Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-19

NNSs&ENs>i IN manner moho'on-
~ GUS, but being a rail-
roader, and the only
one that the public have close relations with
has lent to him a certain interest and elevated
the man above the ordinary run of human
beings.
How often has he created an uneasy feeling,
as he gances at the long ticket and then at the
holder as if doubling its genuineness. a feeling
that makes you grow red in the face as you
think you can read his thoughts and that he sus-
poets you of using scalper ticket Or again,
when YOU have borrowed friends commuta-
! ton ticket and in genteel way defraud the
railway company out of the price Of the pass
age
1t is said that conscientious judges upon the
federal and state bench difident about
creating friendships account of possibility
of influencing or coloring a decision, and for
TINS reason a passenger conductor can be placed
In the same category-not to influence a decis-
! ion, but to enable him to perform his duties
conscientiously.
Numerous cases can be cited wherein con-
ductor has been asked to favor a friend and as
| q result lost his position.
The role OF conductor on passenger train is
considered one of great honor among the rail-
road men and is really the highest position at
| tainable for four-fifths of them. One in FIVE
hundred continues advancing and becomes q
depot master; one in a thousand reaches the
position of train master. and, at this late day
when technical education is required one in
| ten thousand advances to the position Of divis-
| ion superintendent.
The conductor in the bulb was perchance, q
rough country lad who took TO railroading as q
relief to the monotony of farm life and allured
by the fair salary allowed, and the root grew
toward maturity advanced through the stages
| OF brakeman. Hapman bappa 20 ate nd
freight conductor until the pinnacle of his de-
sire was reached and he biossomed out in the
neat uniform of the passenger conductor.
Many OF the nerviest and most practical rail-
road men that ever turned switch or put on a
brake have been remanded to their old posi-
tons rs freight conductors, account of an
absence Of will power and being the possessors
of hearts of abnormal size.
TO ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT
There was n good-natured fellow on a road
not thousand miles from Washington. who
| had worked his way up from the position of
brakeman to that of freight conductor. He
had friends by the score and was known to be
honest and upright in every way. The COM
pany desired to promote him to the passenger
service. but knew of his proverbial good nature
and hestated. Finally it was resolved to give
him trial. He had made but half dozen
trips out of near by city, when one day the
depot master at that point approached
him with request that he carry a lady
friend of the latter's over his division
| free. They had been colaborers and
| friends for years and a hearty acquiescence
was given to the request The lady was car
ried gratis and the conductor made his last trip
on passenger train. He should have collected
a pass or ticket from the lady under all crcum-
stances; a ''spotter on the train knew this and
had been watching him for some days TO see
how he performed his work; reported the
lapse of duty to the head officials and the next
trip the good-hearted conductor made was in
his old position in the freight service.
Or late years the passenger conductors prin-
cipal work is that of collecting tickets from the
patrons of the road. Only in case of obstruc-
ton to the track does he get an order that calls
for his supervision and railroad knowledge
These cases are rare. In the days of single
track roads, when orders were necessary for the
running of trains, the conductors keeuness in
picking out bogus tickets and turning down
dead beats was considered of much less i'm
portaIce than his knowledge of practical rail-
reading.
Good conductors are those who are close of
mouth, firm of character and pugnacious
enough to bounce the president of the road
were be on the train without pass. ticket or
money. Men of this character stand high with
the railroad officials.
1t is said that General Manager wilkins of
the Baltimore and Potomac road while super
intendent, was caught In Just such a plight He
an incoming train, the conductor CARRYING him
ont not asking for his pass. The conductor on
the incoming train was of different caliber
and the superintendent discovered that he had
neither pass nor money with him. Without
further ado the signal rope was pulled the train
stopped and he was requested to alight which
he did being too proud to ask any of the pas
sengers for the loan of the money necessary to
! carry him to his destination 1t was three
miles 10 town and the superintendent is said to
have footed it the entire distance. furnishing
himself for his forgetfulness. A few DAYS later
the lenient conductor was called in the super
lntendents Office and sharply reprimanded
while the other conductor carries to this day a
letter from Superintendent Wilkins commend
ing In high terms the course he pursued.
There is belief among many people that the
passenger conductor, as general rule
knocks down." to use the popular vernacular
or steals more than his salary every month
This Is the quintessence Of bosh. There are
rules and regulations now in force on all the
big roads that are infallible and will convict a
crooked conductor inside of a month pilfer.
ing.
TO PREVENT KNOCKING DOWN.
Speaking with a conductor recently on this
subject an EVENING STAR reporter asked him
what safeguards the company had thrown out
to protect themselves. In reply he said:
There are q hundred and one rules to be
guided by to discover if a conductor is dishon-
| est or not. know of many. but the chief one
| Is the 'spotter.' To be effective he must be
unknown to US, and as a general rule he is
| Often he will buy sealper outlawed tickets to
| try us on. and then, again, frequently offer us
| half fare to carry him. Another way is for him
| to pass through the train, as if looking for
| friend, but in reality to count the passengers
! on board and afterward ascertain if they cor
responded with the number on the telegraph
report sent In by us from way station
"Anothor plan," continued the speaker ''is
TO average up the trains certain schedules
The number Of passengers carried varies but
slightly and falling off in fares collected will
lead to an Investigation and shadowing of the
one suspected
in my experience the old rule Of allowing
a thief plenty Of rope and he'n hang himself
| has proved the most effective People not used
TO money In quantity are liable to flop over, as
| 1t were, Immediately it comes to them in large
amounts dishonesty. They start in small at
hrst, and growing holder by degrees walk
| biindly into the trap prepared by themselves.
Charley Rutledge was one Of the latter
class. He was classed as one of the best men
on the road; had first worked as a brakeman in
SO and but couple Of years back, after work
| Ing for twenty-five years, was tripped up as o
| result Of his carelessness