The trail of the swinging lanterns : $b a racy, railroading review of transportation matters, methods and menCopeland, John Morison
History
The trail of the swinging lanterns : $b a racy, railroading review of transportation matters, methods and men
Copeland, John Morison
Railroads -- Canada
More or less dogmatic, and always deliberate, in argument he was
convincing and his personal prestige and lucid exposition of routes,
rates and accommodation ensured regular renewal of patronage from
individual travelers and professional ticketing agents from Halifax
to the Detroit River. When he was in his prime--genial, popular and
as strong as a gladiator--he participated in many exciting episodes
of personal character and incidents arising out of the unsettled
conditions governing travel, ticket scalping, rate cutting and
commissions on sales. He described to me how, on one occasion the
“Wabash”, “C.B. & Q.R.”, “C. & N.W.R.” and “C.R.I. & P.” made an
agreement lasting for a limited period, whereby they pooled their
entire passenger business ticketed through Chicago, Omaha and
westward, each receiving an equal monthly division irrespective of the
percentage handled individually. While this understanding was extant
his employers, the “C.M. & St. P.R.”, opened their line from Chicago
to Council Bluffs, Nebraska, and requested admission to the charmed
circle. The quartette black-balled the new candidate and he, through
the medium of increased commissions broke the cabal and the status quo
shot as high as a captive balloon with feverish excitement. In 1885 one
Quebec agent received for commissions on passenger business from the
incoming ships destined the west, a cheque for one month’s bookings
amounting to $750.00.
Like the late Robert Lewis, long connected with the Lehigh Valley
Railroad, who years ago fished in the wilds of Northern Muskoka and
beyond, Andrew Taylor was a devoted follower of the sport of Isaac
Walton. His regular journeys and explorations in the regions of
fish and game were to him anticipated fixtures and the source of
much pleasure and benefit. He visited many haunts in his time, was
considered an authority on ways and means to fill a creel and color a
“meerchaum”. Like Theodore Roosevelt, he “dee-lighted” to handle a gun
and was better than the average as a wing shot.
Passionately fond of outdoor life, with him originated the plan for
a permanent headquarters in the woods, and aided by his associates
Messrs. B. H. Bennett, J. J. Rose, P. G. Van Vleet and Jack Goodsell,
the well equipped lodge of the incorporated Red Chalk Fishing and
Game Club, six miles south of Bigwin Island in Lake of Bays, was
established in Northern Muskoka, with Andrew Taylor charter president,
honorary life member and pater familias of a sociable brood of thirty
sportsmen.
Having been an ex-president of the Victoria Lawn Bowling & Skating
Club and the Western Bowling Association, London, his office was the
rendezvous of curlers and bowling committees as well as fellow members
of the Toronto Lacrosse & Athletic Club.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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