preacher
is accused of altering half-fare permit
to include his wife, and an ex-represent-
ative in Congress is charged with loan
ing his pass.
A member of Chicago's Citizens
league is known to have sold his pass to
scalper, and so will get no more such
favors
Hangers-on of theatrical companies, a
member of the lower legislature and
editors Of small journals are mentioned
OH the list.-New York World.