St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-09
JUMP ON LAKE SHORE,
Ticket Agents Are Very
Wrathy Against the Great
Eastern Road.
Alleged Underhand Work by
a Prominent Western
Line,
Causing the Dismissal Of Sew
eral Lake Shore Ticket
Agents.
Probable Boycott by the
Agents Association Against
the Lake Shore.


The greatest sensation that has taken
place amongst the passenger agents for
some time is the recent discharge of the
ticket agents OIL the Lake Shore road
on the charge of having received COM
missions from a Western line. And
the fact hat-there were dismissed some
of the oldest and best known agents in
the country, and that they were prOmi-
nent members of the International AS
ISOLATION Of Railroad Ticket Agents,
makes it matter of sufficient promi-
nence to attract the attention of every
ticket agent in the United STATES and
Canada, especially those who are mem
berS of the association. Already have
the expressions of the ticket agents been
loud in denOunclng the Lake Shore man.
agement, as we'll as the Western roads
who squealed on their brethren.
1t seems, at meeting of the Central
Iraf1Ic association several months ago,
President Newell, OF the Lake Shore.
was taken to task by representatives of
other roads for allowing his agents to
accept commissions. He said that. as
commissions on his road. The charge
was made that the Lake Shore agents
were accepting commissions without an
exception. and that vouchers for ticket
sales were being sent in every month
to various lines by agents at the princi-
pal coupon stations OF his road. PreSI-
dent Newell challenged the persons
who made the charge prove it, stating
that he would make an investigation OH
his own account. Similar charges were
also made against other roads, and it
was decided to let the investigation be
made by the Central Traffic association.
The result was that the Lake Shore and
other roads were placed in possession of
information that their agents had been
accepting commission. The evidence
was laid before the Lake Shore officials
and demand was made that the Of
Tending ticket agents should at once be
dismissed. President Newell promptly
complied with the request. About tif-
teen OF the principal
Agents Were Discharged
without sufficient reason for so doing,
as it is understood they were simply
notified that their services were no
longer required"
The discharge of these men has
created very bitter feeling amongst
agents, and they not only denOunce the
action of the Lake Shore. but swear
vengeance against the Western road
that furnished the information. This
association is we'll organized and pow
er in PASSENGER circles. Its executive
members are some of the most intueu-
tial ticket agents in the country. From
all reports these men are very indignant
and intend to make it red hot for the
Lake Shore. and. as they say, the Bur
lingtOn, too, who they claim furnished
the Lake Shore the vouchers Tor COM
missions as positive proof that the
Lake Shore ticket agents were receiving
commission as alleged. 1t is said bv an
Old railroader who is in position to
know that action will soon be taken by
the International Association of Ticket
Agents. They claim that 4 blow has
been dealt at their association from the
fact that nearly all the men who were
discharged were members Of the asSO-
citation, among whom may be mentioned
NJ. G.. Carroll, secretary of the |. A. of
Il. A., who is probably the most active
member of the organization.
To be avenged the ticket agents
throughout the country will he instruct
ed to boycott these two lines in queS-
ton, and an appeal VIII be made to the
ticket agents who are not members Of
the association to Go the same thing,
and it is safe to say that they will have
their sympathy in the fight 1t will be
remembered by many, just before
the ticket agents formed the aSSocIa-
ton. nearly four years ago, that q boy
colt was put upon the Wabash, when the
general passenger agent, S. w. Snow,
produced evidence before the Central
Traffic association that he was paw
Ing commissions to the agents Of the
Michigan Central when it was desired
by President Ledyard. of the latter
road. The result was that the agent at
jackson, Mich, was discharged. Con-
certed action was taken by the ticket
agents of the country, and such a boy
colt was inaugurated against the Wa
bash that MIR. Snow was obliged to re-
sign his position to protect the passen-
ger earnings Of his road. and his with
drawing entirely from the railroad
business followed.
Let us see if the Oifense in the present
case Is not gTdYer one against the
ticket agents than that given 10y tho
Wabash 81 Michigan Southern. TIE
cases are similar in many ways, but the
wholesale discharge of men by the Lake
Shore is likely to bring about the most
vigorous boycott in the passenger de-
partment that has ever been known.
Nothing will be left und0ne by the
ticket agents to depreciate the earnings
of these lines, until tie passenger Off
Gals of either the one or the other road
will be forced to retire