The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-10
ANOTHER RATE WAR
The Alton Charges the AtchisOn
with Slashing Passenger Fares.
Decrease i'm East-BOund Shipments from
ChieagO-TrOubles of Conductors
General Railway News.

ritory by cutting rates within il. and this,
1t declares. IL will not endure. The proper
way for the Atchison TO cut the rate is,
according to the Alton, to cut it between
St Louis and Dallas, and not between Chi
cago and Dallas. The Atchison has agreed
TO submit the matter to a conference and
abide by the decision 1t disclaims any in
ton OF demoralizing rates in the associa-
ton territory.
Woes of Passenger Conductors.
But few persons are brought in closer
relations with passenger conductors than
are ticket receivers on the Pennsylvania
lines. Charles j. Crane, one of the ticket
receivers at this point, and whose duties
bring him in contact daily with the con-
ductors on four divisions. in speaking of the
experiences and ~perplexities of tho passen-
ger conductor, said:
1.-THE traveller thinks it an easy task, as
he watches the knight of the punch make
his way leisurely through the car, perforat-
ing the little pieces OF pastboard, but active
experience would soon disabuse his mind of
such belief. From the time the conductor
assumes charge of his train until he makes
up his various and complicated reports TO
the ticket receivers at the terminal, his
mind must be active and judgment clear,
for the reason that he has not only the run
ning OF the train to look after. and for the
firm obedience to ironclad rules, regulating
the running OF the train, he is held respons-
ible- He also has his accounting depart
ment duties, which are those relating to the
collection of transportation. The different
kinds OF transportation are multitudinouS,
anc range from a ten-cent cash
with so many coupons attached
that some conductors have sug-
gested it should be put upon a reel for con-
venience. A Pennsylvania conductor is
well schooied in his accounting depart
ment duties, and must exercise prompt and
sound Judgment relative TO the validity of
tickets or other passage Equivalent They
bear In mind that they are dealing only
with the ticket itself. and must be gov
OF the ticket should not enter into any
question in regard to it's conditions. They
should be guided by the contract and make
no deviations from IT without special au-
thority.
Each conductor is furnished with a man
conceivable question relating TO the ac-
ceptance of transportation, and this is cor
rected once a year. In special cases, not
covered by manual of Instructions, the con-
ductor wires the ticket receiver to adjust
the matter.
There are two classes of dead beats-the
short ticket beats, who presents a ticket
covering but a few miles. when he intends
to traverse many more miles if he can
elude the vigilance of the conductor, which,
however is rarely possible with one of our
conductors. On one or the Louisville di-
vision rains recently an Indianapolis
Louisville and Indianapolis, hoping at the
end OF each Jump the conductor would
miss him. but the conductor had that man
spotted from the first collection, as he
knew his home was in INDIANAPOLIS, and il
was not probable that he would have any
business at a way station on Saturday
night. The second class of beat is that
class who are not really on the beat but
they think their children never grow old
enough TO pay half fare. and in almost
every instance, If IL happens TO be a lady.
abe vows that IL Is the first time she was
ever imposed upon in such a manner. The
latter class cause more grief to- the con-
ductor than any other"