Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-25

knew nothing about 1t, and the man lost
his money. Son etimes these people will de-
wise names / remember hearing of a draft
that our association found last year drawn
on Maj Stickmud. St. Louis This trick
Will work very well sometimes with ignorant
people. who do not know how many WAYS
there are to be swindled.
II had no idea" continued the broker
that there would be SO many of these ia
KRIS here this year. They seem to increase
In numbers every season, and wherever
they go they leave us behind to stand the
blame of ell their questionable practices
There are only two associations in this
country, the American and the Guarantee
am member Of the American, which /
consider the best. and which held a con-
vention here last May. We have a rigid
system of fines and penalties which makes
US DO our business In legitimate way II
anybody loses by transacting business with
US. they have recourse to the association,
which compels us to refund These people
are wholly irresponsible"
AT this moment a couple Of women enter
ed and asked for ticket for Niagara Falls
by way OF Philadelphia The broker ex-
planned that he had no such ticket but that
ne could sell one to the falls by way of
Baltimore and the Northern Central The
woman demurred saying that she had Just
been offered such a ticket as she wanted
VINO offered you that ticket?' asked the
broker.
The woman produced a neatly printed
card. giving the name of a firm at a GER
tain lumber on the avenue, and bearing
at the top these words: Members of the
Natior al Ticket Brokers Association"
See there?" exclaimed the broker, turn
ing 20 the reporter. Il never heard Of such
people. There Is 40 such association as the
national. These men are merely fioaters
and i viii bet this woman SIC that they
cannot sell her today such a ticket as they
claim to have. They make these represen-
tations merely to take business out of our
pockets. Why. / even heard that last night
negro was pulled into one of these es-
adjustments down street, and the propri
etor of the ticket Office and his runner
were going through his pockets, when the
owner Of the place came in and ordered
them to pick up their traps and leave. He
had their rent for week and kept it Sup
pose they shcUh get your money by selling
you fake ticket. BY the time You have
returned to Washington from your trip
they may be in Plttsburg under different
names. and nobody knows where they will
go next or how to find them. These are
not branch houses. mind You. OF regular
brokers in ether cities, for t..t IS q prae-
tice that is rot permitted by either Of the
associations. Our territory Is part OF our
away from US except by our consent
What Railroad People Say.
The itinerants are regarded by the rail-
road people with even less favor than by
the regular ticket brokers. In fact. the reg
ular men or association brokers are not
heartily loved by tine railroad folks, but
they are tolerated because they do bust
ess on a fairly square basis and are amen
able TO certain regulations.
They are not, as q rule, given to sharp
practices. such as forging the name Of the
holder OF what IL called an ''ironclsd
ticket" Said one Of the railroad ofncials TO
to lose great deal OF our regular business
after each Of these great gatherings. to
which one-rate tickets. are sold. We know
that IN the nature Of Wings there win be a
holders and bought by people who take sd-
yantaue OF the opportunity TO make their
trips, to other cities. But II Is very unide-
sirable that this business should get into the
hands OF these foaters. or irresponsible
men. for they hesitate at nothing and.
though they injure our business very little,
they make people shy OF railroad tickets on
general principles. The only way we can
protect ourselves is to reduce the time lin
Its on the ticket as lew as possible. but that
Is only partial protection. Some roads sell
ironclad tickets and make the purchaser
sign contract: and this signature must be
initiated In order to transfer the ticket to
a third party. But these tickets are not
especially effective, and they are gradually
being discontinued. 1 suspect that the sue
cess of the regular brokers, who really do
large business. has drawn these itinerants
into the field with increasing numbers.
have been in the railroad business In WASH
ington for many years. but never saw SO
many scalpers' Offices on the avenue as
there are today. Ten days from now they
will almost all be gone. and have no doubt
that the folks that go to Pittsburg will see
the same faces and hear the same voices
that We are getting now"
A Talk With an Itinerant.
The itinerants themselves put on a bold
front when questioned as to their methods
Of business. The reporter allowed himself
to be pulled in by one of the most vocifer-
Gus Of the runners and then revealed his
identity. He'asked the proprietor where he
had been located>Jast.
why" said the broker, grinning and
pushing back a package of tickets into a
drawer from which he had taken them to
offer 10 the customer. II have been located
in Washington for seven years. / Just NOV
ed down to this stand a few days ago. You
had better let me sell you a first-class
ticket TO Cincinnati" =
"How's business in Cleveland?" asked the
reporter, innocentiy lingering a time table
Bully! First class 1t was-ah, that is i
near II was very good. The broker was
taken en- his guard for the moment but
Immediately resumed, Il have a brother in
business In Cleveland. and he wrote me
that trade was very brisk there"
DO you expect to go to Pittsburgh ask
ed the reporter, after a desultory converse
ton about the weather. time limits. etc
- w ny, cert that's too good a field to miss.
vi course you know l will arrange to send
an agent there"
And as the reporter walked I'D the street
ne couid hear the strident tones Of a run
into his net. -'''
WINE TANKS IN FRANCE.