The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-09

IDLE, hoping that they would win out,
but there is not much hope left now, and
the strikers have been advised to go and
seek other Jobs. AS matters stand at
present the railroad has declared that it
will not allow the strikers to return to
work, and it is said that it has almost a
full complement of workers and that
satisfactory work is being done. -
1t iAEery evident to railroad people
that - new management of the Sea-
board is doing a
HEAD CHOPPING great amount of head
ON THE chopping in it's vari-
SEABOARD. Gus departm $.
Many officials have
been dropped and, in number of cases,
it was stated that the officials had re-
signed. Lately, however, many of these
officers, who were dropped declared
without hesitation that they were asked
to resign, and, the reason given to them
was that the Seaboard was making big
reductions in it's expense account An
officer in Atlanta, Ga, who was dropped
by the Seaboard, printed card in the
Constitution the other day in which he said
that he did not resign, but that he was
simply cast aside. For months many of
the officials holding the positions of less
Importance have been rather groggy about
their chances.
The railroads in Augusta have quietly
established weighing bureaus without no.
tifying shippers and
A TRAP TO have for several days
CATCH past reweighed and
SHIPPERS. examined all freight.
They have found
shortage in weight varying from fifteen
to 900 pounds in single shipments, and
found packages marked in one class be-
longing to another of higher freight rate
Merchants justify themselves by declar-
ing that rival soliciting freight agents
have said to them I'VE can't cut our
rate, but you can mark the weight and it
will go through"
The railroads say this was unauthorized
and there is quite a sensation among
shippers growing out of disclosures by
weighing bureaus.
Although ticket scalping was supposed
to have been given it's death blow when
the presidents agree
RAILROADS ment abolshing COM
HELP missions was adopt
THE SCALPERS. ed and the way was
supposed to have
been found for wiping the brokers en-
gagged in it off the face of the earth, the
business still fiourishes, and majority OF
those who found it lucrative for years
still keep their offices open, prepared TO
supply patrons with almost anything they
may want.
While possibly absolutely indisputable
proof cannot be furnished just at this
time, says the New York Commercial, it
is nevertheless fact that FIVE of the
strongest lines in the country, with a
sixth under grave suspicion, are paying
commissions, not to ticket agents, but to
ticket brokers. Three of them are in
Joint Passenger Committee territory two
of these doing business between New
York and st. Louis and two and perhaps
three are in Western Passenger Asso-
citation territory.
In the face of all this al is not surpris-
ing that more tickets a<being sold in
brokers' offices and more persons may be
seen lined up along their counters than
in any of the regular offices of the rail-
roads The scalpers had a hard time
during the first year that the anti-com-
mission agreement was enforced some
of them having little or no capital,
but today they are doing a good business,
simply because some Of the railroads have
failed to live up to the compact they
we're expected to obey in letter and spirit
in the strictest possible manner"