The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-11
GheGntellfQeaHr
RAILWAY TRAVELLING.
Iow 10 sulIer Least and Enjoy Voc

vows that he will not travel by them, la
to sell his land to them, and TO hear tn
villaiuous whistle, screaming ten times il
the dry us the hateful train shoots through
! his garden, and sends its dust into hi
chambers A man who in orr time I'M
dertakcs 10 tight with the railways is il
worse plight than Don Quixote in hi
| fight with the wndmills Much rs "
may complain, there is no better way; il
TACT, there Is practically no other way
And in view OF these facts, ii may not b,
ont of place to give some rules for com
Portable railway travelling.
l. BE punclual, II is never safe u
count upon delays, though they so Oitel
occur. Provoking as it is To wait half III
hour or an hour in some drCaTy station, |
Is more provoking to reach the station
halt Il minute too late, and see the trail
gently gliding away One may he lat
anywhere else with more reason. Their
is no need Of being half an honr too ear
~, and il is a pitiablc weakness 10 hurr,
breakfast ON a cold winter morning, whGl
there is u good hour 10 spare. Yet il is
still more melancholy weakness, whicl
brings one, red in The face and out o
breath, To jump upon tho platform do
alter day when the train Is In motion, II
imminent risk OF being thrown under thu
wheels A railway station is an eXCellen
position for the study Of human folly, /
is good rule to be at the station lonl
enough before the train leaves TO maxi
wise choice Of II place in II, ir it Is already
there, or at any rate, TO get the mind com
posed and the nerves quoted,
q In iheChOiCo Ofa seat, get one rs near
~ us possible in the middle Of the car
Perhaps seat nearer the door may bC
safer in case of accident, md one may
find easier escape, But that advantage
Is more than met by smoother motion
and the moro comfortable air In the
central part Of car. There arc fewer
cold draughls IN that part, and in mos
cars the redhOt stove Is less nuisance
there. A place over the wheels is not
good for tho brain; prudent man will
avoid it, II he can Somebody must sill
there, Vi course Let il he the penalty
which the late corners pay The mate
rial of the seat is Of much less import
ance in the long railway journeys than
the place Of the seat. Avclvet armchair
with the wind blowing upon 1t, or the
ncrk Of the wheel vibrating in 1t, is not Sc
safe and not so comfortable US hard
board bench in better place, DO not
sit near to the stove, or over the wheels.
,. Then when there are several cars In
the train, choose n place in one Of the
middle cars No place in train IL Who'll.
ly safe, and II Inns no more been decided
which is the safest place In railway
train than where is the best place on the
body to have n boil Other things being
equal, the middle car Is safer than the
front or rear chr, in case of collision, and
II has certainly an easier and more steady
motion. 1t Is Il mistaken idea that the
rear Cur Is tho least exposed. There are
trains that follow MS well as trains that
encounter, and some Of the worst railway
accidents on record have come from these
following trains. Avoid, at any rate, the
temptation TO use the baggage car or the
emigrant car, because In these smoking Is
permitted. The luxury OF u cigar is poor.
ly purchased at the risk Of fractured
limbs, or in the pollution OF foul air.
4. And We are disposed 10 urge, as a
fourth rule, the pr0priety OF avoiding
night travel in railway cars. How absurd!
II will perhaps be- said. Is this not one
Of the grand improvements Of this meth.
cd of travel, that the nights can be used
and that you can sleep as comfortably as
in your bed ut homer Is il not great
gain to get over the ground while you are
asleep, and save the WEAKNESS Of the long
day slretChf Nevertheless, we say, don't
travel by night, unless you Nre in hurry
to meet some engagement, to sec u dying
friend, or 10 rcaCl your lcCturG.hall, when
the trains have been detained A bagman
or u "bunmer," who must have all his
daytime for traffic, may be excused for
travelling By night. lie has no purpose
Of spiritual improvement or physical de.
light But one who is traveling for health
or pleasure loses much In the wear and
tear Of nerve which night travel involves
The thin light, llickering ind faint, Is
ruinOus to the eyes, and the sleep which
Is snatChed and broken, Is not refreshing
Even the nice bed and the clean sheets Of
q Pullman palacc.car arc no guarantee
for genuine rest; there Is us much wake.
fulncss, us much iltful dreaming, as much
fear Of nocturnal providers, and much
more danger in case Of accident, in these
palacC.cars, than In the more open cars
where they tumble and tOqs llnOu the