Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1892 — WITH THE WRONG PASS. [ARTICLE]

WITH THE WRONG PASS.

Troubles and Humors o t the Free Fast System, by Dr. Depew. “Few people outside of railway circles have any conception of the nuisance the demand for free passes is to railroad officials and to what an extent the privilege is abused when granted,” said the Hon. Chauncey M. Depew the other day. “The interstate commerce law aimed a blow at the free pass system, but to a great extent it has been a feeble and ineffective one. “One great abuse of the free pass system lies in the sale of those precious pieces of paper by those to whom they are issued. Say, for example, that a man wishes to go from New York to Pittsburg. He will ask for a pass to Chicago, with the privilege of stoping over in Pittsburg. If this is granted to him he can, when he gets to Pittsburg, sell hjs pass—good for the remainder of the trip to Chicago —to some ticket speculator or ‘scalper’ at a rate which enables the latter to sell it again at a handsome margin of profit; or, intending to remain permanently in Pittsburg, he will ask for a pass to that city and return, and on arriving there will sell the remaining portion of said pass, good for the return trip. Of course, these passes are not transferable, that fact being plainly stated in bold type upon both the back and face of each one, but what earthly difference does that make?

“Only yesterday an old, experienced conductor told me some amusing anecdotes in connection with this practice of selling and loaning railroad passes. On one occasion an elegantly dressed lady and gentleman, evidently a married pair, tendered him a pass made out to Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Dewhurst, but the gentleman had a large gold W. on each of his cuff buttons, and the lady had the same initial in silver on her sachel. From the look of calm assurance on their faces he knew it would be useless to raise any objection to this glaring incongruity, for he had no doubt' that they would both have made affidavit if necessary that W. stood for Dewhurst. “At another time he was handed a pass by a tall, raw-boned, down-East Yankee, accompanied by a short, fat German, who could not have been more than eight or ten years his junior at most, and who was gifted with a singularly rich Teutonic accent, which contrasted in most amusing manner with the peculiar nasal twang of the down-Easter. The pass was made out to ‘Patrick McGuinness and son.’

“ ‘Are you Patrick McGuinness?’ “ ‘Wal, neighbor, I reckon I be.’ “ ‘But you do not seem t<s be be an Irishman?’ “ ‘Ye see, the head of our family come over in the Mayflower, an’ I calkilate the Irish is pretty Well out of us by this time.’ “ ‘ls this person your son?’ asked the conductor, indicating the German. “ ‘Wal, I guess he be.’ “ ‘How is it that he has such a strong German accent?’ “ ‘Wal, ye see, neighbor, he’s been away to school in Germany ever since he was a little chap, an’ I’m jiggered of he ain't e’en a mo6t forgot bow to talk English:’ “The conductor made up his mind that it would be utterly useless to ask any more questions.”