The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-12-04

Hoo Passenes.s Ars Fed .. Aisee~s.
A correspondent q the New York Tribune, .
newspaper not inclined 70 give pndns praise,
gives the following description Of the seoonmo-
da.iOns Of the Logan House at Altoona, where
passengers on the Pcnnylvania Railroad stop
for meals, 49, ---'
Tho mountain lap in which this young and
thriving town Ii seated, has IN elevation Of
about 1000 feet above the level Of the sea- II
Il on the line Of the Pennsylvania Central Rail-
road, and at the foot on the eastern side, Of the
steep ascent Of the Allegheny ridge. Many
travellers going westward, and arriving here st
evening, "l,y OVER for the night, that they
may sec BY day the picturesque scenery afforded
In the passage. And when In the cars the nsxt
morning, they have nothing to regret, but much
to be thankful for. The train stops In front Of
the slogan House," not Hfty feet from is
porch. A choice and bountiful supper, elegant
parlors, with or without music, airy chambers,
beds and mattresses that allow no scnsibility Of
bones, bath tubs on the same floor, and break
fast better than you can get at home, generally,
put party Of friends In excellent relish to Ay
up the Allegheny Mountains. They are sure
to leave unanimous verdict Of "blessings on
the Logan House.
twill not be disagrecable to the "traveling
public" to be little moro particularly inform
ell as to the kind Of entertainment that may be
depended on at this place. II Is 3l3 miles from
New York by the shortest route Westward.
which. in my judgment, Is also the safest and
least wearing. have tried oil the routes often
enough to compare their merits and drawbacks;
and am glad to praise the best, that the 9TH
ers may be stimulated to do as well, or better
II they can. What the traveller most suffers
from, and grimble, about, Is railway station
fare. With every good reason. II Is mostly
vile, unwholsome stuff. can give authorita-
tive advice rs to 81 out Of every 100 stopping
places between Boston, Washington, Chicago,
81. Louis, &c. "Dont cat there. You will
get bad articles, badly cooked, pay double price,
and carry away q six-hours headache" One
Of the three in 100 where this will not happen
Is here.
On lighting at the Logan House, you SEQ the
unwonted convenience of near forty basins
whereat to wash, and clean towels to correspond.
Water Is brought In pipes from notch In the
mountains, called the "kettle," several miles
name In contrast the "wash room" ut Easton,
cinnati night express stops for breakfast With
In fifty feet Of q canal, and hundred or % Of
tho Delaware River, they furnish one tin basin
and one towel fortnight, for fifty or moro
passengers; and they expect oil to wash In the
SINE water. Ifsny enterprising, strong mind
ed woman wants clean water, she may End .
hogshcad outside, round corner, with . tap
that lets out stream rs big rs pipe-stem, ut
which In half an hour she may renew the basin.
The basin ut the Logan House are In line along
the porch, extending sixty or seventy feet each
side Of the dining-room door. A very impor-
tant result of this arrangement Is that the tray-
eler has ninteen minutes out Of the twenty for
which the train stops to cat deliberately and in
. christian manner; whereas ut places like Eas-
ton 30 much time Is consumed by people inter
rupting each other In the washing process that
he can do nothing but snatch and run. II Is, l
verify believe, part Of the calculation Of rail-
way cating-house keepers generally to reduce
the time Of actual eating, and to jam people to-
gether In squabble, 30 that they can't swallow
more than half meal, while they pay for
whole one Experienced travellers have discoy-
cred this trick, and prefer to starve, II they
have not homemade sandwich In reserve.
The slogan House, has front Of 300 feet
or more, with wings running back. The dining
room Is 100 feet long, and furnished with short
tables, at each Of which twelve people may be
comfortably seated. The floor Is always as clean
as II II had just been hand-scrubbed. The tn
ble-cloths are spotless. It was formerly prac-
tice to furnish napkiis, but II became 30 COM
mon for travellers to mistake them for handker-
chiefs and carry them OF, that It proved too ex-
pensive. As the house dimes, on an average,
1000 persons daily, from thirty or more trains,
you may infer that there Is deal Of "social SCI
encc," involved in the management. Yet there
Is no confusion, but perfect order and quietness,
explainsble largely by the fact that the house
has no bar. A supply Of liquors Is generally
considered indispensable to makea hotel popu-
lar. But the Logan House Is popular notwith-
standing. So widely Is It known and spprecia-
ted, that people, when they get on the train at
Cincinnati, coming eastward, say to each other,
1--WE dine Tor breakfast) at Altoona" So they
say at Chicago. So they say at New York and
Philadelphia going westward. They save their
stomachs for the Logan House fare. So much
influence docs good, wholesome eating place
exert on travellers, that II often determines them
which Of several main routes to prefer. Take
notice, New York Central, Erie, Baltimore and
0hio-from which last save me, o Fate!
The Logan House has LOG lodging-rooms, al
together on o more liberal scale than those Of
any city hotel. The ceilings are high, vcntilla-
ton Is ample, and the furniture substantial and
elegant. One must have pleasant dreams, II
any, on such beds and mattresses. Every room
has gas, and each floor bathrooms and closets.
Each story has wide Railways, with balconies
at the windows, from which you look downward
on the ncver-ccasing passage Of railway trains,
or upward to the tops Of the mountain ridges,
just now arrayed In the sad but beautiful colors
Of Autumn. On the top Of the house Is look
out for the Waterman Of trains, who pulls Q
bell-rope to notify when the tables must 10 pre-
pared and the food dished. The natural head
Of water Is sufficient for hose-pipes over the roof
and all through the house. The steam-hcating
apparatus Is in q separate building, and warm
ers are distributed In the halls and parlors.
These latter are furnished in city style, abating
only the tawdryness that passes for luxury.
One Of them has served rs ballroom all sum
mer, being left uncarpeted for that purpose, and
o frst-rate piano gives the music.