Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-04-30
From the Chicago Evening Post.
Flying Hotels.

1t seemed few years ago when Mr..
Pullman came out with his "paace"
sleeping cars as if the climax OF comfort
for travellers had been reached, and GER
tainly seems so now since the arrival to-
day from the Pullman Pacific Company's
Car Works of the new Portable Holel
"Algoma," one of set of four which
that company has just completed under
the direction of Geo. NJ. Pullman, presl-
dent of the company, Tor the accomoda-
tion of excursion travel. These portable
hotels owe their existence to the great
success of the ''Hotel Express" system,
railroads for the last six months, aud of
which they are really an elaboration and
extension. They differ from the "Hotel
Express" cars in that they are even more
elegant than those that they are intend
ed for special excursions to the Pacific,
not for regular travel, and that they ply
on any road between the Atlantic and
Pacific.
The portable hotels are made, finished
and furnished in the most elegant man
ner possible, aud contain state rooms,
private drawing rooms, general parlor,
kitchen, etc, furnished with all the es-
sential comforts of home. Their d.
mensions are fifty-fve feet long by ten
feet wide, which is the same as the small
est size of the Pullman Palace Cars.
They are calculated to accommodate from
twenty TO twenty-five guests. They are
mounted upon twelve wheels, painted
externally in wine color and gilt, as the
other Pullman cars, aud cost, with their
outfit of plate, etc, $22 zoe each.
The modus operandi OF the portable
hotel system is something like this: A
party of twenty-say at Boston, for a
Boston party has already chartered the
Riverside" one of the four, for trip to
the Pacific-secures portable hotel at
eighty-five dollars a day for the trip.
This is about four dollars passenger,
tie same rate which the single traveller
now pays for seat in drawing room
car by day, and berth by night. With
the car Tor hotel, as you please9 they get
stewart, cook and two walters, pay for
whose services is included in the above
mentioned rate. They purvey for them
selves, the stewart acting as their busi-
ness agent in the procuring of extra
supplies, transportation, etc., along the
route. 1t is estimated that party can
live sumptuously for about two dollars
each, under this arrangement. They at
tach their "hotel" to the best trains of
whatever road they intend to travel, and
detach.it whenever they arrive at a city,
point or junction where they desire
to switch off for any purpose. For in
stance, arriving at Ogden, and wishing,
of course, to investigate the mysteries of
Brigham Young's harem, their hotel is
switched upon the Utah Central Railroad,
and in jify they are in Salt Lake City.
Having "done" that quaint capital of the
Mormon Zion, they proceed to join tho
express train on the main line, serving in
the same way such of the mining dis
tricts or points OF mountain scenery as
they may wish to see more thorongly.
Wherever they go-through mountain
fastnesses, over alkaline deserts,or where
not-they have their home With them.
The pleasures of home and travel have
never been combined in this wonderful
way before