Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-07-10
A Hotel upon Wheels.

| A Hotel upon Wheels.
The lack Of proper arranysnepts for
meals, and of time to partaks 81 then com.
fortably and leisursly, has losg BEEN the
chief horror of railway travelin the United
States. Europe 10 much ahead Of ~ in
the matter Of station restaurants. On the
continent, at least, passengers by first-class
trains are usually halted It suitable hours,
long enough to secure wsll-cooked and st
isfying meals, at neat and wsll-arranged
restaurants, where the fact that man is q
creature with an appetite is duly recognized
and the necessities of such appetites are
regarded and faithfully provided for. In
America, on the contrary, with rare ex-
ceptions, the " fifteen" or "twenty min
utcs for dinner" shouted at the hungry and
exhausted traveller as his train halts before
a railroad station, is simply a summons to
phrenzied battle with tough meats, cold
vegetables, soggy hot bread, boiled tea and
swill rye coffee, tinctursd with chickory.
With one eye upon the clock, the traveller
bolts the unsavory repast, satisfying the
cravings OF nature at all expense Of an at
tack Of dyspepsia or some other penalty Of
deranged digestion. Sensible men and
women, knowing how much all this is at
war with the laws Of health, and realizing
that railway travels simply discomfort and
annoyance, avoid it as much as possible by
staying at home.
But the dining car israpidly changing all
this. On some roads east Of Omaha, the
trains never stop at all for meals, and thus
a material saving Of time is cfFected-the
travellers resorting to the travelling restaur-
ant for necessary refreshment. The ex-
pertinent was first tried, we believe on the
Chicago, Alton and st. Louis road. where,
for time, the railroad managers had seri-
Gus doubts of the economy Of the arrange
ment; but after a short experience neither
they nor the public were satisfied with the
express train which failed to include 3
Pullman hotel car; and soft will be every
where when travellers become familiar with
the arrangement-:or no one who appre-
ciatcs comfort and good health would fail
to so somewhat out of his way if necessary,
to journey by the route on which such IA
cilitics are provided. ,,.. .......
| THE INTERNATIONAL.
Tais is the name Of the Pullman dining
car attached to the special train BY when
its inventor and party Of eastern trav-
elors and old Californians arrived at Sac
ramcnto. It is about sixty feet long by
ton wide, supported OH eight-wheeled
trucks, giving sixteen wheels to each car.
This arrangement, and an elaborate conf
biaation of steel springs, gives such stead
mess that no serious joltng unsettles a
dish. The exterior of the car attracts at
tention chiefly by its appearance of solid
ity. Constructed Of the best material, at
a cost Of nearly $4,000, and braccd and
secured in every conceivable manner, it
seems almost absolutely free from the cas-.
ualties of an ordinary riding car. In the
only case where Pullman car has been
known to leave the track in company with
its train, it rolled down forty-foot en-
bankmcnt, sustaining no other injury than
the breakage Of glass on one side, and
few scratches and bruises. No passenger
sitting in it suffered anything more than a
bruise As the car did not break, and
was neither twisted nor strained out Of line,
it was ready for. immediate service when
restored to its place on the rails. The
uses Of the dining car are indicated by its
exterior decorations in carvings and paint
iugs representing fruits, fish, game and
other edibles.
THE DINING SALOON AND KITCHEN.
The interior is elegantly furnished in
black walnut, mounted with silver wherev-
er metal is essential. Seats for dining forty.
eight persons at once are arranged at
twelve separate tables, on each Of which
is abundant space for the service Of four
persons. These tables are portable, and
may be removed and slowed away out Of
| sight at a moments notice. At either
end of the car are water tanks, closets for
wine, canned fruits or condiments ice
boxes for cooling wine, and the usual toi-
let arrangements-so that the traveller
may remove the dust from hands or face
before sitting down to his meal.
Midway between the two ends Of the
car, aud occupying its entire width with
the exception Of narrow passage, is To-
Gated compact kitchen, especially de-
signed for the Pullman car, and filed up
with every possible coutrivauce and facility
for preparing food quickly and we'll. Its
success was fully demonstrated in the trip
across the continent, for nothing could be
better than the meals placed before the
party three times daily. Mr.. Waite, the
Jolly host Of the Brevoort House, New
York, who was Of the party, freely admitted
that the csisine Of that perfection Of q fam
lily hotels could furnish nothing better.
The kitchen, enclosed in rich mirrors so
efEeotually that no ono would scarce sus-
pect its use, is thoroughly ventilated, 90
that none ofits odors pervade the car, while
the saloon interior is ventilated by an ar.
rangement securing comparative freedom