The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07

OF all tickets that are missing from every |
road I'm the United States The conductors |
are supposed TO make themselves familiar |
with these books. especially the parts that
refer TO their own road Whenever they
come across any Of these missing tickets
they can identify them by their books AS
every road numbers its tickets and also
has it's forms run in serial. and as no two
tickets are numbered alike or run in the
same series, it Is an easy matter TO identi-
~ any that are missing Every month
the Pennsylvania road issues a small folder
20 its conductors in which Is printed list
of all of the lost and stolen mileage books;
also a like report concerning all missing
clergymen's tickets which have been re-
ported. To watch this keeps a conductor
alert all the time, for should he take up
one OF these missing tickets as a regular
fare he Is held responsible and made TO
pay for IL.
The different kinds OF tickets that roads
use for various purposes are very numer-
Gus: as. for instance, there is a ciergyman's
ticket, which is something on the order of
a mileage book and only calls for half fare.
The railroads issue TO all ministers a book
which contains request blanks. and when
ever the minister desires to travel he
simply fills out one of these requests and
presents IL to the ticket agent, who fur
nishes the ticket. When the conductor
takes II up he must also collect the request,
which Is signed In his presence and also
before the agent. There are special tickets
for students and teachers, who travel at
reduced rates. as do all charity officers.
Besides these there is an employees ticket,
which Is issued for the benefit OF the en-
ployes OF other roads. These tickets are
solo at the rate of 1 cent mile. There
are a number Of other kinds OF tickets used
for various purposes, and the conductor has
10 be very careful I'm collecting them, for
should he not read the contract which Is
printed on them he might take up one that
Is invalid in every sense OF the word, and
then he would have to pay for it. There Is
quite trick In taking up tickets, and
conductor has to almost have the instinct
OF detective 10 ascertain what Is called
valid ticket. They are universal In saying
that the scalpers of this city are the
smoothest that they have TO deal with.
They claim that Il Is almost impossible TO
tell whether ticket Is good or whether its
date has been erased or not. a conductor
has to be absolutely sure that ticket Is
bad before he accuses the person, for IL Is
q serious offense to put any one innocent
off a train, and as the railroad companies
have lost large sums OF money from such
occurrences all conductors are instructed
10 be very careful and be absolutely sure
before they attempt to put passenger of.
About the only trouble that conductors
have with passengers Is in regard to seal
pers' tickets, or those bought from so-called
brokers. This class of ticket dealers has
become so shrewd that the conductors are
compelled to use magnifying glasses to be
able to detect them.
TROUBLE WITH SCALPERS.
In the summer time, when a great many
excursions are being run, the conductor has
his trouble with the scalpers. These brokers
will purchase excursion tickets, and IL
they are not sold before the limit expires
the broker simply grasses the date and
stamps or writes in one which will suit his
purpose. With the local tickets, which have
no contract printed on them and which are
made of cardboard, an erased date can be
told by the feeling of II, for IL the ticket
has not been tempered with 1t has smooth
glazed surface. but II an eraser Is used on
this. either rubber or acid, this glaze will
disappear and the surface will become dull
The long paper tickets that are used for
through passengers are much harder to de-
tect when tempered with than the others,
because changes cannot be told by the
touch Sometimes the scalpers become so
bold that they will, where the destination
OF ticket is written in with ink, erase the
whole thing and I'LL in an entirely different
destination and date of limit.
1t is very hard matter to convince the
holder of a ticket of this kind that 1t is
not all right, for the average traveller knows
that the law is on his side in regard to
being put off train. so often 1t is necessary
for the conductor to telegraph back to the
station where the invalid ticket is supposed
to have been bought and ascertain IL such
a numbered ticket was sold on that day.
This. however. can be done very easily, for
record OF all tickets sold is kept by the
agent. Usually when the passenger is con-
fronted with the telegram he will weaken
and pay cash fare. During the numerous
excursions that were run last summer a
large number of such tickets were taken up.
An instance of this kind happened on a
through train from the West last fall. IL
was at night, and the people were in the
sleeper. so the Pullman conductor took the
tickets. When he handed them to the reg
ular conductor, he at once saw that they
were not right. lie asked the Pullman
man who the people were and was told that
they were man and two women. The con-
ductor then knew that the tickets were in
valid, for two OF them had mems names
signed to them. He went at once to the
mans berth. and on awakening him the
man claimed that he had bought the tickets
all right. but also said that 1t was he and
his wife and daughter who were travelling.
The conductor thereupon demanded full
fare for the three of them. The man was,
however. persistent, but when he was told
that they would be put Off the train In the
middle OF a large woods he weakened and
paid the fare. He then wanted the tickets,
but the conductor would not give them 20
him. He protested and filed charges against
the conductor, but the railroad officials
stood by the employee because he was In
the right, for the orders are that conductors
shall take up all tickets bought OF brokers
OVERSTAY THE LIMIT.
Another class of people who cause con-
ductors a great amount OF trouble are those
who have overtsaid the limit OF their tick
cts. They will always put up the plea that
the company has their money and that
they Will ride without having an addi-