The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
SENHTE COMMITTEE HEARING
ON THE BILL TO PREVENT sCALPING
OF RAILWAY TICKETS.
Views of Commercial Travellers Pre-
sented by Robert Lyon-Arrest of
an Alleged Forger OF Tickets.

morning resumed its hearing on the anti
ticket scalping bill Pending the resumption
OF the testimony of George NJ. Mckenzie,
OF Chicago a statement was submitted 10
the committee by Robert Lyon, editor of
the Commercial Traveller, of ST. Louis. Mr..
Lyon said that f. ]. Feely, of Chicago, and
p. L. Dow, of New York, did not represent
the 350.0eo travelling statesmen of the coun-
try. While he did not desire to be under
stood as claiming to represent all of the
commercial travellers of the country. he was
absolutely satisfied that a great majority
of these travellers were in favor of the pend
ing bill. He thought it absurd to suppose,
as Messrs. Dow and Feely would have the
committee suppose, that the hundreds of
thousands of commercial travellers could
not make arrangements with the railroads
as favorable to themselves as the few thou
sand ticket brokers could make for them.
If it were not for the severe restriction
placed by the railroads on local rates, made
necessary by the business of the ticket
brokers, it would be possible for commercial
travellers to make much better arrange
ments for their transportation than they are
able to make. Mr.. Lyon held that, as
a business proposition, the railroads could
afford to sell transportation in large guam
titles at a lower rate than they could sell
small quantities. He held, therefore, that
the commercial traveller who was on the
railroads practically all the time was en-
titled to lower rates than the person who
travelled only occasionally and then a short
distance.
Mr.. Mckenzie, the Chicago ticket broker,
then resumed his testimony. He presented
affidavits from various ticket brokers in
Chicago, st. Louis, Boston, Louisville and
other cities setting forth that they had
purchased tickets directly from the author
lied agents of the railroads and IN some
cases receiving commissions thereon. In re-
spouse to inquiries by Senator Cullom, Mr..
Mckenzie named among the lines with
which he had done business in Chicago the
Big -Four, the Chicago & Great Western,
the c., B. & O., the Chicago e. Alton, the
Union Pacific, the Monon route, the Wis
consin Central the Canadian Pacific and
the Rock Island. He was unable TO afford
the committee details and particulars
corning the business dore with these lines.
Senator Elkins inquired what the annual
volume of Mr.. Mckenzie's business was,
and he replied that it aggregated, last year,
$3.50 600.
mo wonder you are making a fight
against this BILL, said Mr.. Elkins.
The questioning of Mr.. Mckenzie brought
out the statement that the bulk of his bust
ness was done over the weak lines. He said
that he could do little business with the
Canadian Pacific. because law of Canada
prohibited brokers in railroad ticke,s with.
in the limits of the Dominion. Mr.. McKen-
zie did not say that he himself had received
commissions from the railroads for the sale
of tickets, but he presented statements from
oil had hpa mai
missions from various railways. Upon
mileage books no commission was ever paid
by the railroads, the brokers having to pay
as much for the books as anybody else.
Senator Tfllman asked sharply; Cant
you produce some absolute proof, in the
shape of Cancelled checks or something else,
that these railroad men who have appeared
have lied? That's what we are trying 10
Mr.. Mckenzie then submitted some fur
Their statements of brokers, few OF which
had attached to them Cancelled checks.
Can YOU state" inquired Senator Gull
lom. what lines give you, personally COM
Il have been here several weeks replied
Mr. Mckenzie. ''and l can't say what the
exact conditions in my office now are.
We'll don't you know, persisted Mr.
Culiom. what is being done in your office
in Chicago whether or not you are gettng
commissions?
Il really cannot say" was Mr.. McKen-
zie's reply whether my office is now re-
ceiving commissions from railroads or
not"
discussion was opened some of the rail-
roads had withdrawn their business from
the brokers' When pressed for the names
of the lines he named only the Wisconsin
Central He admitted that he was not do
ing business. and had not been for a long
time with the Pennsylvania, the Baltimore
q Ohio and other lines.
DO YOU as brokers'" inquired Senator
Cullom pay heed to the state law requir-
ing that no railroad tickets snail De sofa
EXCEPT by authorized agents of the rail
.'Xe pay no attention to that law re-
plied Mr. Mckenzie.
s.Vhy?'' asked Senator Cullom.
I'VE don't think it is a good law was
the answer.
a queer condition of affairs if all people
should proceed on that plan. What eXpia-
nation have you 20 offer Oh that point?
Mr. Mckenzie said tkat 1t seemed to be
the result OF public OPINION regarding the
"You say said Senator Elkins. that in
1891 YOU did 4 business aggregating $660,000;
now what was your profit on that BUSH
nesS2"
that year we-my partner and had five
Offices Our aggregate business was 81 $780,
600 and our net profits about $S7 O00.'
This concluded Mr.. Mckenzie's testimony
and senator Cullom called on Mr. T. A.
Ford general passenger agent of the Penn
sylvania lines west of Pittsburg, who was
II the committee would grant him a little
time in which to prepare his statement. To
This request the committee agreed.
I In the course of Mr. MchenZie's state
ment he had presented TO the committee
certain .pasters" which the brokers had
used to extend the time of limited tickets
purchased from the Wabash road, the
pastors bearing the name of George IL.
Daniels now general passenger agent of the
New York Central road, who was at one
time the general ticket agent of the Wa
BASH Mr.. Daniels desired TO offer a brief
explanation of that statement. He said
that during the time he was the general
ticket agent OF the Wabash system he had
reprinted the entire stock of passenger tick
cts of their lines at a cost of $25, 900.
He explained that the pastors presented by
Mr.. Mckenzie We're used by the road in
the making out of limited tickets for the
convenience of the Wabash agents, and not
for scalpers. TIE particular pastors pre-
scented by Mr.. Mckenzie" said Mr. DAN
iels were used several years after / had
severed my connection with the Wabash
system. II is likely that many of the tick
cts even now being sold by the Wabash
bear my name l desire to say, en-
phafically as / can, that / never had any
connection with ticket scalpers, have never
broken a rate agreement and have never
sold tickets to anybody over any line with
which / was connected for less than the
Regular rates
The committee then adjourned, TO meet at
the call OF the chairman.
w. X. vANDERRILTvS SCHEME.
working to Merge the West shore