The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-03-19
Letter From Omaha.
OMAHA, NEB., March 8. 1870.

OMAHA, NEB., March ., lSU
DEAR WHIG:-Since | last wrote you
have passed the degrees, or rather, become
graduate of railroad qualifications. You
may say that is something new i'll the way
of railroad qualifications. WE'LL SO it may
be East but out West Il man is not consid
cred accomplished rs a railroader until he
has been showed in awhile on short ratiOnS,
and thrown at least once or more into the
ditch. Smashing up Il lomotve or two, and
causing a general arrangement of the ward
robe of lady and other passengers with at
least a few scratches as II token of the de
grees taken, and if you pass through this
ordeal with no broken bones, you are then
apmitted to full membership and your di-
ploma will he on parchment on your return
from Ogden. A few weeks since we took
all the degrees by what is known by some
orders as dspensation, preparing us then to
travail East. West. North and South
We being of Eastern proclivities, contin-
ued our journey East as far as My Mary
land When | left Omaha I met the kind
and gentlemanly Superintendent of the
Rock Island Railroad, who i'll consideration
of the degrees Just taken in railroad qualiti
cations. &c. kindly presented me a pass
over his road to Chicago. at the same time
Special Agent, Mr.. G. S. Bangs, of Chicago.
We never felt ourself more at home on a
railroad. Every comfort and convenience
is furnished to crafty passengers. Run
ming swiftly along through a lonely coun-
try. we arrive at Chicago. the terminus of
the Rock Island Railroad. We were ihcn
brought into contact with Eastern railroad
liberality. where we We're furnished through
tickets from Chicago to Baltimore. free by
paying S21.95, first by Pittsburg and Fort
Wayne. then by Pennsylvania Central. then
by Northern Central to Baltimore: all of
which roads are justly considered tirst-class,
| furnishing tirSt-clasS accommodations, but
nothing without ralue received. predomi-
nant spirit in the East. generally. where
six to ten per cent. is vastly considered
| How many of those roads lose hundreds and
thousands of dollars by old fogyism, or
what is known out West by squeezing the
eagle too tigM
After spending a few days in the land of
our nativity. we were required to retlace
our steps to the lovely West. We We're adj
viSed very strongly to take the other route,
by way of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, to
prevent delay Of . hours in Baltimore;
| 81, To-,
the O'Clock train OH Friday we would ar
rive i'll Chicago by s o'clock OIL Sunday
morning. Not being subject to any delay,
as this was an entirely through train, hav-
wishing to avoid delay, as our time ives
limited, we took through tickets again for
Chicago. with the positive assurance that
we would reach Chicago by Sunday morn
ing at s o'clock We had not reached
Grafton before we were delayed 5, hours
by some freight trains, one of which was
Off the track. After the most tircSome de-
lay for SO many hours, we encountered
some twenty one coal trains. al leading to-
ward Baltimore. BY the time they were
all passed it was l0i o'clock. We reached
| Grafton at about ~ NJ: we left there and
reached Moundville. where we We're delayed
Il considerable time awaiting, the arrival
of two other coal trains. We then pro-
ceeded to Benwood. where we were notified
b., an impudcn; employee that our train
had gone. and that we must remain at that
lelectahlc town. Belair, until Monday
morning at CID Notwithstanding a train
left there at clock this being about q
O'Clock, the train we should have connected
with having left an hour and a half before.
we were informed we could not proceed UNI
less we purchased additional tickets, at 4
cost $5.1J. to Mansfield. Ohio: and being
cautioned not on any account to lay over at
Belair we all purchased additional tickets
to Mansfield. After being positively as
sured we would proceed to Chicago without
any delay whatever. 10y the Superintendent
Of the road. at Belair we took passage
again on this train, as We supposed. for
Chicago. When we reached Newark. Ohio.
about o clock on Sunday morning. We
were uncerimoncOusly notified that we must
here remain until Monday at 10. clock,
and hurting out our baggage without
| listening to our rcmcnstrances, started off.
barely allowing us time to escape from the
steps Of the platform. and leaving lis in
strange place. with a young lady. travelling
entirely alone. i'll the darkness Of that hour.
not knowing where we were or where to lay
Or heads. Fortunately an omnibus driver
came along and proposed to convey lis to
the Preston House. where we all agreed to
60. and were kindly and comic bly, enter
tanned at an expense Of $3.50 per day, unit
Monday morning. There beng no train
on Sunday. we attended church, us al good
citizens should do. and hreoded over our
*windle until We were again allowed to de
part by this-ef all others-the most coma
pletc Swindlc 81 i railroad company. IIav-
ing net dulins, the day "A conductor of Il
freight train which left Newark ut | instead
of lO5 in the morning. with two passenger
cars attached running to Mansfield, he in
formed Us that we could reach the desired
point. Mansfield. by II o'clock in the morn
Ing. III 1ull time to connect with the Pitts
burg & Fort Wayne Railroad. which would
deliver us again in Chicago at l0s o'clock
Oh Monday night instead of s o'clock Sun
day morning. us promised by the Railroad
Company's Agent in Baltimore. After
showing the conductor our extra tickets,
with our through tickets. we were again
politely Informed we were swindled by that
masnanmeuS corporation. We did reach
Chicago by 10i o'clock. where, making our
report t" head quarters. Post Office Depart
ment. were kindly recommended to X.
Island. who generously furnished us with &,
pass again 10 Omaha.
Wear sorry t" say we find none Of the
libcrality manifested among railroad men
east Of Chicago that is plainly the case
we>t Of That point. and none SO vivid as is