Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-08-22
CAUGHT
A TARTAR
By ARNOLD DUNCAN

SOhNhNbOAs JoOh OCiOiC tCdNln6 MY
hotel this morning ! changed my suit
putting the one | had been wearing.
with my money in the coat pocket in
my trunk. What's worse. my trunk did
not reach me at the station and is to
come by later train. II you'll let me
go through to B.. when we got into
the station I'll telephone for a friend
to bring me my fare and will give II
to you"
Ticket" was the conductors laconic
reply.
II have said all / have to say" con
tinued the passenger. 81 have no
money to pay now. but I'll have plenty
at the end of the route"
you'll have to pay your fare or
get off,"
country. You will at least carry me
to the next station"
mot unless you pay your fare from
the one where you got on"
"Are yorT orders such as warrant
you in such lnhuman actionT
'Our orders are to put those who re
fuse to pay fares off the train"
"Well," said the passenger ruefully.
you'll have to put me off. I've left
my money behind and have nothing to
pay with"
The conductor pulled the bell. and
the train stopped The passenger made
no resistance, but walked to the plat
form and got off into a swamp. The
train went on. leaving him standing on
the track looking after 1t. Then, first
looking up and down the line of the
road. he started on foot to pursue his
journey.
A few days later the passenger who
couldn't pay his fare went into the
offices of the road and asked to see the
| general superintendent He waited
half an hour. then was nshered into the
room of a sleek looking man who
asked him what he could do for him
he told the story of being put off the
| train and said he had come to effect
settlement for damages or he w0ald
sue for them. The superintendent said
that if he would call in at room No.
he would find the official who adjusted
all claims. The passenger went In
| there, had talk with the claim officer
who got out of him all the information
he desired. asked him what he would
settle for. got him to put 1t in writing
took his address and said he would
write him about the matter
The passenger never heard from him
Not long after this it was evident
that there was manipulation in the
stock Of the road. No one. not even
the president, could find out who was
at the bottom of it. The price of the
securities would go up bit, then
gradually sag. then rise again. But
the general tendency was upward
The affairs Of the road were known
only to few, who could see no reason
for an advance. Indeed, business was
falling off dreadfully. Two feeders
one at either terminal. were divertina
their business to other roads. Then
the price of the stock began to go
down like lead. Finally 1t reached a
point where the 1uctuation ceased.
The president of the road communi
Gated with the feeders. asking what
ness from his line to others. he re
ceived no satisfaction Nevertheless
the diversion ceased and trade began
to flow again over the line where II
had flowed originally. The president
was puzzled. He sent for some of the
principal stockholders and asked them
if they knew anything about the mat
ter. They didn't, but admitted that
during the recent furry in the stock
they had sold most of their holdings.
One morning the president took up
a newspaper and read in the financial
columns that new railroad magnate
had appeared. John Talcott, a man
who had achieved some success at re
orga niZing roads In the west. had come
east and with associates had bought
controlling interest in two lines. and
1t was suspected that he had picked up
in open market a majority of the stock
of connecting link between the two
That connecting link the president
knew to be his own line
That morning, when he went to bis
office, he found note from the new
railroad star inviting the president to
call upon him. He did so and found
the party so busy that he was obliged
to wait an hour before he could gain
admittance. When admitted he saw
plain western man, who said to him
In plain western fashion:
Next month occurs the annual elec
tion of directors of your road. Two
thirds Of the stock belongs to me and
my friends. have sent for you to
give you notice that neither your serv
tes nor those of your principal Off
GERS will be needed for the ensuing
year. II you will inquire of your
official in charge of claims you will
find my name there as one who offered
to settle damages for being put off one
of your trains for few hundred dol
lars"
Had I known" said the president
aghast II would have
"But you did not know. was one OF
those defenseless cfeatures-the pub
nc."