Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-09-04
TRAVELLING By RAILROAD.

DGIltllCG nus uOIS ilSih h'i N'"l
We arc now convinced it has superior
advantages. That accidents occur is
,ruo; but no other mode Of public
conveyance is free from them. Con.
sidering the small amount of time
consumed in travelling great dis
tuncc, aud tho vast multitudcs that ira
vel in this way, accidents are compar-
a,ively few; and the number of these
is evidently decreasing, and ere long
they will be ofvcry rare occurrence /;
for Improvements are being yearly
made for the purpose of securing safe
,y To lie and limb. Steamboat acci-
dents are frequent, and terribly disas.
truus. II it be said that railroad &c.
cidcnts are frequent, it cannot he said
they are destructive to life. But what
most of all makes us the friend Of
railroads is, that the dcmoralizing in
ilucnccs are not halfso great as those
Of steamboat travelling. On steam
boats we usually have drinking, gam,
bling, robbing, pockct.picking, swear
ling, and such like wickcdness. In
the railroad car we have none ofthe
former, and very seldom the latter
We huve never heard but one oath
sworn in AGAR, and that was by rcck-
less youth, who soon found, by the
manner in which he was stared at,
that his foul language was out Of place,
and he dispensed with it thereafter
Passengers are obliged to take their
seats aud keep them until the cars
stop. There is no room to congrcsalc
in groups,-uo bar,-no card table
Ladies' and gentlemen are usually
seated promiscuously, and the pres
encc of the former cyerts very salu-
tary influence upon those who, under
other circumstances, might be guilty of
misconduct. When one enters IL car
he feels that he is going into Il place
where good behaviour is indispensa-
bic. We are convinced that railroads
are exerting wholesome moral lntln-
encc upon the travelling community /;
and for this, if nothing else, they
shonld be patronised. But we have
one material fault to find with railroad
compuuics. They do, in many places,
dosccra,c the Sabbath day. When
they shall be influenced to obscrvethc
holy day, and we trust it will not be
long until every train shall be a Sab.
bath keeping train, then no hotter
mode of traveling can be desired.
10 The above article is from the
Cumberland Presbyterian. In addi-
ton 10 the considerations above sug-
ges,cd, we have been deeply impress
ed with the improvements effected by
Railroads in the condition of the old
travelling ,horoughfarcs. When stage
coaches and Concstoga wagons were
in the ascendant, there was, on an av-
cragc, one tavern to every milo OF
road from Dan to Bccrsheba,' and
the amount of ,elriekiag done by trav-
elers, s,agc-drivcrs, wagoners, &cr
was enormous; and this dram.guzzling
led the way, inyariably,to other vices,
and lollics without number. But the
days ofstaging and wagoning are end
ed, SO far as the leading thorough
fares arc concerned; and the putting
up of every watcr-station on the rail-
road has been the signal for pulling
down score of sign.posts.
Besides this, travellers by stage
used to drink to skill time" before
the opening ofthc era of Temperance
reform. Now, the traveller by Rail
road has not time to drink, if he is ev-
CT so thirsty, except ut meal'tlmc, and
even then if he can secure his biscuit
and coffee, he has but little time to
think Of crtras.
Steamboat travelling would beplcas-
ant enough, but for the intolerable
evils ofgambling. drinking, profanity
and racing,-lhc latter the most fatal
to life, but not to morals. But these
evils are so rife as to destroy all enjoy
mcnt Of an excursion even on LA
belle Ricicre,'-lhe beautiful Ohio
Commend lis to rail car. Although
never calculating to ride rail" we
love ride grail, especially when en-
gagged in an enterprise that is worth
pursuing with will. To be propell-
cd at tho rate of thirty to fifty miles an
hour, day and night, seems to be CATCH
ing the spirit Of the age, and in fact
doing the work of Mathuse!ah in u
score or two of years.
esprit Rappers."