The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-08-11
TIE EGTSAND INTELLIGENCE,
BEL AIR MD. AUGUST II, 1899.
SLEEPING CAR SECRETS.
Porter Tells How Some Employees
Make Money

Make Money.
One would think that the check sys-
tens OF today afforded no chances for
dishonesty, but the system used by tile
Pullman company, which seems almost
perfection itself, is dcfraudcd by at least
S5O0,UG annually.
viii cndeavor 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. y
dishonest coniurtor AMI porter would
"size them UP" and if they thought the
party "a!l right" the conductor would
probably issue passengers ticket, which
| would be filled in and punched correctly,
but would I'll in and punch the pnrters
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 mt his district office
after each trip Il check for every passen-
ger that has ridden On his car.
Then. again. Il conductor who is n 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.
portcrS OF the buffet cars are also ION
the make" Soups, sandwiches, peaches
bread and butter, tea, coffee, lemonade
and many other dishes are generally eN-
banded so that one order is served for
TWO. two for four. and so Oh. Just from
Boston to Mount Desert ferry | have
known portcrS To reimburse their purses
us much as $50 in this way. Their tips
would probably not amount 10 fifth Of
this amount.
All of these forms of dishonesty do not
20 OH forever. however, as sooner or later
you have stolen from an unknown Pull
man '<potter." There is Il small army
of men and women riding about the
country in the interest Of this company.
Their duty is not only to detect diShGn-
esty, hut incompCtency and inattcntion;
consequently every porter aud conductor
has his eye o.en and is constantly doing
his best, regardless of tips, for fear that
Il ''Spottcr might be on
The wages paid Portprs range from SD
Ia $40 month. On popular sleeping
ear line, such as the noted Bar Harhnr
express, porter receives but SO Il
month, but l would prefer that salary in
preference to any $50 position that could
lie 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 Il
salary of SO month, which In mos.
cases should be banked, as the tips In
these ears are generally sufficient to pay
3 considerable mans expenses. The high
est wages paid Pullman porter is $40 a
month. These positions are termed ''por-
ter i'll charge" as the porter performs
the duties OF both conductor and porter.
These positions are seldom givcn.-'A
Pullman Porter" in Springfield Repuh-
lican,