Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-09

wrathful and restless. Those at the
nearest point of vantage leaned against
the wall. The traiIers stood on one foot
and then on the other. Others leaned
against suitcases.
what is the fare7" the man asked
and was told by Mr.. Richter. whose
face assumed thankful expression that
his customer was about through.
The inquisition began with the an
nouncement that perhaps he would rather
go by electric, to which Mr.. FIGHTERS
facial expression became once more
Lord, give me patience with this sin
ner." Not receiving encouragement, the
tweed coat departed.
For some time after, business moved
smoothly. In addition to his fund Of
knowledge stored away In his Uranium,
Mr.. Richter has a large volume which
might be- termed the railroad Bible"
to which he can refer when his memory
fails him regarding the coming and 60
ing time OF trains In town OF a pop
ulstion OF fifty persons
There are other information men at
the Union Station, but Mr.. Richter is
the dean Of them all, a post graduate
in his department. He has been answer
ing questions on train times for fifteen
years and has an awful bunch of them
down pat" When one considers that
there are some two hundred trains com
ing and going on the tracks Of the depot
every day, a slight conception of the Job
of the information man may be obtained.
His difficulties are added to by the fact
that train times are continually being
changed. He has to change his time to
the daylight saving time kept in some
cities, and he has to remember that some
trains do not stop at the same towns
every day in the week.
Whether it's the renowned sixth sense
or the power OF reading peoples minds,
the Information man has to know what
people intend to say when they don't
say It.
81 wish to know what time the .
o'clock train over the Pennsylvania gets
In" calls the woman over the telephone.
The information man knows that she
wishes to know what time n 5:34 train
from Chicago arrives on that particular
night. So he looks up the slated time
Of arrival and tells her.
During the holiday season Mr.. Richter
is swamped with inquiries by persons
who are going visiting. Sometimes they
know where they wish to go and some
times they don't.
ADMITS GETTING
MIXED" a BIT.
A man at The other end Of the tele-
phone was asking about the train time
for Plainview and when told that Plain
view had no railroad connections he be-
came quite indignant Finally he con-
fessed that maybe he did get mixed"
and it was 'Plainheld instead OF Plain
view"
Occasionally some one calls up who
wishes to know If her poeketbook has
been found or If q message will be taken
to somebody In the waiting room whom
she agreed to meet, but didn't have time
to do so.
Mr.. Richter has patent formula in the
way Of salutation for the individual who
calls up over the telephone. He blithely
says. 'Hello!' and then asks where you
want TO go, how you want to 90, when
you want to leave. when you want to ar
rive and then tells you all about It.
The Information bureau az the Union
Station is right in front Of the station
doors in the waiting room, where II
can't be missed. There probably isn't
buster place in town than that window
on a pleasant afternoon when people feel
like asking questions about every trip
they ever hope to take, not to forget that
when they don't come, they telephone. So
the general public, meaning everyb body
from the latest millionaire to the most
ancient ira YeIer, including the society
lady, all get information served without
distinction.