Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-28
MONEY in TRANSFERS.
Wholesale Discharges on Fifth Ave-
nue. and Duquesne Lines.
MORE HEADS ARE TO BE CUT OFF.
Big Wages We're Earned by Trading in
Branch Line Tickets.
THE STATEMENTS OF ONE CONDUCTOR

The big traction road octopus is reaping
its reward for practically closing up part OF
the lin es and establishing an intricate sys-
tenn of trans sfers. In fact, the reward was all
the combination of the Fifth avenue and
Duquesne lines was getting. The employees
| pocketed the profits. 1t was decided some
time ago to have general clearing out on
| next Tuesday or Wednesday, but develop
ments caused change of programme. Yes
| terday 20 heads fell in the basket and more
would have followed, but there was no one
to take their places On the Duquesne
line II conductors are hunting for jobs and
three more on the Fifth avenue cable road
are without any fixed occupation for reasons
best known to the officials
The road has been Systematically robbed
for months, and according to the statements
Of one conductor, who is out of job, he
never worked a day that he did not make
from So to 81 on the outside. Every fare
was rung up, and to the passenger, and for
a long time to the officials, there was moth
ing to indicate crookedness. On other lines
the conductor who would knock down has
always had to work his own wits to find a
way, but the officers of the great traction
combine put into the hands of their men
an easy method of carving out fortune.
1t was in the shape of the transfer tickets.
Fortunes Made on the Transfers.
When the Pittsburg Traction Company
combined with the Duquesne Traction Com
panv the Fifth avenue and Forbes street
roads were made trunk lines and all the
Others, such as the Williamsburg, Negley
and Center avenues, Larimer avenue and
Highland avenue were made feeders and
transfers given on them for the main line.
Transfers were also given on the branches
for the trunk lines
Every conductor is given So Williamsburg
transfers a day. They have to account for
everyone they use and must turn in all that
are not used. They are given 300 apiece of
the others, and what are not used are de-
stroyed. This is where the opportunity
came. 1t was an easy thing for conductors
to trade transfers. The conductor coming
downtown would probably carry 30 passen-
gers or more. Every time fare was col
lected it was ''rung up" Every cent had
been accounted for. The fine work came
when the proceeds of the trip were turned
into the office.
Tickets Given in Place of Cash.
Out of the 30 fares, 80 cash fares would
be turned in and the conductor would then
pbbOll anu manu- OfCI ~ lIduoICls llStCdu VI
so many cash fares, and put 81 down in his
pocket. The man with whom the
trade had been made would do
the same thing, save that his profit
would come off the other end of the line.
OF course the transfer accounts would not
balance in the office, but it was hard work
finding just where the money went to.
President George w. Elkins has had
spoilers on the road for weeks, and yester-
al.
These spoilers have been turning in even
the most minute details of the conductors
actions. The report of one on a certain
conductor stated that he had remained in
side the car until after Gist street was
passed. 1t also stated that an Italian boy
was playing q violin on the car and the |
conductor did not make him stop. The re-
ports are full of such statements. g.
When Colonel Elkins was interviewed he |
said the trading of transfers had been going |
on for some time, and the men had been |
working specially on number of those
cases. Last night he said the discharges !
were all made for cause, but declined to 60 |
into the details. He said the men could !
not work any scheme that they would not |
be caught up at.
One Boasts OF How Much He Took.
One conductor on the Duquesne line who
made more money out his car than the COM
pany did He said it was the easiest thing
in the world to work the transfers. Said |
he: 'In the mornings and evenings when
passengers were plenty L could make from
81 to 81 80 on trip, and the man with
whom I traded tickets could make nearly
the same amount. Then there were
lots Of pickups, especially from passen-
gers who got on at Turner Hall.
l would catch them when they came from
dinner or from downtown and were pretty
full. One night a man with a good-sized
jag handed me So bill. l crumpled it up
in my hand and substituted 81 bill for it.
Then told him L hadn't the change and
handed the money back. He pocketed it
without even looking at 1t. On different
occasions would get chance to change
SO bill. 1 usually gave 81 and 81 bill
and some change according to the amount the
man had on board. What's the difference
if am out? I can afford to rest as well as
the stockholders
Among the conductors and motormen
last night the discharges were the only
thing talked Of They all said the trouble
arose over the transfer tickets, but believed
the operations were confined to a small
number of the employees.