Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-25
An Annual Pass.

CHAHTEE XXI.
An Annual Pass.
Timothy Margrave was, in common
phrase. good railroad man. He had adj
vanced by slow degrees from the fncum-
bency of those lowly manual Offices called
jobs. to the performance of those nobler
functions known as positions. Margrave's
elevation to the Office, of third vice presi-
dent and general manager was due to his
pull. This was originally political, but later
financial: and he now had both kinds of
pull. There is no greater arrogance among
us than that Of our railway officials; they
are greater tyrants than any that sit in
public Office. The General Some thing or
Other is q despot, the records of whose life
are written in tissue manifold; his ideals
are established for him by those of his own
order who have been raised to higher
power, which he himself aspires to reach
in due season. Margrave had gone high
as he expected to go with the corpora ton
whose destinies he had done so much to
promote; all who were below him in the
! Transcontinental knew that he held their
lives in his hands: all his subordinates,
down to the boys who carried long manila
envelopes marked r. R. B. to and from
trains called him IT.
Margrave had resolved that the railroad
was getting too much out of him and that
he must do more to promote his own
lows, and they had certainly treated
him we'll; but it seemed within the
pale of legitimate enterprise for him to
broaden his interests a trif1e without in any
wise diminishing his zeal for the Transcon-
tinental. The street railway business was
a good business, and Clarkson Traction ap-
pealed to Margrave, moreover. on it's politi-
cal side. If he reorganfzed the company
ny,6 AZ al l%n L
greatly fortify and strengthen his pull. Tim
Margrave's pull was already of consequence
and 1t would be Of great use in this new un-
dertaking; moreover, 1t would naturally be
augmented by his control of the little army
of traction employees. He proposed getting
some of the eastern stockholders Of the
Transcontinental to help him acquire trac-
ton holdings sufficient to get control of the
company; and, with Margrave, to decide
was to act.
Almost any day, he was told, the eastern
bondholders might pounce down and put a
receiver in charge of the company. Mar
grave did not understand receiyerships
according to High or Beach or any other
legal authority; but according to Margrave
they were an excuse for pillage. and it was
regret of his life that no fat receivership
had ever fallen to his lot. But he was not
going into Traction blindly He wanted to
know who else was interested, that he
might avoid complications. William Porter
was the only man in Clarkson who could
swing. Traction without assistance; he must
not run afoul of Porter. Margraye was a
master of the art Of getting information
and he decided, on reflection. that the
easiest way to get information about Porter
was to coax 1t out of Wheaton.
He always called Wheaton Jim" in re-
membrance of those early days of Whea-
tons residence in Clarkson when Wheato
had worked in his Office He had watched
Wheaton's rise with interest; he took to
himself the credit of being his discoyerer
Wnen wheaton called on his daughter he
made no comment; he knew nothing to
Wheaton's discredit. and he would no mora
have thought of criticizing Mabel than of
ordering dynamite substituted for coal in
the locomotives of his railroad When he
concluded that he needed Wheaton. he be-
gan playing for him. just as IL cashier had
been councilman or a member of the 1euis-
iature or large shipper or any other fair
prey. A--
He had unconsciously made a good be-
ginning by making Wheaton the king OF tbs
carnival he now resorted to that most in
sidious and economical form OF bribery
known as the annual pass
one OF these pretty bits of pasteboard was
at once mailed to Wheaton by the second
assistant general something on Marpra YES
recommendation.
wheaton accepted the pass as a tribute to
his growing prominence in the town He
knew tnat Porter refused railroad passes on
practical grounds, holding that such fayors
were extended in the hope of recinrocai
compliments, and he believed that a banker
was better off without them wheaton
whose vanity had been touched. could see
no harm In them. He had little use for
passes as he knew and cared little about
travelling. but he had always envied mon
who carried their ANIMALS" in little bra ca
s DUuno Hooks made FOR the purpose To be
sure was late in the year and
passes were usually sent out In Januarv
Dut this made the compliment saam
much more direct: the Transcontinentsj bad
.oIsotten MIN. and had thought it well to
10
that he must not make too much of the
raiiroads courtesy: he did not know to
which official in particular he was Indebted.
p .s ne ran into Margrave one evening at
the cluD ana decided to thank him
Hows trailer he asked as Marrrave
made room for him on the settee where he
Fair. Anything new?"
mo: it's the same routine with me- nre+tv
much all the time"
Il guess that's right. I shouldn't think
there was much fun in banking. You got
to keep the public too far away. like to
be up against people myself"
Banking is hardly a sociab1e business"
said Wheaton.
mo: a good bankers got to have cold
feet. as the fellow said''
But you railroad people are not consid-
cred so very warm" said Wheaton. 1.-THE
fellows who want favors seem to think So
BY the way, I'm much obliged to some one
for an annual that turned up In my mail
the other day. I don't know who sent It to
me-if It's you
Um?" Margrave affected to have been
wandering in his thoughts. but this was
what he was waiting for "Oh. guess that
was Wilson. I never fool with the pass
business myself: I've got troubles of my
own
Il guess I'll not use it very often" said
Wheaton. as If he owed an apology to the
road for accepting it.
Better come out with me in the car
sometime and see the road" Margrave sug-
gested. throwing his newspaper on the ta-
BILE.
I'D like that very much" said Wheaton
Where's Thompson now? Old mans
pretty well done up. amt he?'
He went back to Arizona. He was here
at work all summer. He's afraid of our
winters"
We'll. that gives you your chance" said
Margrave. affably. There amt any young
man in town that's got q better chance
than you have. jim"
II know that" said Wheaton. humbly.
rYou don't go in much on the outside, do
Wan Hr,,pf -