Railway Passes

1895

An Exchange of Civilities With Certain New Features.

Those who best know President Newell of the Lake Shore will best appreciate a recent exchange of courtesies between him and President Caldwell of the Nickel Plate, now also general manager of the Lake Shore. President Newell would give a man a $100 bill and never think twice about it. When it came to giving passes over the Lake Shore, he was adamantine in his refusal. Those he did give were so limited to special trains that a number of the officials of the company have never yet ridden on the limited or fast mail trains.

It is the custom of all railroad presidents to interchange annual passes, and on a recent New Year President Newell made up his list of exchange passes and sent them out. Across the end of the one he sent President Caldwell was printed in red ink the words, "Not good on limited fast mail trains."

By return mail came President Caldwell's annual pass on the Nickel Plate for President Nowell. Across its face in flaring red ink and in the bold handwriting of President Caldwell were written the words, "Not good on passenger trains."

This recalls the story of the general passenger agent in Philadelphia or somewhere who was wont to limit excursion tickets so closely that the passengers had to be on the alert in surrendering the return coupon as soon as they entered the car on the return journey lest it turn to dust and ashes in their hands. One day the G. P. A.'s fish dealer got stuck with one of those tickets, the conditions being printed in very fine type, and he determined to get even. So the next fish delivered was carefully selected for its evident lack of freshness, and of course the cook reported it to the G. P. A., but on close inspection the wrapping paper was found to bear the following words: "In consideration of the reduced price at which this fish is sold it will not be good after one hour from the time of delivery." — Railroad Gazette.