Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-03-15
SHIPPING DETECTIVES.

torney the other day the head of one Of
the largest wholesale dry goods houses
In the city had occasion to refer casu:
ally TO the various classes of men
whom his firm found it necessary to
employ, says the Chicago Herald.
After citing statesmen, various kinds of
clerks, credit man, cashier, book
keepers, ETC., the head of the firm add
ed, "and shipping detectives"
"And what2" asked the attorney, as
though he had misunderstood the term.
shipping detectives" replied the
client, .
well, that's new one on met It
WAS also new to the Herald represents
tive, who was all attention. 40
. There's nothing strange about that"
said the wholesaler, for the shipping
detective is quite n new thing. Few
houses-only the larger ones=-have
cause to employ them, and the house
that does usually keeps the matter as
much of secret as the condition of its
bank account"
"Whst are his duties?" -
principally to shadow consignments
Of goods from the time they leave the
store until they reach the freight depot
and the railway company becomes re-
sponsible for them by accepting md re-
ceipting for them"
ga sort of Watchdog on the team
ster?"
"Only in part. You see we ship q
great many small boxes which fire.
Quently contain hundreds of dollars
worth Of goods, such as fine silks,
satins, rich trimmings, etc. Often the
wagon on which these boxes leave the
store passes through alleys or narrow
and unfrequented side streets. need
not remind you that there are scores of
of very bold. deXterous thieves in Chi
cago, as well as other big cities, who
are constantly on the lookout for OPP
portunitles to nip anything whatever
that can be tn ned into money. Many
expensive experiences with these peo-
pic have demonstrated that they keep
themselves remarkably well informed
ns to the more valuable shipments made
by wholesale houses. In former years
1t was an almost daily occurrence for
wholesale houses-particularly those in
our liue-to have small boxes of fine
goods boldly taken from the wagons in
broad daylight while going the COM
paratively small distance necessary
to be covered between store and freight
depot. Only few years ago our firm had
three such boxes stolen ut clip from
one Of our wagons ut two o'clock in the
| afternoon, while they were being carted
less than four squares. By n descrip-
ton which was furnished of the thieves
| by bootblack we caught one of the
| three bold laddies and sent him over
| the road, but we never recovered the
| goods, which were valued at over three
| thousand dollars. This was but one Of
| several such losses. Now we have men
| that do little else thnn keep their eye
| on goods from the moment they arc
| placed on the transfer wagons until
\ they are safe within the responsibility
! of the railroad company. And frequent
! ly it keeps them lodging very lively,
for they, of course, follow the wagons
Hfoot, going along the sidewalk, and
keeping sufficient distance in the rear
80 as not to attract attention.
Another duty Of the shipping de-
tective-for whom some houses have a
different name--is to prevent, so far as
possible, the theft of consignment I'D.
dresses. There are firms doing bust
ness in this and, suppose, other cities,
who employ men to lay in wait at vari'
Gus times and places and copy the ad
dresses on boxes of goods which other
firms are sending out. The object is
plain, namely, to have, their statesmen
call on the parties later on and try tc
get their trade. The shipping detec
tives employed by MS have caught
several such snealxs, but notwithstand
ing they are guilty of plain unvarnishet
thieving, yet all we can possibly hops
to do in the matter is to drive then
away, or, when we catch them at it
give them sound basting. OF course
they will never reveal the name Of thu
firm they are stealing the addresses for
and this makes it impossible for the rep
utable houses to publicly expose thei
despicable masters. Such h1relings ar,
usually blacklisted clerks from othe
cities md they hold their dishonorabl
jobs but short time. Anyone motto
Sf1or IL, ~ 10 fhof 4,