Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-30

Al the outbreak OF A cut In rates agree
ments 70 maintain schedule rates are
ignored the services Of the broker are
invoked, and h.. In supplied with tickets
at greatly reduced rates. or is paid heavy
commissions. which may be, ana are
expected 10 be, divided with the passen-
ger.
Excursion. tourist and mileage tickets
are all factors, and important ones, IN
the maintenance OF the scaiping BUSINESS
The first two are often purchased by a
class OF travellers who do not contemplate
their use except for one way. After beng
SO used the return portion OF the ticket
is sold to a broker. who in turn sells 10
some traveller, and the difference In rate
between a round-trip ticket and one good
In only a single direction is divided be-
tween the broker and the passenger, the
former getting tho larger snare. Inc
mileage ticket is also largely utilized ny
brokers and rented out plecemeai to tra'-
oilers.
Dishonest employees OF railroads con-
tribute I'm no small degree to keeping
up the business Of furnishing the scalpers
with tickets which have been used but
not cancelled: and stolen and counter
felt tickets also furnish their contribution
TO the stock OF the broker.
Tickets given by railroad companies LOT
advertising in newspapers. ana 10 men
in business, such as hotel Keepers anu
others. as we'll as passes, are made mer-
chandise OF and converted into money
the broker being the medium through
which they get into the possession OF
persons who have no right TO their use
and who often find IL necessary TO make
Misrepresentation to avoid the conse-
ouenrea Of detection
A prominent official OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission, speaking to a Star
man on this subject, said:
"There is not the slightest doubt mat
a large number Of railroad companies get
only a percentage Of the nominal rate OF
their tickets. II they did. in fact get the
entire amount they would undoubtedly DE
able TO reduce their rate OF fare. Inc
rate ought not TO be very much IN excess
of two cents a mile, and believe In very
many cases the companies do not get as
much as that.
THE evil is, in fact, so great that em-
ployees of various railroads. seeing the
extent TO which their companies are be-
ing chiselled out of their due. are Interest,"
ing themselves in the matter OF ces-
sation Of these evils. If IL was not Tor
this drain the companies would be able
to pay better wages TO their employees
and provide better rates for their
patrons"
IL is well known that the Order OF
Railroad Conductors have taken up this
matter and will push their interests in
order to secure legislation which VIII
provide the proper authorities with
power enough to do away with the
brokerage system. The Interstate Com
merce Commission in this matter, as well
as in others, is blocked by the absence
Of sufficient legislation empowering 1t 10
carry out the lines of action which II sees
to be necessary.
WHERE THEY GET TICKETS.
with a view 10 finding out, If possible.
where the ticket brokers get the paste
boards that they sell Star man took a
walk along the north side Of the avenue
and made himself acquainted with the
brokers who do business there. They did
not meet him with the utmost cordiality.
and few were willing TO say anything
about where they obtained their tickets.
one man, who was asked whether or not
the ticket which he offered TO sell, good
for a trip to Chicago. was a regular ticket
obtained from a railroad office. replied
that IL was "A regular ticket. and that he
did not suppose it made any difference
where it came from. Another more talka-
tive broker said that the ticket came
directly from the railroad office. The plan.
he said, was to buy a ticket for a
greater distance than the purchaser here
wanted To go. This ticket came at a re-
duced price on account of the long dis
lance. and was then split up into two
tickets. each Of which could be sold az a
less rate than the regular shOrt-haul
fare and this difference was divided be
tween the purchaser and the broker
As matter Of fact. IT Is well enough
known that the ticket-brokers do get
tickets directly from the companies Of
fees, and that without any rambling pro-
cess whatever. Instances have come TO
light where companies being in need OF
money have unlOaded large block OF
tickets upon brokers willing to bug at a
reduced price, and there are also many
Instances where. in times of railroad wars
In passenger rates, brokers have been
made the actual though private agents OF
railroad companies.
What the result OF the war which Is
poins 70 be waged On the tcIsot-DrOkers
will be IL Is hard to tell; but II may be
that before long the man around the cor
ner will have to buy his tickets as we do,
and that all three OF us will buy at Tess
than the present regular rate.
II is said that the sale Of one-fare
tickets 10 New York has been so inter
fered with by the brokerage system that
II is not far in the future when the rail
road companies will charge a single rate
Of $50. and refuse 10 sell a round-trjp
fare ticket.