McCALLUM AND THE BAGGAGE SMASHERS.
D. C. McCallum was general superintendent of the New York and
Erie Railroad in 1856. According to the local papers of that day,
the "baggage smasher" was even then a terror to the
travelling public, and Superintendent McCallum had the temerity
to issue an order that employees of the Company must handle the
baggage of passengers with the utmost care, under pain of instant
dismissal if the order was disregarded, travellers being requested
to call the attention of the superintendent to any case of "baggage
smashing" that came under their notice. Such an order as
that to-day would be considered as a good cause for a general
indignation meeting of baggage handlers, and as an infringement
of their rights, warranting them to strike in a body and demand
redress.
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