The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-18

in fact, it is possible that he CLEANED that
information from some of the newspaper
mans friends at the depot. After a cigar
or two, during which time the conversa-
ton had been about commonplace things,
the man suddenly braced up, knocked the
ashes from his cigar, and shot the question
at his seatme te. The latter admitted the
probable truth of the statement, and then
asked the natural question:
well, ten years ago 1 was newspaper
man in Chicago. I never had a college
education, and while the city editor used
to say had the nose for news, could
not put my stuff into good English. So.
when the young blood began to come into
the newspaper Offices and the college grad
uate was no longer ridiculed by the old
fashioned editors, went out. l had a lot
OF good CLOTHES, but was out of lob I
hardly knew where to turn. when brieb +
idea struck me, and have been following
out that idea ever since
Il am professional traveller. NO [ do
not presume that you understand me. but
1 will explain. The Americans are travel
ing people, not tourists, but hustling trav-
elers That's premise No. l. Secondly,
foreigners are in the habit of visiting
America to see the sights. / thought of
this, and went to the general passenger
agent of great western railroad and I'M
folded my idea. 1t is this: There is al
ways a sharp competition for passenger
various
leading across the plains advertise extern
sively in eastern magazines, have bureaus
in New York and Boston, and send agents
to the landings of the Atlantic steamships
The purpose of these various kinds of adj
vertisements is to persuade tourists,
English, French German, or any other
foreigners who have come to see America
TO cross the continent to the Golden Gate
over the lines of a particular company.
Occasionally, there is a young and I'M
sophisticated married couple who need ad-
vice as to hotels and routes.
In a word, l am a personal advertiser.
l board the train at New York at least
twice week. l spot the travellers, get ac-
quainted with them and then insinuating-
ly ask them where they are going. After
/ learn, l ask them if they have ever rid
den over such and such a road. OF course
they haven't, and / remark casually that
l am going west as far as Chicago by the
b. and B., which is always the same road
that they intend to patronize. Then they
ask me If l know anything about the lines
west OF Chicago. / always do, you can
bet and l tell them that ] am an old trav-
eler. and that l have always found the
best service on the B., NJ. and w. I crack
the merits of the road up TO the limit 1
get a salary of 5000 a year for doing it,
besides my expenses paid to me by the
road. Then l continue acquaintance until
l get to Buffalo and / tell them that I
know the eastern agent of the b.. NJ. and
W., located in that city, and that l think
that / could, through my friendship with
him, fit them out with tickets over the 3.
NJ and w. to Denver or Frisco or any
place they want to go.
1T generally works, and 1 see them safe
ly on board the train and then suddenly
remember that have left my grip at the
parcel stand. j go back to get It, wait
until the train has pulled out. and then
board the next train for New York, where
l repeat the operation. I tell you, / did
a big business world fair year In the
winter I post up on the beauties of the
scenery along the g., M. and w, the SOL
emn grandeur and all that stuff and in the
summer time / tell of the beauties of the
plains. Did you ever see them? / think
they are the dreariest sight under crea-
ton.
incidentally I get a commission from
two hotels in Chicago for recommending
travellers to patronize them. That helps
out considerably. / have had a good trip
this time. Back in the next coach are
three young married couples on their way
to California. They came up from New
York with me yesterday afternoon and
stopped Off I'm Rochester overnight I got
acquainted with the men, was introduced
TO the three brides jollied them along. and
made myself generally useful to those
young husbands. The result Is that /
punched them all into Rochester ticket
Office this morning and made them buy
transportation TO Los Angeles by way Of
the h. NJ. and W. got commission from
the local agent, too"
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