The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-04
OUTWIT THE SCALPERS
STRINGENT MILEAGE BOOK RULES
IN EFFECT ON WESTERN LINES.
Distribution Of Business on the Trunk
Lfnes-The Pennsylvnnis to Cut
the Time Another Hour.

The new rule governing the sale and use
OF mileage books on the thirty or more
roads In the Western Passenger Association
went into effect June /, and hereafter
mileage found in the hands OF any but iegit-
innate holders will be taken up by the pas
senger conductors and full fare collected.
On the cover of each two-thousaDd-mile
book is punched the physical description Of
the purchaser including age. sex, color Of
the eyes and hair, complexion and stature.
The conductors are instructed to closely
compare the description punched on the
covers with the appearance Of the passen-
gers presenting the books. AS an additional
safeguard passengers also sign their names
on the strips of mileage torn OF by the
conductor, who in turn records the date
and the number OF the train on the mileage.
All this Is done with the expectation of
preventing the ticket scalperS from oeallns
Two-thousand-mile books are sold for so
each. with a rebate OF $40 for the covers
When the mileage Is exhausted the holder
OF the cover must present 1t TO the mileage
bureau for redemption. Chairman CaldWel,
OF the Western Passenger Association, Is in
charge or the bureau, and ne mas Iull au-
thority TO investigate any case where ne has
the slightest suspicion that the applicant Tor
rebate Is not the original purchaser, and II
his suspicious are confirmed he viii refuse
to redeem the cover, which will mean a
dead loss of $40 TO the manipulation Of the
ticket
There Is considerable red tape to be gone
through before a mileage-book purchaser
can recover the rebate for the cover. lie
must certify that he is the original purchas-
er OF the book to the agent to whom he
presents the cover for redemption. His sig
nature IS compared with the signature on
the book, and the ticket agent attaches his
own signature as witness and gives a re-
ceipt for the cover, which is then sent to
the meage-ticket bureau. All mileage tick
cts are to be limited to one year. Each
road IS to make weekly report to the
chairman OF all sales or one-thousand and
two-thousand-mile tickets, which Will be the
only form OF mileage books on sale after
to-day. No line can withdraw from the
agreement except by thirty days notice
Looks Brighter for the wabash.
General Manager Ramsey. of the Wabash,
has been in New York lately conferring
with directors as regards matters affecting
the company. He says the condition of the
property is being greatly improved at the
cost OF operating expenses, nothing being
charged therefor to construction account.
April. for instance. the increase in OPP
Grating expenses, amounting 10 $4,000, came
entirely from this cause. The company
spent in that month approximately $4,000
moro than In April last year on the per-
manent way, of which. more than 200 is
accounted for by steel rails. Tie company
Is putting in eighty-three-pound rails, which
Il the heaviest section ever employed on the
road. 1t Is Mr.. Ramsey's opinion that be-
fore very long the condition of the Wabash
Will have been permanently improved to
such an extent as 10 enable the operation
ings, instead of about % per cent, as at
present. 1t may be mentioned that the COM
pany figures It's train mileage on the most
liberal basis, so that It's statistics in this
respect are more significant. Mr.. Ramsey
thinks that II Is safe to allow about 80 cents
as representing the amount saved for every