The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-16
RAILROAD NEWS.
Troubles of a Railway Travel
ing Passenger Agent.
Has to make Good" in These
Days of Competition.
COURTESY COUNTS
Disagreeable Agent Is Relic
of Old Time RailrOading.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad World.

Lots of intelligent people have an
IDEA that all that a travelling passen-
ger agent has to do is to drop into
local headquarters, look pleasant and
offer somebody a cigar" said a T. P.
A. the other day.
But they are mistaken he con-
tinued. 1.-THE travelling passenger agent
has to make good in these strenuous
days of competition or ne has to step
out of the parade. Some times he
works day and night to secure bit
of business while a dozen other men
representing other roads are trying to
get it away from him.
"A few weeks ago 1 thought I had
q nice bunch of tourists on the list,
but I counted them before / had them
me and the bunch went over his road
had my revenge, however, for week
later I ticketed so travellers over our
Line which the other fellow believed he
had landed.
while there is, of course, some diff
ference in the rates of one road, the
difference is really not of much con-
sequence. It is the accommodations
extended for the money and the per-
sonal attention given to the comfort
of patrons which counts the most.
''The greatest asset of the travelling
passenger agent nowadays is polite
ness and the spirit of friendIness.
These are the biggest traffic getters in
the world. The surliness of the rail-
road employe was once a sort of a by
word and he was so characterized on
the stage. This characterization is no
longer worth w1ile-the disagreeahle
ernploye has been supplanted by a class
who must be civil and accomm odatlng
G, they can't hold their jobs. Railroads
have learned, like the commercial
world. that politeness or at least civility
pays and pays big. Let a patron com
plain that he is not getting decent
treatment from any employe and the
| latter is called on the carpet
But about the travelling passenger
agent. He must be fellow with the
hide of an elephant, the patience OF
ire traditional Job and the endurance
of a highly trained pugiist. If he has
to stay out all night to get business ne
must do so. Above all he must have
personality.
| THE railroad passenger and freight
agents are the drummers of the great
common carriers of the country. Ine
| more friends they can make and holo
the more prosperous the lines thes
| represent will be. There are all KINDS
of ways OF getting new business anc
one of them. the most important y
| q constantly increasing cllentagc. -
Speaking of one of the ways OF Sc
! curing new business he said that a.
headquarters the general passenger
agent keeps a close touch on prospee'
| tive passenger movements end people
who are known to have the means ane
the inclination to travel. In every com
munity of any size the boss" can Ia!
his finger on the exact situation.
| A travelling passenger agent who ma
lots of friends gets many Valuabh
tip which leads to good business TO
his road and incidentally gives him
boost in the eyes of those at the heat
of the department. The travelling pas
senger agents are usually genla
i ola Of men