The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-24


occupant of berth in a sleeping-car
oyersleeps, and is hastily routed out
10 make a way station at an early hour
in the morning. he usually leaves his
pOcket.bOok. or watch. or some piece Of
personal property in the berth behind
him only to realize the fact when, half
awake on the station platform, he goes
through his pockets while the train
speeds away miles beyond. Railroad
men have found this earelessness so
common that system whereby lost
property can be collected and reclalm-
ed has become a natural development
IN the departments which have to do
with the comfort and convenience Of
the passengers. The instruction of en-
poyes Is frst necessary to the efficiency
Of the lost-artlcle department. Porters
are under orders to search their cars
thoroughly at the end Of each run.
Conductors are also held responsible,
and even then. when the car is sent to
the shippers In the yards, the cleaners
often find lost property tucked away
under seats and carpets or behind
steam-plpes. Everything thus found is
taken to the nearest terminal, from
whence with description 1t is report
ed to headquarters.
Up town, neor the Grand Central sta
ton. is the central bureau or head
quarters OF one OF these lost-artlcle de-
par,mcnts. Here lost property comes
,ral!ing in from Seattle and st. Louis,
and from Cincinnati and Portland. Me.
rs /, comes in 1t Is assorted. entered
upoa the compaHy's books, and filed to
await claim. Communication and the
carrying of packages between termi-
ra's and headquarters is accomplished
by means Of closed pouches aboard the
pa,acc-cars. Between New York and
cech Of the terminals there are four
po.ches in operation. One pouch is al
ways at the Office at each end Of the
lire. and two constantly on the road
between. Each pouch is closely
watched. and even though It's contents
mas he but collar button or pair of
GUYS. It is duly receipted for and It's
passage checked from car to car on its
Journey up or down the line
list Of articles on hand at head
quarters will run from purses and val
nab'e j,welry, railroad tickets, etc., 10
toilet sets. wearing apparel. and sleep
irs-gowns. On cars coming up from
the south such strange pets as horned
ioats, snakes. and centipedes have
been found. sent to headquarters, and
reclaimed. Record even is had of Ia
bics being left behind hy excited nurse
maifg. to be found and carefully tended
by the railroad men until the parents
Identity their own again. Sets Of false
teeth are said TO be qrlte common oh
j,cts in the packages labelled lost
and sent on to headquarters. Probably
Tie atrurEeat "find' made ky a porter
Of sleepIrg-car was wooden leg, re-
pc ted by an agent at n southern ter
mlHal. What the circumstances were
surrounding this useful appendage the
books Of tho lost-article department do
not explain, but the owner was prompt
with the necessary Identification, and
he recovered his property.
Notwithstanding the number Of lost
articles returned to their owners-and
the manager of the local office says
these average five day-the store
room Of the car company UP town has
iair.slzed stock of goods which repre-
scn,s the accumulatIons OF years. The
stock does not include the linen and
general clothing. which. after remain
Ing several months unclaimed. Is given
to hospitals and the worthy poor.
"Of course" said the manager OF
one of the two large palace-cnr COM
panies before their consolidation,
there are large number OF things
lost by our passengers which we never
ind. These are principally articles ex-
changed by absent-mInded persons,
who either never take the trouble to
correct their error, or who are so salts.
fed with the exchange that they don't
care to recover their own. Then, again,
We have found in our experience with
the travelling public, that thieves who
ride In palace-cars do not wear pla-
cards denotlng their profession"
The manager secuted the idea that
porters managed to get away with n
large amount of property left behind in
their cars. These men," he said, ARE
never taken into our employ unless
they can show an endorsement of their
work for the past five years. These
must be verified, and of the large
number OF applicants we take our pick
from the best men. We seldom secure
rascal. Colored porters, as a rule.
are an honest lot, but oftentlmes one
goes the crooked path in service"
An old employee In the railroad SER
vice was porc sceptlcal than the
manager as to porters You can't
Judge porters," he said. 1--WE heard of
boys finding property. day after day,
and turning 1t in Just as quickly as
they found It, only to finally yield to
temptation and keep the next well-fllled
pockct-book they found These men
don't prosper, though, for they gener-
ally get pinched' in the end. Then It's
over the walls. sure A paIace-ca,
these days is pretty snfe ptace-ex-
oept in a collision, and then we are all
apt to get Iamnod."