The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-08
FEW ARE DISHONEST
RAILWAY PASSENGER CONDUCTORS
HAVE BEEN USJUsTLY ACCUSED.
Testimony OF Employees OF I~ndfnnnpo-
lis Lfnes-Passenger Rates I'm Great
Danger Of Decentralization.

teEoat- uotfceu an article IN the journal
a few days ago In which all passenger con-
ductors were practically branded as dis
honest men. All have to say about it is
that the writer must have been riding on
a road which has a bad set OF conductors,
or else he was out Of humor when he went
over the road II is twelve years since
a conductor has been discharged on the
vandalia lines for dishonesty. and 1 pre-
sumo conductors on that road are watched
as closely as on other roads. So far as
conductors stealing fares. there are very
few cash fares to steal at best, even were
one disposed to be dishonest. I brought
over this train from st. Louis to-day, 240
miles. handled 10 local and forty-three
through passengers. and have collected but
one fare, and in this case the passenger
met a friend and decided to go further
than his ticket admitted. and he paid $50
fare. l often go over the road without
collecting a cash fare. People along the
line have become educated TO buying their
tickets before taking the trains and !
wish il was a law that a person who
boarded a passenger train without having
a ticket was subject to imprisonment"
On OF the veterans on the Lake Erie &
Western. who was formerly employed by
the Indianapolis. Peru & Chicago. said it
might be that on that road the conductors
were old fogy fellows; they did not wear
expensive watches and chains, and wore
a suit of clothes as long as they were
Mt TO be worn by a man holding the posi-
ton Of passenger conductor. When they
got TO the end of their runs they quietly
went home and remained there until the
time came to resume work. He knew
tina he had never taken any of the COM
pany's money. and has not known when
spoilers were on the road, IL there had
of the passenger conductors were honest
men. and the percentage or honest men
among them would compare favoraoly Win
that In other lines OF business.
A Cincinnati, Hamilton a Dayton con-
ductor had read the article and tnouent
IL TOO wholesale In It's accusations ScH
sheep In the flock, but so far as the Gin,
innati, Hamilton q Dayton is concerned
he thought all had been weeded OUT, He
took no stock In spoilers, as they had 10
make a case IL possible to keep In en-
pioyment, and a very trivial thing was sum
Gent for them TO build a charge ON. very
Hamilton & Dayton lines. and If there was
one paid the manner the conductors re-
ports are kept would soon bring such a
transaction to light, especially II the rare
was not reported. What troubled MIN most
was that the passenger conductor had SO
much of the work of the auditor 10 DO;
in fact. a passenger conductor had 10 be
as well educated as the chief clerk in the
auditors department.
much OF his job 10 take any or the COM
pany's money. and was very careful 10 note
anything peculiar which occurred on ms
train when collecting fares. one little thing
occurred which made him the more careftl
In those matters. A passenger once boarded
his train with a mileage book when was
$40 short Of paying his fare. Il took his
mileage" said the conductor. and then col
lected $1.10, and 1 afterward learned that
there was a spotter on my tram, ana ne
reported me as taking a cash fare from a
certain point TO Indianapolis. whereas l col
lected for only about forty miles out or In
~dianapolis. A few days later i was sum
AFFAIR. I told the superintendent that l did
not then remember the circumstances, put
1 was satisfied that IL they would refer 10
something similar TO the case above al
luded to, and examination showed my state
ment TO be correct. But, coming oown 70
facts, too much Is expected OF passenger
conductors. We are expected TO look after
the running OF the train. collect the tickets,
report in a careful manner all the cash
fares paid. and do much or the work OF inc
auditing department. We run from $500 to
1000 miles a month, and get siIo OF
whereabouts for a months work, wniie the
engineer. who has much less responsibility,
gets from $50 to sl65 per month. The mis-
take OF the companies is not paying con-
ductors $50 per MONTH Tnis WOULD give
them a salary on which they could comfort
ably support their families, and. when away
from home, stop at a good hotel. and do
credit to the company. On some roags tney
month. and then complain IL there is any
srregularity In the conductors report He
thought the writer of the article a = oe conc 10
ductors than those running on the Big Four.
Another Big Four conductor said: There
was a time when l was conndeht tners Mas
a had CLIQUE OF conductors on the road, but
they were weeded out under a former man
agement. aud L am confident the present
49, aud dnnI hnn-
conductors are upright men anu yea nun.
that there are dishonest men in all lines OF
business, and often honest men are unJustly
classed with the dlsh ION able o cneduct ne-
were called before General superintendent
Van Wrinkle TO explain matters, and the
surertntendent stated to them that most or
fhe irregularities came from not being as
well informed as they should be. IN most
cases the men having been. promoted freight
perienca in collecting fares. but could ham
de trains as well as the veteran passenger
conductors" 80
said: "a man must be brighter than am
II he wishes to increase his wealtn py
stealing cash fares from the company. 4
most cases where conductors have been
discharged II was because they were IN
competent TO hold the position. The mile
age book has come into so general use
that where tickets are not purchased the
passenger will have a mileage book. Cash
fares on the Pan1anQle INES are stiuOtu
offered. and no man would be fool enough
10 jeopariize his employment for the sake
OF putting a few dollars in his pocket. with
the chances being one 10 ten he would De
found out"
Other conductors we're spoken to about
the matter. and the general tenor of the
remarks were that dishonest conductors
were few, and that the roads had so pro-
tected themselves against dishonest con-
ductors that they were soon discovered
and retired. but all thought that the posi-
ton OF a passenger conductor was such
that he should be paid a larger salary.
An ex-conductor. in speaking on the sub
ject OF dishonest conductors, said: II don't
believe that a spotter can any more ride
on a passenger tram and correctly check
fhet train than he could stand In a gro
Gerry store and. from observation. make a
correct report OF the days business. The
number and amount OF cash fares paid
conductors Is trifing compared witt what
IL was a few years ago, for the reason
that the compensation OF agents is made
TO depend largely on the receipts from sale
OF tickets: consequently every effort is
made to sell tickets: also, all the larger
cities. like Terre Haute indianapolis, Gin
clnnati and Chicago, have gates TO their
train sheds. through which passengers are
not allowed 10 pass unless they have tick
cts. There Is another thing that works
TO the disadvantage OF conductors. BY
reason OF their coming In contact with the
travelling public the hotels consider them
valuable friends TO have. for the reason
that they are enabled TO direct and at
tract custom. and. while they usually
stop at the best hotels in the city. they
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