The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-08

of station-house are kept in order. Such
sinks Of filth and abominable nastiness as are
to be found at the station-houses of three quar-
in England. We ought to have reformation
in this matter in the United States, radical
and universal. 1t is shame and disgrace
to American railroad management that pas
sengers ere often-nay, almost always
obliged to resort to places more disgusting
than pig sty, or suffer pain that often leads
to permanent diseas'.
So. let us admit that in the construction Of
railroads and the building and ordering Of sta
ton houses the English are ahead OF us. am
not railroad man, and I cannot go into the
small matters Of railway economy. lam aware
that these roads have Gust immense sums, and
that few Of them are yielding any profit to
their original builders. The cost Of the fright
of way" in England is something fearful; and it
tions that this item has not been allowed to
stand IN the way of great thoroughness in the
departments Of construction. On the road
from London to Liverpool, even the embank-
ments and cuttings ore graded and turfed or
beautifully walled. There is not bank Of
gravel or an uncultvated rod to be seen from
the car window.
., MANAGING BAGGAGE. M.
And now, having given praise where praise
is due, let me say word OF the Operating OF
these magnificent roads: can only say, at
ly incompetent. The Englishman has never
vet given up the idea that he is running
stage coach. He has divided his cars into
series Of com partments, to initiate o stage
coach, and he calls his car q coach. Then he
puts the luggage Of his passengers on the top
Of his coach, or into what answers for boot,
and spreads tarpaulin over it, Just as he was
l. in,
he gave no check for baggage. Checks we're
not the fashion in the good old times, and he
will not adopt them. II / start from any part
OF Great Britain for London, with half dozen
pieces of baggage, am obliged to look after
it on every change Of cars; and on my arrival
at the station must be on the spot to see and
claim it personally. 1t seems incredible that
vous as the system OF checks, has not been
adopted here; but there is no movement, that
can hear OF, toward such system.
The present rude way OF managing luggage
is accompanied, by some most perple1ing evils.
Nominally, the guard, brakeman, and station
porter do their work at the expense of the cor
poration. Actually, they an aeek ale zee irom ron
ling. or even q siIpence. will do in the palm Of
an employee. have had whole compartment
for INV famy for two hundred miles for a shii-
ling put into the hands Of the conductor. It
needcd no words. He wanted the money, and
understood it's LANGUAGE perfectly. l meant by
the fee to say please put no one in thus COM
partment If you can help it." He could help
Il. and he put no one IN. We occupied just
half of the compartment and, of course,
bought the other half for shilling. The por-
ter, when he deposits your trunk on the car
or in the van, always puts his hand into
the window in the car in the way that invites
sixpence, and ID q very affectionate and assur-
ing voice tells you just where you will find
your trunks and bundles when you reach your
destination. Every man who looks after you
in any way expects fee, and is disappointed
if he does not get one. Men who are dressed
"within an inch Of their lives" will grasp your
shilling with will, and touch their hats to
you with the greatful humility OF root black.
Indeed have not seen an Englishman, in any
kind of SERVICE. who would not take fee.
Conductors Parker and Adams, Of Springfield,
have silver services and gold watches present.
ed to them by their friends, operating through
stately committees; but what would they say
to q man who should hand to them dime or
a quarter as an Acknowledgement for favor
Think how CarrolPs eyes would look on re-
ceivlng q shilling from gentleman who might
desire to occupy two seats Let us be thank
full that nothing Of this kind disgraces the
operation OF American railroads.
COMPARTMENT cARs.
I am ''down on" compartment cars. do
not like them, il anybody is to be in them be-
sides mysef and mine. II must ride with
strangers, let it be IN long, hight, well VEN
tllated car. rather than little box. Once 1
have been brought face to face and shut up
with most offensive person, who would have
passed unnoticed among the half hundred In
an American car. TO be locked into box
with such o person is not pleasant. 1t is not a
month since an outrage was committed upon
rid orb, TIM
mel. I read the account Of the scoundfels
trial at the time, and such things, am told,
are not very uncommon. Bah They are un-
canny places. -;
+ ...,, ADVANTAGES OF THE AMERICAN oAR. e
/ The American car has two.or three advanta-
ges, which are obvious even to those who do
not oppose the compartments. They can be
thoroughly warmed and ventilated ip winter.
The compartments are never warmed, except
by Jugs Of warm water; and this warming busi-
ness gives opportunity for more "sRonS1ngg OF
passengers, A man eau undoubtedly Keep DIS
thars is no cabinet in the English car, matter
OF great importance irlong tn 5s, and to those
travelling with children. Still, again, the
whole train must be stopped, and all the com:
partnent doors opened, III order to collect the
tickets OF the passengers. This is a waste o.
time. Water for drink cannot be carried
through an English train, and 1T is impossible
to make such inquiries OF conductor as every
stranger is compelled to make Of somebody.
The whole system is petty and full OF trouble
some detail.
FARE AND SPEED.
The price Of railroad travel in England is
very much greater than in the United States
greater, am assured, than i'll any other coun-
try IN the world. The second-class passage is
higher than the first class in America, and the
cars much inferior to tue ordinary American
passenger car. Allthe policy OF the corpora
ton is shaped to drive respectable passengers
into first-cass cars aud highest prices. There
is waitlng-room fur frst-cla5s passengers,
and then another for second and third-cIass
passengers. The tendency Of associatlng til
latter class is obvious.
In regard to speed. there are undoubtedly
trains in En- lano that arc run faster than any
trains are regularly ru.l in America, but much
OF the time Of the fast tt aims ID gained by
saving it. There are trains that run long dis
tances without stopping at all They take up
the water used in the boiler while going the
most rapidly. On one train travelled eighty
six miles without stop-the longest run re-
member making. Now, let the Boston express
train run through to Springfield, passing
Farmingham, Worcester, Worcester junction,
West Brookfeld and Palmer, at full speed, and
the running will foot up as well as the best
have vet seen IN Great Britain.
ENGLISH HOTELS.
I intended to soy something in this letter
about English hotels. but space Is getting
short. 1 supposed, when I touched England,