The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-15
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Lynchburg virginian.
The Railway In England.

The last number OF the London Quarterly Review con
tains very long article devoted to exposition of the
management of the London and Northwestern Railway
II from the pen of Sir Francis Head governor OF Upper
Canada during the troubles OF 1887, and author OF the
.Bubbes of Brunen." and other works which had
in their day To qualify himself for the task he procured
The necessary letters, from the Board of Directors and
the Postmaster General to guaraay the civlest treat
men and the fullest answers from all lha employees OF
both He everything for himself, and has described
what he saw in fresh and vigorous style. 1t was i'm
possible to avoid STATISTICS but he has ,ot overwhelmed
the reader with them. We have rarely read more IN,
teresng article; and, but for its great length, we should
be tempted to transfer it, by easy instruments TO our col
umns 1t confined to the details OF management as
illustrative OF the practical working OF sinse
the London and Norhwesern-and what an idea does
give OF the public spirit resources and enterprise OIL 'he
company and of the wealth and internal commerce OF
England Without speaking by the card, we venture the
assertion that all our .yaIds-our two great manu-,
our arsenas Short all naval and military estab'
shmenis exclusive of sailors and soldiers, do not
ploy half as many does this grand areria railway,
IN the accommodation of travellers and the ranspora-
ton of goods Startling II may SEEM this assertion Is
sustained by the article in question.
1t would be impossible TO give abstract IN such
manner as to do Justice the subject We must conhne
ourselves TO cung few facts which may prove accept
able to readers and serve IN some degree to convey
idea of the spirit, energy and exactlude with which
the affairs of this gigantic company are managed We
shall present them without much order connexion.
grat s,on sa" Ths s,. Of H. vaous bud
ngs provided for the reception of passengers cars and
goods. is The passenger about to take his
seat house brilliantly lighted at night by gas,
and in the day time from above through s,797 square
yards-upwards OF and three Quartersof plate
glass half an inch thick, and set in light iron framed
roof. The platform alongside OF which the train OF
is ranged is 900 feet In length The carriages are not
minuey described; but may state from other
of information, that they differ from improved cars,
into which is had each end, and passage
through by means of narrow aisle The English
resemble aggregation of roomy coaches each entered
by door in the side The passengers in each compart
stf far n
wards. There is interior communication between
these compartments When the train is ready start.
the doors locked to prevent the passengers from
jumping out in of an alarm or accident
There sxtyfive cabmen who are licensed 10 enter
the premises u more are Necessary, they are summoned
most rigid discipline. On leaving the gate with pas
senger, his and the number OF the cab record
ed BY clerk in writing; that, for any incivity or
misconduct the part OF the driver the passenger has
prompt redress. Should he, moreover, leave any article
of luggage in the vehicle he has the OF its
coveIy
Scrambng across five sets of rails, on which are as
many trains OF carriages the visitor comes to the plat
form alongside OF which the sup train, that is the arri
wing train, gliderr and at the exact point suddenly stops
Before this train, however presumes TO enter it hats at
the OUTER Camden station three miles distant. Sig
nails exchanged by means OF flags in the day and
lights arnight Not content with these, there is com
municaton between the two stations, by means OF a
small tube, through which hideous sound whistle is
has been conveyed that all is right for its reception the
long numbering train is dragged forward short distance,
when the engine is dsengaged and dexteousy gets out
OF the way leaving the carriages to find their port by the
force of gravity The effect Of these various signals
upon the aded horses, attached TO the numerous cabs
and hackney coaches outside, well described They
know what each signal means and wake for the duty
before them No man of-war was ever under more per-
feet discipline than the various employees of the compa
nytheyare all clad in an appropriate livery or uniform
The moment train arrives the engine and each
subjected to several inspections, in due system of
sponsiby. If the slightest defect or injury is detected
the engine is sent to the hospital shop for repair
Every precauton which Is possible to suggest adopt
ed, to prevent such accidents may from bad
workmanship want Of attention to the complicated
and delicate machinery of the motive power The
count Of the greasing, washing busting, &c. of the
rages, is very striking and amusing. We pass
give extract, descriptive of the arrival of uptrain
Mt the platform clear winter night which presents
An interesting picture
No sound is heard in the cold air but the Kissing of a
retrogradng is stealing along the Intermediate rails
ing off the down-ran; its being mark
ed by white meandeng above it, and by red-hot
Goals of different sizes, which continually falling
beneath it, In This obscure the company nierni
nabe lines OF gas-ghts, Gle,e 232 at the Eustcn
uon) economically screwed down TO the minimum of
ence, fecbly illuminating The damp vanished pan
els of the line Of Carriages in waiting, the brass door
handles ofthe cabs the shining names, boaoands,
backs o: the cabhorses and while the bloodred signal
lamp is glazing the tunnel, de ter unauthorized
the long strips plate glass the the platform
On sudden is heard-the stranger hardly knows whence
violent ringing OF bell That instant every gasg2 on
and above curve OF 800 feet suddenly bursts into full
speaking in broad and app eaa on pee
laton which sustans the glazed rooi appears like fairy
work."
The greatest pains taken preserve and restore to
the owners any articles OF luggage left in the cars The
carriages are closely examined by "searcher." Should
any article however trivial in value be found ii is car
red 10 the "Lost Luggage Office" where description is
entered IN book-the day of he arrival, the train, the
carriage, the finder &C. Should there be any clue to the
ownership it is after foryeght hours forwarded II it
have no address, at the end of month it opened and
II the name OF the be ascertaned letter is written
to him. II no clue is found it is packed away in suber
ranean warehouse Tor two years. and then sold There
scarcely particular of this wonderful machinery which
astonshes than the number and value of articles
left IN the carriages and thus slowed away The author
describes his descent into large vaued chamber warm
ed by hot iron ppes where are packed away the lost
luggage OF the last two years.
Suspended" he says "from the roof there hangs hor-
zontay in this chamber gas pipe about eight feet long
and, as the brilliant burners at each end were
lighted the scene was really astounding 1t would be
infinitely easier to say what there is not than what there
49, IN the forty compartments like great bins, in
which all this lost property is arranged One is choke
full OF mems hats, another of parasos umbrellas and
articles OF every description. One would think that all
OF the ladies' recues earth were deposited in the
third How many little smelling botes how many lit
ue embroidered pocket handkerchefs how many little
musty eaabcs and comfortable drink ables; how MANY
little bills, important little notes. and other very small se.
cte1s each may have contained we felt that we would
nov LOT me world have ascerained but when we gazed
NJ .no enormous quantity of red cloaks red sha wis red
an paids and red scarfs, piled I'D in one corner il
was we own, impossible to help rejecting that surely
Engnsh ladles OF all ages, who wear red cloaks &c
f.1 sone mysterious way or other be powerfully af-
feced by the whine of compe ssed air bv Tho smadsr
a Tho hi IL n