The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-17
TO DO The SCALPERS
TICKET AGENTS EARNESTLY DIS
cUss THE MEANS.
MINISTER WI THE FEATURE.
HE ORGANIZED THE FIRST RAIL.
ROAD IN CHINA.

The Guests Give Him nm 0vatiOn-W.
Well known Passenger Men Make
Addresses-Hardwic Is on Deck
as UsuaI-The Ticket Agents Spend
Pleasant Evening Mt Diltmore by
Invitation of Vanderbilt, and
Have "A Good Time Generally.
Asheville. N. c., Oct. 16.-Vigorous
warfare against ticket scalping is to
be waged by the American Association
| of General Passenger and Ticket
Agents, which opened its annual con-
vention here to-day. While no action
was taken on the matter to-day it was
freely discussed. and from the tone of
the discussion it was perfectly evident
| that drastic action against all railway
ticket frauds will be taken by the con-
vention.
Almost 100 members are in attend
ance. On behalf of Thomas Cook &
Sons of London, the secretary of the
association, A. j. Smith, of Cleveland,
presented to President H. c. Town
send, of the Missouri Pacific, hand
some gavel made from wood taken
from Admiral Nelson's. famous battle
ship, and mounted in gold and silver.
Seventeen new members were admit
| ted to the association, among them be-
| ing s. H. Aardwick, general passenger
agent of the Southern Railway, and F.
c. Smith, general passenger agent of
the Oahu Railway. the only railroad in
! Hawaii.
The discussion of the ticket fraud
question was precipitated by the pre-
sentation of two reports, one by George
H. Daniels of the New York Central,
other by F. c. Donald of the Western
Traffic Association, on the establish
ment of a protective bureau.
To Fight Ticket Frauds.
Mr.. Daniels report, which was com
plete in its details, reviewed the work
of the committee during the past year
in Furnishing frauds upon the railroads
and upon the public, perpetrated by
counterfeiters and forgers of railroad
tickets. The report indicated that leg
islation against ticket scalping was be-
ing pressed upon the legislature of
many states. and that already fa~-
orable action had been taken by
some of the legislatures. The estab-
lishment and maintenance of bureau
of protection by the railroads of the
country was recommended, the entire
work of prosecuting violators of the
law in relation to railroad tickets to
be performed by the bureau, without
reference to the particular line of rail-
way against which the fraud was COM
mitted. The money for the mainten-
ance of the bureau and for such ex-
penses as it might have to incur is to
be provided, according to the proposed
plan, by the various railroads in pro-
portion to their mileage. The PROPOSE
tions involved in the report were so
important and far-reaching that after
considerable discussion, which clearly
indicated the trend of sentiment, the
entire subject was made a special order
for 10 o'clock tomorrow.
To Insure Ticket Agents.
S. w. Cummings of the Vermont
| Central presented the report of a COM
mittee recommending the organization
of life insurance benefit insuring the
| members of the association. The prop
osition was opposed vigorously and
finally went over until tomorrow.
Considerable business of minor i'm
| portance was disposed of, many of the
subjects being deferred until some
subsequent meeting of the association
| An invitation was received by the as
sociation from Col. J. c. Hemphill OF
| Charleston, S. c., to visit Charleston
on Friday as the guests of the promo
ters of the Charleston and West In
dian Exposition. 1t is likely that
many Of the members will avail them.
selves OF the opportunity to visit
| Charleston.
Visited VanderbiIt's Palace.
This afternoon on the special invita-
ton of George w. Vanderbilt the en-
tire party of more than 400 took a car
riage drive to Biltmore, Mr.. Wander
bits great estate.
Tonight the association and assem-
bled guests were rendered a banquet
by the Southern Railway at the Bat
terry Park Hotel. 1t was an elaborate
and beautiful function. Those who re-
sronded to toasts were Minister WI
Ting-fang, w. A. Turk, assistant pas
senger traffic manager of the South
ern Railway; F. e. Boothby of the
Maine Central Railroad; p. S. Eustis
of the Burlington Route, and George
II. Daniels, general passenger agent of
the New York Central.
Cheers for Minister Wa.
The guests arose en- masse and
cheered as Minister Wus name
fitting tribute to the enthusi-
astic reception according him, Min
ister Wu said that as director of rail-
roads he had the honor Of organizing
the first railroad in China. He had en-
countered many difficulties, both in the.
transportation of passengers and of
| freight, but in a measure they had
been overcome. The best methods OF
both American and European railways
had been followed by China in the
conduct of it's railroads. but even yet
the operation of the lines was far
short of perfection. The conduct OF
the freight traffic. he said. had caused
the most serious difficulty in China
more difficulty indeed than had the
| passenger traffic. Just now there was
no need in China of the general pas
senger agent who performed in the
United States such conspicuous
work, but, he said. I'm 1850 the general
passenger agent will be very much
needed in China and then he will be
| given q cordial welcome"