Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-08

7" Nv messenger. We're he IA
miliar with the ways Of the Mer cury-footed
youths he no doubt would have substituted the
words ''district telegraph boy for the
heather Chinee." and in doing so would have
in no way lessened the quality and worth Of his
metrical masterpiece.
In this city there are about 800 Telegram b bows
employed about the main and branch Offices of
the different telegraph companies. The bows
average from So to "a. so a week. but that sum
by no means indicates tho actual earnings OF
each lad. Despite the fact that the boys arc
cautioned against receiving money except what
Is legitimately their due, ths Lads work many
schemes that are not known 70 their employer
In their efforts to make few dollars to exc out
their weekly wages.
This. Of course, refers to the messenger bows
as as class Many Of them are manly, honest
little Fellows, brave to the core and pusuactous
70 high degree. Those that slow marked
traits OF good character quickly leave the rank,
become assistant clerks or copy bows and
hnhlly telegraph operators. boy that has
peen messenger much over two wears has los.
nus usefulness and can safely be put down as
being up to all the tricks Of his trade
LIRE A COUNTRY SCHOOL ROOM.
srAR reporter one evening recently
dropped into one OF the large branch Office. o.
the American District Company and had qui 20
a lengthy chat with the manager thereof The
little fellows had benches assigned TO them
running around the sides of the room. but il
appeared to be their desire to sit or lounge any
where else than In their proper places The
scene easily recalled memory's picture of the
little country school room. the manager an
pearlng as the taskmaster and the messengers as
scholars A sharp call from fhe manager every
no" and then would straiShten out matters for
the moment, but the quick, eager. fur.ive
ginnces of the boys instantly demonstrated
that they knew when to again renew
hoStillties. Over in one corner two Of the
boys were disputing over a trade Of cigarette
cards, another couple were playing mumley-
peg, hait dozen were eagerly devou-ing the
same number Of trashy novels. and the re-
mainder we're devoting their leisure moments
to the discussion Of the late prize fights or wor-
rying the other groups by divers tricks and
traps, too numerous to mention. At ,reuuent
Intervals the electric call bell wouId ring off a
number; the manager would Rutoma tically
write 1t down and call one Of the boys, who
would dart out on the errand, and then the Of
lice would quickly resume its usual appearance
The many jokes at the messenger boys expense,
as to his slowneas, is all bosh. BE can be Quick
and painstaking if he desires. To demonstrate
this fact give him an extra dime and 1t will
prove paying investment.
sHREwD AND MIscHIEvoUs.
Speaking Of the messenger boys and their
ways as q Class the manager said:
Most Of the boys under me are the pick of
the city force. NY Office is located 20 sdysn-
tageously for them that considerable extra
money IL made. but were you TO 60 over there
among them and inquire az regards this fact q
general and emphatic denial would be forth
coming. Ny experience With the lads which
dates back several years, confirms me in the be-
lief that they are the shrewdest and most mis-
chievous in the land. No matter how dull and
hny IL r--tA L. IT,.
at the expiration Of SIX months a complete
Transformation takes place and be knows ii all.
MANY persons contend that II 10 bad school
ing for the boys to Join the messenger ranks.
but 1t is only case OF what's bread IN the bone
is bound to show itself in the flesh. II they be
naturally vicious. no matter what their sur
roundings may be, il will show itself, and vice
versa. l know every boy in that group like q
book. That kid with his hat pushed back on
his head couldn't be kept at school. but he is &c
smart and shrswd a. a fox and knows a. much
as boys twice bis age. He tells me he is wsrk-
Ing for glory now, that IL, future promotion
That dark-haired one over there In the corner
with Q novel is another good one. His COM
panlons call him q 'dead-game sport He 10
always ready to bet, has plenty Of money.
and knows race horses and base ball piav ers
by heart. But he IL honest, as far as can
learn, active. and makes first-class messe ger.
1t fs 30 with all Of them. They have their faults
like their seniors, but their usefulness over
comes their defects. As soon as discover any
dishonesty or trickery among them their dis
charge follows. They know this and are always
on their guard.
81 have been In the business" continued the
manager, "a great many Of years and came ont
Of the ranks. l knew all the tricks. and play
this knowledge against the boys shrcwdness.
but yet there are several In that group that /
know are tricky, but cannot positively identify
them individually.
II have had messengers 60 out with tele-
gram and stay away two hours on its delivery
When followed up they were found to be hotly
engaged in game Of ball or totally oblivious
OF their surroundings over q game Of pool In
some cheap GROCERY. Where a large number
of them are employed it is hard to watch their
characteristics and discern their faults.
wELL-KSowy SCHEME
"One Of the best-known schemes among the
boys to turn penny Is that of striking Gus
TONERS for car fare on the pretext that the diff
ferent telegraph Offices require that If a mes
sage Is to be sent to destination farther than
boy can walk that the customer must paw the
messengers car fare In addition to the regular
tariff paid for the message. Since the sdop-
ton Of bicycles by q majority Of the messen-
gers this scheme has partly died out, but is
still worked now and then. This car-fare idea
is wholly the boys. The district telegraph
companies furnish each boy with a printed
DOCK containing the schedules OF rates charged
by the concern for which the boy works. In
these schedules are figured the rates with the
car fare sddsd, 80 that when Q telegraph bow
Insists on q customer paying car fare In addi-
ton to the regular schedule price ss shown in
the book Of rates he carries he ID amply work
ing you, as the phrase goes, for additional
money.
1.-The boys work the car fare idea for all il il
worth. There Is not one person in q hundred
that really knows anything about the schedule
Of rates We issue, and - . matter of fact there
isn't one person in Fifty that really cares They
are content to let the boys turn Q dollar, even
II it il Q bit dishonest. So they pay the added
charge and the telegraph boys reap the reward.
49, A RAID ON POOL ROOM
'some years since, ct the time the pool rooms
were located at the head Of 7th street and the
Boundary, discovered the 'tincup and tin nam
game that was being played by gang Of wire
tappers ct the 'bookies'' expense. I was a
messenger then and had passed through an ap-
prentceship Of varied experiences that LETT us
one Of the shrewdest boys In the ranks.
The wire tappers bad rented second-story
front room about half square from the pool
rooms. and placed therein compIese eel of
| telegraph instruments. They had confedersSes
outside, and whom . certain horse would win
they hung up lineup or tin pan to designate
| the horses name. The confsderates would then
rush up 70 the pool rooms and bet on the horye
that won, and later On cash their tickets when
the regular account Of the race came in and
made their wagers good. Thousands Of dolIars
were lost by the pool rooms. The operators
became 20 bold over their success that thay at
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