Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-03-08

greatly inferior in all respects. Some
how one feels perfectly safe travel
ling upon such fine roads, but for
comfort OF travel one could fare as
well in the commonest American
stage coach. They are narrow, not
to exceed seven feet in width, and in
length about half that of American
cars-each car being divided by
cross-wise partitions into three COM
partments, each compartment having
two seats, and each seat calculated
for three persons, those occupying
either seat To face those on the oppo-
site. And to each compartment
there are two doors, one opening on
either side of the car, so that passen-
gers may enter on either side. The
compartments are well lighted and
seats and backs we'll cushioned,
warmth if required being furnished
only To first class cars by means of
tiattened cylinders filled with hot
water and these placed on the floor
where the feet may rest upon them.
These heaters are exchanged as they
cool for hot ones. The heating ar
rangement may be approved, the
lighting also, and the well-cushioned
seats. The only advantage can see
IN the compartment division is that
OF safety, accidents appearing hardly
possible, the American car and en-
trance at the ends being accountable
for most of the accidents on our
railroads. Each car may contain a
first, q second and third class coach,
as the compartment is called, but
usually a car is all appropriated to
one or the other class. The first class
coaches are finely cushioned in drab
hair cloth and hair mattress, and are
supplied with heaters, the second
class not quite so finely cushioned
and no heaters, the third class not
cushioned at all-smoking forbidde u
in all but the rule not observed in
any. Money for fare never taken on
the cars, but tickets must be bought
at the stations. Conductors pass
hiOuuu Oil OuLDluc VI cars Wullc III
motion, by means of a continuous
plank laid from engine to rear car,
Conductor taps on the window, pas
sengers slide down the glass and he
politely bows and says, "ticketS. "
The French cars are designed as i'm
provements upon the English, but
are mere varia tons in external fin.
ish. Sleeping cars have not yet APP
peared in Europe, but in Switzerland
the American car has been adopted
entrance at the end. The second
class cars are preferred for sleeping
as when but two passengers, no more
are in a coach, each may lay at ful
length and snooze till morning. The
first class seats are divided at the
center by high arm rests which pre-.
vent reclining.
The European cars have one at
tachment which should be adopted
in America, and ! will try to explain
it: When the cars stop, or start
there is often such jar at the hitch
ing caused by the conclusion, that
you fear something has happened
Well, in the continental cars this is
all obviated by means of what | must
call "bumperS"-that is, projecting
rods with fiat heads, the small ends
fitting into chambers of either com.
pressed air or other elastic substance
When the fattened heads projecting
from each car meet those in the next
forward or rear car, the blow is not
felt at aIl-the elastic attachments
at once changing the blow as of two
solids, into gentle meeting of elastics
These bumpers have heads foot di,
ameter and never miss or fail to per
form true resisting service.
Telegraph cables are even moro
numerous along the railroad lines in
Europe than America, so many that
the poles cannot support all, and the
remainder are laid upon short sup
ports two feet above ground, and al
the crossings passing under ground
DIGRESsIoN-THE COUNTRY.
But | have depressed and must re.
eur to my brief daylight observations
in England The reader must not
count upon uniform and orderly
account of my observations in this
country of strange and Kaleidoscope
views. My notes are taken at odd
moments when the cars are not in
motion, or at the hotels. One can
write very we'll aboard the steamers
in motion, but not on the cars. AZ
Lisbon, the Consul and T. S. Minis
ter, al interim, Hon. II. S. Neal,
obliged me with rooms and all need
full accommodations for writing up
my notes, and | spent some hours
each day in his elegant office parlor
u S Minister Shelabarger has left for
America and is expected to resign
on account of failing health, the eli
mate having failed to benefit him.
Dyspepsia is his ailment The tour
list in England, more than elsewhere
upon the route through to Portugal
is constantly impressed with the ev-
licences of industry of the people.
with the visible comforts and the
high state of perfection of things
generally. The buildings are not
only good but fine and substantial
the little farms of an acre to three,
and sometimes five acres, are nicely
inclosed with walls or hedges the
lands ditched, drained or irrigated
as required, and in the cultural pro-
cess are ridged or worked into rails
ed squares moles of manure are seen
everywhere for top dressing or work
ing in with crops. Lime, plaster,
ashes, barn offal and even sand and
the burnt earth from brick yards are
used for fertilizing the land. Much
of the land is in wheat, and il fairly
mantels the earth in dark green. /
have never seen wheat so thick
and green and promising. Could
any artificial means cause such crops
to appear at mid-winter in our Amer
lean rich soil Maybe, in a milder
latitude. The people are blowing.