The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-11
: HOW PORTERS THRIVE,
Railroads Win Not Pay Adequate
Salaries.
80 THOR Servants Arc Compelled to Ex-
tort Money from the TRAVELLING
Public = Tho Magical Effect
OF Half Dollar

1t is astonishing tho effect of n half
dollar deposited with n sleeping.car
porter has upon the situation, Like a
magic wand it brightens up all your
surroundings and makes life upol the
wheels cndurable. The people who de-
nounce the modern porter as IN out
rage on the travelling public fare very
badly on sleeper. They are forced
ITO have the feeling that they are being
treated like cattle on stock train,
while their more generous ncighbor re-
'ceives the attention of prince. Peo-
!ple who do not fee the porter get their
passage and nothing more. In
fact, says tho Chicago Mail, that
is all they pay for. The railroad
company does not guarantee the
services of o private servant for the
price of passage. The porter is only
paid fifteen dollars per month as rule
and seldom more than eighteen dollars.
From this meagcr income he has to board
himself at railroad restaurants. AS the
companies only pay enough to board
their portcrs it is apparent that the
travelling public is expected to make up
the balance. A half-dollar paid to the
porter gives the traveller all the advan-
tagcs of private servant. The system
of tipping the porter gives the trav-
elcr who enjoys luxury chance to pur-
chase it, and permits the man who is
satisfied with Il plain passage the priv
ilegc of dispensing with the little atten-
lions that tend to make life endurable.
n gentleman accompanied by lady
en- route for some town in Missouri at
tempted to board reclining chair car
the other day that was labeled ''only
for through passengers"
1.-The car to the rear" said the porter,
politely, as he directed the travellers to
a car where standing room was at par,
while the one they were about to enter
was absolutely empty, us no through
passengers had arrived.
"But that is crowded." protested the
gentleman.
Cant help it, this car is strictly"
At this point the gentleman handed
the fellow hclf-dollar, when his tone
changed, and. finishing his sentence, he
said: but ! will look inside and see
what can be done"
Entering the car he looked thought
fully at the empty seats, rs though they
were full of passengers, and after Sc
Letting the best scat in the middle of
the car and busting it off nc becloned
the lady to be seated. Before permit
ting her to do so, however, he took out
his handkerchief and cleaned the win
dow at her side. AS tSc gentleman,
who was only taking tle lady to the
train, was leaving the car the colored
gentleman said: BOSS, I'll look after de
lady and see dat she gifts off alright"
Without the fifty cents given the por-
ter the lady, as there was no parlor-car.
would have been compelled to sit in a
crowded car or possibly stand.
At night the same porter will prove
even moro Indispensable to comfort than
during the day. The lavatory, which is
usually SO crowded that it is difficult to
enter, is locked by the porter until one
at a time of his favoritcs are permitted
ito wash privately. When the lady
WHOSE husband has contributed the
Tip" enters the Mushroom, she finds
.everything clean as her own home.
The porter has been there before her
shining up the washbasin and provid.
ing clean towels. In the morning she
finds her clothes nicely brushed and her
,shoes cleaned, while those of the gem
'tlemen are highly polished. When the
hunks arc lowered the best seats in the
tcar ss'o reserved, with the footstools,
10 he contributors to the porter.
M aS@y people accept tho attentions of
I'll porter and then neglect purposely
to'pay him.