The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-02

~ LAS DGCOLHt bVL16NnhI InONl1cQ
in recent years, the custom Of free tickets
Is still astoundingly extravagant among
many agents. The theatrical press agent
sometimes gives out as many free admis-
sions to a performance as are issued in the
same town by a circus. 1t Is called paper
ing the house. and Is TO secure an audience.
That the circus agent never does,
This theatrical custom Of tipping with
free tickets has become so securely fixed
that certain railway and hotel officials re-
gard is as a sort of a perquisite to which they
have a right. 1t Is q common thing for the
man IN uniform to prese mt himself at the
Office OF the advertising car manager and
demand tickets for himself and family.
Even conductors are not ashamed TO do II
on the ground that their train hauls the
circus car.
Freight conductors. engineers. flremen.
brakemen, hang around everywhere, anx-
ious to obtain the free ticket favor. Some
are too timid to ask outright. others put up
a grand blum, as il demanding a right
In the baggage room OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad at Pittsburg one time the baggage
master approached me and said:
Il want four tickets to the show. please"
looked him over for a moment and being
somewhat ratified at his assurance stam-
mered that l had no tickets.
You're the press agent for the Barnum
show"
yes. sir"
We'll, you can just write me out an
order, and he Immediately presented me
with a sheet OF paper and pen.
By then / had recovered my breath.
Il don't see why / should give you four
seats-or anything else" l said.
Its customary, you know. All the
agents do It,"
"Do they?' ! asked. Upon what
grounds?"
"oh. we handle their baggage, seer
They all do it-just fll this out for four.
Your paper for car No. l was put through
all right"
And your company pays you to do that,
l believe. doesn't it?" Y
Certainly -mere matter of courtesy,
this-sll agents recognize it," said the
man, more politely as | got warmer.
We'll, I'm going to break the record. my
man. You get no such graft out Of me.
Moreover, | shall write to headquarters
at Philadelphia and find out whether this
way Of holding up advance agents Of shows
is a part Of the great Pennsylvania sys-
tenn"
Meantime l had obtained my travelling
bag and now walked out, leaving con-
sternation behind me. In a minute the
chief baggage man ran after me and making
the most profuse apologies declared that
he meant no harm. merely alluding to a
custom which he supposed all advances agents
for shows understood and approved.
Well. / accepted his apology 30 far as to
let the matter drop, but Ill wager that he
was more diplomatic in his next holdup
Of a Pennsylvania Railroad customer.
A more delicate feature Of deadheadism
to handle in the metropolis is that en-
bracing the special correspondents. While
trying to extend proper courtesy 10 bons
ide newspaper men, whose attendance IL
not only desired. but courted by the show,
the Snowman lie made the prey Of all sorts
Of grafters and deadheads.
"Mr. Blank is the representative Of the
daily Tor weekly BPllou and any courtesies
extended to him will be appreciated DC.
Now as this "credential" must be returned
TO the applicant the latter lie sure Of a reply.
One time / forgot to send this thing back,
in the pressure Of business.
At the close OF the week Ireceived another
request for four seats from the same fellow,
who claimed TO represent a daily paper
printed In Easton. Pa. In his note he
enclosed a duplicate Of the 'credential' sent
in the Teek before.
/ Immediately telegraphed the paper,
and got a reply by mail saying hat the man
had been a ~oompositor on the paper and had
himself printed the cards. | never answered
the lettsT OF the alleged Correspondent"
A few days later the proprietors Of the show
handed me a letter from him complaining
Of my treatment, n asking why the show
kept such a man in it's employ. Then I
did write to him-and the incident was
closed.
From this mere mention Of some Of the
many absurdities and abuses Of the free
ticket system it will be apparent to any
sane mind that the whole system is wrong.
Nobody knows il better than the press
agent. Once in a while a man has had
the boldness to challenge this system,
but in such cases the man invariably lost
his job.
know one case OF this kind. 1t was
the mans first season on the road-and
last, too. I may as we'll add. He was a
competent man and had the confidence
Of his employers. the proprictors OF several
road companies.
He had often heard them inveigh bitterly
on the deadhead system. and he resolved
to reform It.. His policy was to give no
passes TO anybody unless such persons
actually did something or could do some
thing for the show for which they were not
otherwise fully paid. And he adhered to
this rule rlgidly, regarding tickets as
actually that much money.
His show was popular and as it played I
to crowded houses. often to standing
room only, every seat given away was
really 80 much cash out Of his employers
pockets. At the close of the season his
company turned In more money net than
any other OF the string OF shows. and he
was probably the most unpopular man on
the road with the Rang that makes a press
agents personal popularity.
A how followed him all over the circuit
and reached him in he managers offices
in New York. When he turned in his Tin
used pass books his employers frowned
and stopped his pay in%stanter.
The united voice Of the beats and bar
/