Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-01
RIDING ON PASSES.
Depew Sees Some Funny Phases Of
the Great Deadhead Nuisance.
A YANKEES ARTISTIC LYING.
Passes Himself OF as an Irishman and .
Dutchman as His Son.
EXCUSES FOR FREE TRANSPORTATION
WRITTEN FOR THE p1spArcH.l


demand for free passes is to railroad off,
cials, and to what an extent the privilege is
abused when granted. The inter State COM
merce law aimed blow at the free pass
system, but to great extent it has been q
feeble and ineffective one. There are 80
many ways In which the provisions Of the
act may be evaded, and SO many railroads
have availsd themselves Of such ways that
those portions Of the law prohibiting the
granting of passes are practically dead
letter, save when some railroad man calls
them up from the vastly deep of oblivion,
like spectres to frighten away an appH-
cant for pass to whom 1t is not thought
desirable to afford the favor.
In this way the act has been a boon to
railroad men, as when beset for free pass
by some uninfuential person they can raise
it up between the would-be deadhead and
his longed-for pass-a veritable stone wall,
even more impregnable than that proverbial
one through which hunger is said to be
able to penetrate.
Passes Are Often Sold.
One great abuse of the free-pass system
lies In the sale of those precious pieces Of
paper by those to whom they are issued.
Many of them fall, in that way, into the
hands of tick ct scalpers or speculatorA By
such gentry these passes are sold again to
the general public at much less than the
regular rate of fare.
The manner in which this scheme is oper-
ated may be readily explained Say, for
example, that man wishes to 60 from New
York to Pittsburg. He will ask for pass
to Chicago, with the privilege of stopping
over in Pittsburg If this is granted to him,
he can, when he gets to Pittsburg, sell his
pass-good for the remainder of the trip to
Chicago - to some ticket speculator or
"scalper" at a rate which enables the latter
to sell 1t again at handsome margin of
profit; or, intending to remain permanently
in Pittsburg, he will ask for a pass to that
city and return, and, on arriving there, will
sell the remaining portion OF said pass, good
for the return trip. Of course, these passes
are not transferable, that fact being plainly
stated in bold type upon both the back and
face of each one; but what earthly differ
ence does that make? The conductors to
whom they are rendered do not know the
persons whose names they bear nor are they
acquainted with those who present and
travel upon them.
The Conductors Are Helpless.
All that is necessary to enable anyone to
travel without difficulty upon a purchased
or borrowed pass, made out in the name of
some one else, is plenty of self-possession
and assurance, or what is vulgarly called
"gall," and the amount Of it that is some
time displayed in this connection is aston
ishing even in this wonderful go-ahead and
progressive age.
Only yesterday an old, experienced con-
ductor-one who has grown gray in the
business--told me some amusing stories in
connection with this practice of selling and
loaning railroad passes. On one occasion
an elegantly dressed lady and gentleman,
evidently married pair, rendered him a
hurst, but the gentleman had large gold
w on each of his cuff buttons and the lady
had the same initial in silver on her satcheL
From the look of calm assurance on their
faces he knew it would be useless to raise
any objection to the glaring incongruity,
for he had no doubt that they would both
have made affidavit, if necessary, that W
stood for Dewhurst.
At another time he was handed pass by
a tall, raw-boned, down-east Yankee, ac-
companied by a short, fat German, who
could not have been more than 8 or 10 years
his Junior at most, and who was gifted with
a singularly rich Teutonic accent, which
contrasted in a most amusing manner with
the nasal twang of the down-easter. The
pass was made out to "Patrick McGuinness,
and son."
Two Very Remarkable Irishmen.
care YOU Patrick McGuinness?" asked
the conductor of the Yankee.
"Wal, neighbor, reckon be-" was the
response.
''But you do not seem to be an Irish
man?"
eye see, the head of our family come
over in the Mayhower an calkilate the
Irish is pretty well out of us by this time"
SIS this person your son?" asked the con-
ductor, indicating the German.
''Wal, guess he be"
''How is it that he has such strong
German accent?"
"Wal, ye see, neighbor, he's been away
to school in Germany ever since he was
little chap, an I'm jiggered eff he amt cen
a most forgot how to talk English"
The conductor made up his mind that sir
would be utterly useless to ask any more
questions, for the Yankee was so perfectly
punch saw it would be impossible to make
him waver in his story, and he therefore
passed the Yankee-Irishman, "Patrick Nc
Guinness" and his German "son" without
further comment.
A Great Deal Worse In Mexico.
But great as is the abuse of the free-pass
system in this country, it is as nothing COM
pared to that which is practiced in Mexico.
I have been assured by American officials of
railroads traversing that country that Mex
leans living near the United States end of
the line, and wishing to travel a short
distance from home, will procure pass all
the way to the City of Mexico and return
They will then write to some relative or
friend at every station along the line to be in
readiness to travel on the pass to the next
station. The original holder of the precious
document, on arriving at his destination,
will transfer his pass to the, relative or
friend in waiting, who will travel on it to
the next station and there transfer it again.
Thus more than 100 different people will
sometimes ride on one pass over different
parts of the road at the expense of the rail-
way company, making the return journey
in the same manner.
Mexicans, by the way, of bo tn sexes and
all ages and conditions take a childish
pleasure in "riding on rail-" though it be
for never 50 short distance, and to enjoy
it they will neglect home, friends, children,
business, anything. Time in Mexico is Of
little value.
The Ticket Brokers Still Thrive.
Returning to the sale of free passes to
ticket spectators or scalpers, would re-
mark that it is by no means upon that
branch of their business that these gentle
men entirely rely for profit. The fact is
that though the law against ticket broking
exists in many States, yet it is practically
Aood of ro1p w n ngt
large cities, and especially in the western
nort of ~, oo,,,trD sGttcL az brokare 90