Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-06-03
TICKET COLLECTORS ON
ALL SOUTHERN TRAINS
Present Force Viii Eventually
be Increased to Cover Com
pany'S Whole System

In the near future there will be a
ticket collector on every train of the
southern railroad.
While this announcement Dies not
come direct from ,..e mead officials of
the system, il is based on good author
ity.
a little more than month ago the
number of ticket collectors was in
creased to IS.
Eventually il will be increased to $50
or more-at least, enough to cover the
entire system.
1t is not stated when this increase will
be made, but il is stated that in all
probability il will not be long. Even
should the increase be made gradually,
by adding ten or fifteen collectors every
lew months. it would not take long 10
run the number up to enough to cover
the entire system.
There is an impression that a big au-
diting company of New York has con-
tract to take up tickets on the Southern
railroad, guaranteeing the road an in
crease OF 10 per cent net revenue, on
the average. and taking the balance over
that as compensation. This Impression
is erroneous.
The system Of ticket collection now
in vogue on the Southern was Organized
distinct department from the start, and
has been maintained as such ever since.
As such IL will continue TO be main
ta.ned. The head of this department -
r. w. Hunt. and his headquarters are
in Atlanta, offices in the Austell build
ing.
SYSTEM A SUCCESS.
The system was put in operation on
May /. 1908. beginning with 80 collectors.
1t was a success from the first. The
revenues of the Southern on passenger
business increased astonishingly. This
increase has kept up steadily ever since,
il is said. The department is probably
now a fixture. The system is being
adopted all over the country, even some
of the big transcontinental lines putting
il on.
Ticket collectors have increased the
revenue Of the Southern railroad chiefly
by correcting irregularities and picking
up loose ends. This is emphasized by
the officials.
When the system was inaugurated
most people construed il as a reflection
on the conductors. The conductors saw
it in that light, too. Now this idea is
changing. People are beginning to real
ize that il was not the conductors who
were cheating the Southern, but the pas
sengers. All sorts of schemes have been
devised to evade payment Of railroad
fare. Many were nipped in the bud by
alert conductors, but most were missed.
BETTER SERVICE ALL AROUND.
It is pointed out by the officials that
before the ticket collection system went
into effect a conductor had three differ
ent duties to perform. That is, the
handling Of his train, the taking up Of
tickets and fares, an the auditing OF
collections. If IL came to a choice be-
tween looking out for the safe and
prompt transportation of his train, or
laying for a dishonest passenger, he
looked out for his train. Which was
what the company expected him to do.
AS a natural consequence, say the Of
ficials, the company missed much reve7
nue. they should have got, simply be-
cause, with so many things to look
after, the conductors could not make a
c.van sweep But the ticket collectors,
with only that one Ining to 90, are
sweeping mighty clean. And by the
same token, say the officials, the con-
ductors, relieved of collections, are MAX
ing things hum when it comes to keep
ing schedules and handling trains
safely.