Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-07-30
SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS.
How They Propose TO Make an En-
tended European Tour at Cost
of $3.50 Apiece-EcOnOmy on the
HalfsSheli.

How They Propose to Make an Ex-
tended EurOpeau Tour at n Cost
Of $3.50 Apiece-EcOnOmy On the
Hali.Sheli.
Some time last fall couple of Cleve-
land boys found themselves in Louisville
with very small amount of money and
a very large amount Of grit. Their sur
prising adventures, which were detailed
at that time through letter to the
Leader, and the fun they had in spend
ing and saving their little store, aud the
surprising cheap way in which they
found that they could live gave them a
new idea of travelling, and so they put
their heads together to concoct q plan
for such cheap trip on large scale.
OF course, being American citizens,
they wanted to see their own couhtry6rst;
but as an extended tour would prove too
dear on account of long distances and
heavy fares, they finally settled on trip
to England; the great advantage of cheap
passage, cheap fares and cheap living
when arrived, and the number Of objects
of interest in a small space, made this
seem the very most for their money"
Since the matter was first thought of a
number Of young men, some in college
and others in business, have become in
terested, and at present there are seven
poor travellers" though more are ex-
pected. AS ell must look long way
ahead in order TO save even the limited
amount necessary, the time of sailing
had been fixed about July s, 1876.
The expenses are estimated as follows:
From the time CT landing to the time of
sailing on return they believe they can
live on ten dollars q week in gold, in
cluding railroad fares, entrance fees,
meals, washing and lodging This does
not seem like very large sum, but
when it is understood that poor travel
ers ride third class, walk when it is an
object, rent furnished rooms in upper
stories in the cities, and live on plain,
substantial food, paying no fancy hotel
bills and hack hires, the testimony of
those who have lived so is that it may
be done very comfortably. The seven
poor travellers are going to see-hot the
gliding on hotel walls, but the country
and the people. They expect to gather
squad of boys who can make joke
of hardships, and who are bound to have
a good time. The outward passage, and
perhaps the homeward will be made in
the steerage, though, of course, anybody
preferring the cabin can take it, but the
really poor travellers are evidently to
put up with hardship for few days, in
order to have a good time at the end.
Going out in the steerage may be made
comfortable by little gratuity to the
steward, and even a passage westward
will be endursble to strong, healthy boys
Steerage passage will cost from $l5 to
| $25 each way, depending on the compe-
tition. The travellers will spend about
eight weeks beside the ocean passage,
so that the necessary expenses may be
set down at from $ll0 to $3.50 gold, GER
tainly not to exceed the latter sum, from
New York to New York. AS an instance
of the small amount necessary to live on
it may be said that two of the poor
travellers lived from Saturday night to
Tuesday morning in an utterly strange
city on 81 65, and lived comfortably at
that.
Another instance within the past two
weeks: A member of the party travelled
between thirteen and fourteen hundred
miles, taking from Monday night to
Thursday evening, getting one lodging
and breakfast at friends. His total
expenses, outside Of railroad fares, we're
Just seventy.6ve cents, and he never en-
| joyed ride more and was perfectly sat
| is6ed with his fare. The fact is, the
American people are so accustomed to
palace cars, dollar and half meals,
first-class hotels and other needless ex-
penses, that they don't know it is possi-
BILE to travel any other way. One can
have as good time, and often better, to
90 in cheap way, and even if he has
the same amount of money, can ride
farther and see more than he who always
takes the best.
The plan OF the cheap trip is to land
at Glasgow pass through the Scottish
mountains, walking whenever possible,
reach Edinburg, thence by rail through
England, stopping at places of interest
to London, occupying about week be-
tween Glasgow and London. In the
metropolis Of the world they will stay
three or four weeks; thence across to
Paris and spend about ten days;
thence direct to Belgium and Hol-
land for flying tour, and home from
Antwerp or some German port. The
fact of an American boy having made a
fifty day velocipede tour down the
Rhine at an expense of 500 emboldens
the cheap travellers to plan to take that
| in; but their object is to see some things
thoroughly, rather than many things
hastily. The boys who have undertaken
this have plenty Of enterprise, if little
cash, aud we predict for them safe and
prosperous voyage.