The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-18
s NOT HONEST BUSINESS.
Mr.. Boyd's Strung Arraiqnment Of
Ticket Scalping.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS CITED.
Hc shows that Railroad Tickets Arc
stolen mud sold 10 scalprrs, 0c-
casiontnr Much Trouble.

Washington. January l5.--s'NNe have all
ways locked upon the business Of tho Ticket
lscalpers as illogitimatc.'' said sesWlant
i General Passenger Aren't ceoTSc ". Ecya.
lot tho PENNSYLVANIA railroad before the
senate Interstate eommerrc copNnHtec y,s-
lterday for the reason thas they aea con-
lstanily porpctrating irpnas on the poor aud
ignorant class OF people. who ara entitled
Ito the protection Of all WILL rult lated rail-
roads. This ii accomalishcd bv the use OF
altered, forced. and stolen tf.scta. and bv
the adoption OF other dishonest means 10
rob that class OF people, who travel nc-
casioneiy and who arc not familiar With
| the railway ticket system IN this country.
sca,pcrs do not create travel ep1 arc not
therefore n benefit to railroad companies.
and no Well managed TRANSFORMATION line
can dcal With them without having its reyc-
nues depleted rather than cn'arscd.'
In tho conrsn of his testimony Mr.. BOYD
claimed that n very Urge porcantage OF.
| the revenue derived by the scApcrs Is Sc.
cured from stolen und spurious tickots. ind
| said that he felt warranted In saying that
| 10 per cent OF all tickets stolen from pass
helgers and railroad comuanies End their
way into scalping Offices and are .asold 10
| the public
1.-THE TRUTH ABOUT TICKET ScALPING
Ticket scalpers." continued MI. Boyd
"insist that they are u benefit to people
who travel. for the reason that they Fell
them tickets Mt lower rates than those
quoted by tho very railroads over Which
passengers must travel. aud that tits Is
| accomplished without inconvenience TO the
people or injury to tho revenues of trans
pnrtation lines. II this were ituc, thora
could bn no serious objection 10 mo scalp
or OF his methods. but we claim bat the
very reverse In the cane. People who deal
with senlpofa are seriously .nconNantcnceh
for the reason that they are given tickets
by clrcultous routes, and often subjected
TO delay and extra expense by having In
their possession tickets not valid for pass
age, while the revenues Of railroad COM
panies are reduced through the ,nanipuia-
ton OF excursion md other forms q ucheth
sold at reduced rates in consideration of
the original purchasers agreeing 10 use
them within a specified period. 1t liz also
truro that scalping Offices are n constant IN
eohtive 10 employees who handle railroad
tickets to become dishonest and tlis view
OF the case is confirmed by the Records Of
prominent railroads. which show that large
numbers OF .iekcis have been stolen and
sold TO Ecalperk. thus compelling the COM
panies 10 carry two and In some instances
three passengers on the same ticket
RAILROAD TICKETS PERSONAL CON-
TRACTS.
Mr.. Boyd cited cases whoro train en-
ployes had stolen tickets and sold them 10
scalpers and then urged that railroad !
ticket was not property which oomld be |
sold or transferred. II VAS merely a per- |
soDal contract between the purchaser ana
the company. "'rhe ticket Is not his. said |
4 ..s.IN - a ~ h.a
company has performed the service agreed
Upon and then returns II 10 one Of itE
agents, who is acting Tor the company IN |
the execution OF this service. The ticket
belongs 10 the company, and when lis func-
ton has brcn performed II becomes part |
OF tho companyB records.
"rhe function nf the baggage check 10
Identical with that of the ticket 1t W ihe |
evidence that common carrier has agreed
to transport certain baggage, aud when he |
service has been performed and the check
the carrier delivers no the bag
gage. The check is not the property OF
the passenger but belongs TO the company. /,
and " In the natural order OF eypnts sur
10 lis agent. In case the purr
pbnger,-of u railroad ticket elects TO end
HIS journey before be reaches the drstina-
lion named thereon, the unused norton IN
not his and can not legally no disposed OF
10 any other than thu company which Is
sued IT,"
GOOD TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
Mr. Boyd fsid that the railroads fur
lipised ticksts At the lowest possible rate
consistent with fair narein Of propt J
The passenger business Of the ranpiry" (,
laid he. rs being banded IN senvble
business bssis and MS result Inc necplc
,rc being provided with better transrorta- |
ion facilities and lover ratss. and are pnt-
er accommodated today than oyer before
h the hiDtery ~ .lii. country.
lie showed how the scalpsrs send tneir
,wn representatives 10 regular railroad
Irkct offices and purchase signature and s
,iher forms OF contract tickets take them y
o their own Offices and sell them subject ]
q conditions entirely different from those
on their face. often inducing In
experienced travellers 70 forge tignatures