The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-08-15
SLEEPING CAR SECRETS.
a Porter Tells How Some Employees
MIKE Money.

MIKE money.
One would think that the check sys-
tens of today afforded no chances for
dishonesty, but the system used by the
Pullman company, which seems almost
perfection itself, is defrauded by at least
| 100000 annually.
l will endeavor to explain how it Is
done. Say, for instance, that party of
four bound for Quebec should board the
Pullman sleeper which leaves this city
nightly and wanted to pay cash fares A
dishonest conductor and porter would
''size them up" and if they thought the
party "all right" the conductor would
probably issue a passengers ticket, which
would be filed in and punched correctly,
but would fill in and punch the porter's
check to read, "One passenger, Spring
field to Quebec" thereby pocketing three
fares, or $3.50. This is divided equally
between conductor and porter No con-
ductor can be dishonest without being
detected by his porter, as the porter is
supposed to turn in at his district Office
after each trip n check for every passen-
ger that has ridden on his car.
| Then, again, a conductor who is little
timid would fill in and punch the porters
check, -Four passengers, Springfield to
Newport VT" as if they were not going
through to Quebec, and the passengers
check, -Four passengers, Springfield to
| Quebec" thereby stealing 81. So much
for the sleeping cars.
Porters of the buffet cars are also ION
the make" Soups, sandwiches, peaches,
bread and butter, tea, coffee, lemonade
and many other dishes are generally ex-
panded so that one order is served for
two, two for four, and so on. Just from
Boston to Mount Desert ferry l have
known porters to reimburse their purses
as much as 500 in this way. Their tips
would probably not amount to a fifth Of
| this amount.
All of these forms of dishonesty do not
go on forever, however, as sooner or later
you have stolen from an unknown Pull
man "spotter." There is a small army
of men and women riding about the
country in the interest of this company.
Their duty is not only to detect dishon-
esty, but incompetency and inattention;
consequently every porter and conductor
has his eye open and is constantly doing
his best, regardless Of tips, for fear that
a "spotter might be on"
The wages paid porters range from S1J
to $40 a month. On a popular sleeping
car line, such as the noted Bar Harbor
/
month, but l would prefer that salary in
preference to any $50 position that could
be offered me. 1t is worth double the
amount at times. The porters of such
sleeping car lines as Springfield to Lewis
and Montreal, Boston to Lewis and
Montreal, Boston to Bangor and many
other lines, pay $50 a month. The tips
on these lines are also good at times
Buffet car porters generally receive O
salary of $25 month, which in most
cases should be banked, as the tips In
these cars are generally sufficient to pay
considerate mans expenses. The high
est wages paid Pullman porter is $40 q
month. These positions are termed 'por
ter in charge" as the porter performs
the duties of both conductor and porter
These positions are seldom given.-"A
Pullman Porter" in Springfield Repub
! ican