Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-04
ABOUT PULLMAN CARS.
Secrets ms to the Economic Methods
Under Which They Are Run.


From the Chicago Inter-Ocean
Tie train from Nashville was nearing
Chicago, and in the smoking compartment
of the sleeper Ga1atz four passenger5--a
doctor a drummer" merchant and
newspaper man-were enjoying the last
cigar together.
The porter came in with tin box about
ten inches wide, foot high and fourteen
inches long.
Say, Joe, Is that your safety deposit box,
where you carry your tips?" asked the doc
tor.
No san: dat's my Equipment box" an
swered the porter.
Equipment box?" repeated the drummer
Yes sall where I carries my Equipment
the things we use in the car said the
porter.
Lets look at that box?" suggested the
merchant. who was of inquisitive ra-
ture.
.'Certai, ly, sah," said the porter. opening
the box. I'm these little racks In the lid
are six combs In the box there are six
hair brushes, six whisk brooms, four rolls
! of MANILA paper, ten cakes of soap, ten
boxes of matches. six glass tumbieTs, one
piece of chamois skin. combination berth
and gas key, screwdriver. pair of lamp
shears and a comb and brush for my own
pusSonal use
But you have only nine cakes of soap
here, and four of them partly used,
remarked the doctor.
Eyes: there was one cake short in the
ladies' laVatory dis morning. 1 hates to
say it, continued the porter. with a look
of real sorrow on his face but men Is
heap more honest than women"
What makes you think So?"
well in the five years I've been running
a sleeping car between Chicago and Nash
vile men haven't taken anything but box
of matches once in a while but the women
! Lord bless 'em!-they take most every
thing: soap. combs brushes, towels, brooms
and glasses
! 'Do'you have to pay for them"
mo: for the company knows just how 1t
happens Unless l saw woman actually
taking the things | couldn't say anything,
and if 1 Gid I might strike just the wrong
person. and it would cost me my job"
What becomes of the soap that's been
used? Do you get that?'
mo, indeed; that soap helps to pay the
dividends on the Pullman stock. It's just
by saving little things that poor folks
throw away that other men get rich. Every
piece of soap If it isn't bigger than your
little finger. has to be returned to the
storekeeper He sends it out to Pullman.
into stuff for cleaning carpets"
Are you sure it isn't made up into new
cakes of soap and used in the cars?
"Oh, no, sab; Mr.. Pullman would Fever
allow that. The only thing we use again is
brushes.
What brushes?"
Hair brushes. We used to throw them
away, or rather the company did, after
they were soiled from use, but now they've
got scheme for making them clean and
good as new"
as it a patent process?"
"Oh. no: they just sprinkle powdered
borax over the brush and then sGuse the
brush in water. 1t takes every particle of
1irt out of the brush and the briStles are
left white snow. They are not quite so
stiff perhaps. but are sitter than before
they treated with boraX. The Pull
man Company, after cleansing the brush
with boraX, sandpapers and varnshes the
backs. Three of the ten brushes in my
box have been cleaned that way. and no.
body would ever know it if 1 hadn't told
you. Just RENE mber this and don't throw
away a good hairbrush when you can take
five cents worth of boraX and little wa
ter and make it good as new" and the por-
ter locked his Equipment box" and col
lected mis- last tip as the train rolled into
he Dearborn street station