Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-02-21

Railroad managers in all parts OF
ne country are considering the ad-
disability of abolishing news agents
and peanut butchers on trains. The
nublic has long regarded them as
nnisances. 1t is reported that quite
humber of railroads, following the
example of the Alton and Lehigh Val
ev will prohibit newsboys from rid
NO on trains, and will establish news
stands at all important stations.
The general passenger agent of a
prominent line, which is generally in
advance of railway companies with
now ideas and improvements for the
{betterment of the Service, when inter
Viewed on the subject of news train
agents had this 10 say:
"a think the day of the news train
agent is gradually drawing to a close,
and it will not be many years, if. in
fact it will be many months, before
lhev become one of the things of the
past. The privilege of selling news
papers. periodicals, candy, nuts and
various knickknacks on trains at one
kline brought a handsome return to
railway companies, and naturally
handsomer return to the news agency
controlling such privileges. For ex-
ample. this privilege 10 or Is years
ago brought us in all the way from
$4,000 to $4,000 annually, and 1t was
Tod hot thn
cleared for itself 500 900 to 1000 on
the years business. That was before
the day of the department store, be-
fore the day of cheap literature, and
when the cheapest literature was to
be had from the train agent. 1t was
during the time that the people living
along the line of railway at num-
Der Of smaller towns and cities as
sembled at the station about train
time, and the news agent acted for the
time being, and while the train was
at a stop in the station, as the sta
TONER and bookseller for the town.
Flmfammers
They were bright, clean-cut lot of
fellows who at that time occupied the
= position of train agents. They were a
better class of men altogether than
/ those holding similar positions today.
They We're paid then as they are paid
TODAY, on a commission basis, and a
good bright train agent could make
n in commissions from $1,000 to $500
year, while today one cannot make
more than $500 or s400 a year. The
result is that the train agent today is
! not of the responsible type. The news
omDanies do their best to select good
men and keep them in line. The
temptation, however, where train
| agent is working on a small margin
of S15 or $50 a month. is too great,
and very often these irresponsible
train agents work the flamfiam game
on passengers, the prize package, and
the pair of gold spectacles which they
have just found and which they are
willing to sell cheap, but at several
times their real value. The railway
company is, of course, held RESPONSE
bic for these Irregularities of the news
agents, and very often a railway com
pany makes a lasting enemy of a pro-
minent shipper and a good patron of
the passenger department, who does
not understand the railway company
IS only indirectly responsible, as the
privileges are under contract to out
siders. and under the contract the
passenger may be protected If he will
only make his grievance known.
The present and the old method of
handling the news privileges on trains
Is primitive it is dirty, shfftless
way, and unless it is closely watched
ny the officers of the railway com
panV II becomes a nuisance. These
ualn agents occupy with their boxes
'he space which could be used to ad
vantage many times for seating four
SIX or eight passengers. It would
never do to relegate the train agent to
'he baggage car and give him free
passage to and from the car He must
nav" his boxes in the coach: he must
u''piay his wares in various ways on
rue seats which he occupies with his
l''jh boxes. as well as by taking them
through the train for sale.
No Money In It.
mere Is no money. or at least very
money, In the business for the
NJ