The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-03-24
HOW PORTERS THRIVE.
Railroads Will Not Pay Adequate
Salaries.
So Their Servants Are Compelled to Ex-
tort Money from the Travelling
Public - The Magical Effect
of lalf Dollar.


1t is astonishing the effect Of a half
dollar deposited with a sleeping-car
porter has upon the situation. Like
magic wand it brightens up all your
surroundings and makes life upol the
wheels endurable. The people who de-
nounce the modern porter as an out
rage on the travelling public fare very
badly on sleeper. They are forced
to have the feeling that they are being
treated like cattle on stock train,
while their more generous neighbor re-
ceives the attention of atpriINe. Peo-
pie who do not fee the porter get their
passage and nothing more. In
fact, says the Chicago Mail, that
is all they pay for. The railroad
company does not guarantee the
services of q 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 meager income he has to board
himself at railroad restaurants. AS the
companies only pay enough to board
their porters it is apparent that the
travelling public is expected to make up
the balance. A hali-dollar paid to the
porter gives the traveller all the advan-
tages of private servant. The system
of tipping" the porter gives the trav-
eler who enjoys luxury a chance to pur-
satisfied with u plain passage the priv
ilege of dispensing with the little atten-
tions that tend to make life endurable.
A gentleman accompanied by a lady
en- route for some town in Missouri at.
tempted to board a recliniIg-chail 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
car where standing room was at par,
while the one they were about to enter
was absolutely empty, as 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 half-dollar, when his tone
changed, and, finishing his sentence, he
said: But l will look inside and see
what can be done"
Entering the car he looked thought
fully at the empty seats, as though they
were full of passengers, and after Sc
lecting the best seat in the middle of
the car and dusting it off he becl1oned
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 the gentleman,
who was only taking the lady to the
train. was leaving the car the colored
gentleman said: Boss, I'll look after dc
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 q
crowded car or possibly stand
At night the same porter will prove
even more Indispensable to comfort than
during the day. The lavatory,, which is
usually SO crowded that it is difficult tc
enter, is locked by the porter until one
at time of his favorites are permitted
to wash privately. When the lady
whose husband has contributed the
tip enters the washroom, she finds
everything clean as her own home
The porter has been there before hel
shining up the washbasin and provid
ing clean towels. In the morning she
finds her clothes nicely brushed and hel
shoes cleaned, while those of the gen
tlemen are highly polished. When the
hunks are lowered the best seats in tho
car are reserved, with the footstools
for the contributors to the porter
Many people accept the attentions O.
the porter and then neglect purposely
to pay him.