New-York tribune., 1896-05-31

down the cement ways 10 the baggdge-cdrs, INC
| doors OF which have been thrown open wide.
| Within stands the baggagemaster and his as
| s!stant. Long before they have been al work
arranging for the end OF the run, and trunks are
| piled high and near the door. The baggage
| master. the trunks handed out to the
| porters. reads off the number Of each check on
every piece. and this is noted down by an Invoice
! clerk In his checking book. The baggage-maSter
be II known. did the same thing when he re-
ceived the baggage on board. Then in addition
to that he went through the car while in transit
and as further precaution pasted slip on each
trunk containing the number OF It's check In
pencil II by some mischance. the check strap
should be broken and the check lost In conse-
quence, the Identity OF the trunk would still be
clear. IT, the other hand the passenger
should lose his check ne will have to call at the
baggage-room and personally identify his trunk
or valise by giving an accurate description OF the
contents
one of the big trucks will conveniently hold
twenty pieces OF baggage II Is speedily loaded
and so easily Is the work done that there Is no
noticeable commoton. This accomplished. the
porters take the handles and the loaded
vehicle up the passageway. AS they approach
the baEgage-room. the screened doors give back
before their advance under the hands OF the
gateman. and the gates close at once behind the
truck for no one is permitted TO enter the bag
gage-room except the accredited representatives,
OF the transfer companies employees OF the rail-
roads whose business takes them there. The
convenience OF the corridorke extent Of the
room IS at once observable Suspended from
the ceiling beams az various points are numbers
running In order from 90 10 the numeral O. These
numbers represent the last numeral OF each
check number. Baggage from the New York
Central IL placed in properly assorted groups
along the right wall looking north In order TO
find any desired piece the porter simply gances
at the last numeral Of the check number.
ON the shelf above the vallses and bundles are
thrown. There they are out OF the way Of possl-
bic contact with diversified trunks. which would
crush out their young lives On the left hand
side IL placed the baggage received from the
New-York. New-Haven and Hartford end the
harlem division The same series OF numbers
serves for both sides. The simplicity Of II all Is
the most astonishing feature. yet II is the result
OF long years OF trial and experiment.
ACCOUNT KEPT OF EVERYTHING.
once the last trunk or valise is safely reposlng
In It's ordered place you might suppose that the
portcrs would sit down and wait for the next
train Not So They havo to keep account Of
stock. curly headed youngster, with a book
nearly as long as himself. curled up cn stack OF
trunks. cooked his heal In listening attitude
and waited. stalwart porter. mounted high
on the pile opposite began to take account Of the
vases on the shelf. He called off the numbers
with positively alarming rapidlty. but the curly
headed youth. his cap thrown far back on his
pate. calmly endured to the end and rever asked
that number be repeated Stock Is taken
ordinarily every twelve hours. but there is no
regular time for doing II. and the checking clerk
and porters may be called upon at any moment
for n reckoning Thus they are always ready.
The baggagenaster's sheet from the cars, the
checking slips "a the baggage is unloaded and
the stock slips from the baggage-room Itself are
all turned into the baggage departments OF the
various lines Station agents along the route
turn In their sheets that II Is possible to fol-
low right on the heels. to speak. OF a check
1t is never out OF sight OF the department. Let
II disappear from n single checking account and
there will be elemental evidences OF a storm
that will break with cyclonic suddenness over
some devoted head. The only safety for the
system lies in the unendng vigilance with which
Its provisions are carried out. Let slip occur,
1t Is always sure to happen with the baggage of
some unconeclonable ''kcker." and after he has
stormed about to his hearts content at the gate
men behind the screen. who are excellent listen
ems, they take their innings with him. and II is
generally found that he has traded checks with
some one unknowingly.
Let the traveller remember that the check Is
the only thing the baggageman looks at 1t Is
his receipt and once he gets It he will deliver
the trunk vase II calls for to any one pre-
senting It. There might be an exception.
weary William" OF the road, should he find a
toga; but externals being apparently equal the
baggageman has no right or call to question.
THE DELIVERY.
All incoming baggage for city delivery Is turned
over to the transfer companies. who carry 1t
away by exit doors on the east side OF the build
ing. They present the checks that have been
turned over to their train agents. and deliver
the baggage as far north as One-hundred-and-
eighty -ffth-st. on the East Side. and far north
as Northumberland seventy -ffth-st.. on the West
Side. and In Brooklyn (save the wards).
This is the limit Of the territory covered by the
New-York Transfer Company or Dodd's Express
Nearly 1000 men find employment with the
transfer companies.
These companies have another department OF
business, which Is rapidly growing as the con-
nections are perfected the country. 1t Is
what rs known as house-to house delivery. For
instance traveller living In New-York leaves
his address at the companys office shows his
ticket and says he wants that trunk delivered at
a given street number in San Francisco. He
goes his way and pays no further attention to
that particular trunk. His business may delay
him for month. but when he gets to San Fran
cisco his trunk Will be there in his room waiting
for him. This scheme was introduced about
four years ago, and in April the New-York Trans
fer Company handled 1000 pieces OF baggage
under Its workngs. 1t Is accounted a vast i'm
provement on the from-staton-to-s sta ton plan
for In this instance the passenger must be on
hand to recheck his belongings.