Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-11
PASSING or THE "rRAIx Bor.y
Railroads Moving to Exclude Vendors
From Cars.

Railroads Moving to Exclude Vendors
From Cars.
Chicago Tribune.
The passing OF the train boy is at
hand. Not the continual passing
through the coaches, with an accom-.
pauying shower OF cheap novels for iu-
spection and samples Of indigestible
candy for consumption. but his final
exit from the trains of the great rail-
way companies.
Following the lead Of the Pennsyl-
vania system, the Burlington lines
next month will exclude all the vendors
OF fruit, novels aud newspapers from
passenger cars while en- route. Pas.
eengers DESTROYS of securing books or
papers to read will be compelled to walk
TO car in which supply will be kept,
or wait for certain stations at which
the vendors will be allowed to pass
through. A similar system is in EXIST
enoe on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois
and the Eris roads, and railway officials
declare that other lines ara preparing
to follow the example, and that 10 a
short time the train butcher" will
have become but an unpleasant memory.
General Passenger Agent Eustie of
the Burlington line, says the removal of
the vendors is move toward the better
ment OF the service, and that the many
complaints filed by passengers had
much to do with the change. Other
passenger agents declare that the aboi-
tion Of the system is desirable, alt hough
the revenues to the company from it
are largo Depot agents and conductors,
who havo received many com plaints
from passengers about the dealings Of
the boys, will welcome the news OF the
bAnishment
The opportunities of the business
are such that boys who have any in.
clinaticn toward dishonesty are likely
to develop It, Veteran detectives assert
that many Of the professional CON
ndence men who frequent Chicago are
developed TRAIN boys, the rudimentN OF
their Illegal calling being learned while
working on trains. Many cases were
related where the boys had acted as
confederates to condolences men waiting
about the depots. and supplied the
information whereby some rural VISITOR
was robbed OF h,s money. IA
In way you can't blame The boys
much for grating, declared one
depot agent They were paid ON per
oentage OF their sales, 20aper cent on
night runs and IS per cent for days. A
good run OF 500 miles would hardly pro
duce more than s. in Gales, so that tho
boy would earn but 81. They were
compelled to furnish deposit OF SIS
for the goods intrusted to them, 10
buy uniform. and to pay 81 at the
depot for the care. taking OF the box
containing their wares. But II was no
uncommon sight to see the boys wearing
large diamonds and displaying rolls OF
money.
"They got the money by many
methods. Short changing the mas
senger was the favorite, and in this
many Of them displayed proficiency
that later carried them to hiRhtr
mounts of the craft. The sale of bogus
iewerySand prohibited literature also
was profitable. The stock is carried in
State street store, and oil the boys
are supplied with a full line. Near
the point where a bomewArd bound
farmer 10 about to leave the train ths
stun is exhibited with great pretenca
OF secrecy. The victim is informed
that the cheap watch or eilded
spectacles were found on the car floor
by the boy, who is anxious to sell them
at once before q possible search is made
at the end OF the trip. tts.s
advertising pamphlets in sealed
wrappers are also disposed of as litera
ture prohibited by the authorities. This
applies. of course, to the trains whose
runs do not exceed 400 or 500 miles,
and whose occupants usually are resi-.
dents OF the farming districts.
Association with professional
thieves is formed frequently, and the
information received by the boy from
ioquacious passenger often formed the
basis tor the ingratiation OF the con-
hdence men. OF curse, the company
employing the boys is not aware of their
methods. and there are scores Of honest
boys on the trains, but many are dis.
honest.
In the new system inaugurated by
the Burlington road which probably
will bs followed shortly by others. the
venuers will be allowed to pass through
trains at stations with papers and
periodicals, but the kiln dried boxed
hgs, petrified oaramels and dwarf
apples will be relegated to the region
where they still are novelties.