, 1876-09-26
THE RAILROADS..
nAGUAGE.sNrAslI1NG.

HAGOAGE.SNrAslI1N
III ihe Editor n Ths Tribune.
CHICAGO, Sept. 25.--An editorial In the Fat
'cnv Ags Of Sept. Il In relation to " Baggage
Smashing having attracted my attention, AMI
having noticed many articles In vnrlous Journals
about " "Daggage-smashcrs," as they arc termed
by the writer's, II accms 10 INC about time tllnt
SOME ono who Ia familiar with thn facts should
make some reply To tho rccitals OF tho defects
uf our baggage system.
While Il Is true TINT baggage Is frequently
hantllcd roughly and carcessly, yet tile author
OF the article in the Ags does not sccn, 10 takn
10 trunks arc manufactured out Of thin Pine
boards, nailed together, ,hnd covered with yellow
or black paper, and q fow light bnntls put
around them, with locks and hinges That l,ayc
pounds weight. Theso. trunks arc almost In.
varably packed full, anil generally = contain more
or less hooks, occasionally KIT OF tools, and
frequently dishes or Other solid substances, md
so heavy that, let tlo baggagc1nan BE- eyer 50
carcfu II lie sets IL down on the end the chances
arc that The lock will break, 0r hinges come OF,
or end spring out, being held only by ti4.inch
nails. These trunks aro expected to carry thclr
heavy burdens from 600 to 1000 OF 3000 miles,
and be handled carefully. and WITH the exnedt.
tho dear traycltng public sc, much desire md
enjoy and como out a. nice "a they were
tho day they came new from tito trunk store,
while the samo people, IL they wcro packing the
from Omaha to New York, would paek tle,n in
stroug box made OF lncl,.boartl, and fastened
with heavy nails. and bound with tron-oands,
although they know that the box would be put
York without change, or llandling between tho
cities, and having 10 days to reach its Gcstina~
uon instcad Of co hours by the usual passenger
tratns.
ported daily made with round top, and very
large, and fcontaning from 2O0 to 800 pounds
weight, which 1t s impossible 1or any Ordinary
man to ltft from tho baggngc-car to The truck
or platform % ea5efuliy as 10 would bo1
roun1.top balloon.trunks, witt, large rasp-loelss
on tho outside, cannot be piled ID d baggage.ear
witt, the top up; but In order tu gct, the
baggage into tho car. 40 IL will rilo without
Sliding fron, one side Of the car to tlp other, 1t
front side. And pIiIng one trunk upon another
In this Wny, tho constant lateral motion uf tho
car arouul curves will causc tf,c lock or hinges
Of one trunk to work against another, and ~
through which tho bolt passes has q constant
strain upon It, and not unfrelucntly will be
broken, these hasps being nly.about one-cighth
Of an inch wire and rivetetl through piece of
brass one,eghth Of az t,'eh t. task ~, o,or
the great care exercised III handling baggage OIL
European railways, but does not henr III MUD
sat ~ aerS r. 1 fof thnv 9vc ~ M
cate ol nls own pagEaSu' Mt 10y aase IT, sum
veehees % no1 s1tck e. aTrv Yaras; Earataca trnlt
weighing LOU or .1 PouEus !see, .ne Go'npeisa
ao ay Gn = many % ~ @ ef ~ 9t,aoe 0 - "a - eir,c
OF % Or ~ pouhus' nuu .t n'1 uass e.ae,on Ti,a
every tno f.oa IL H. sss sn,,rcc ,o enacs Enrocan
re1ssnv. t h,q nroys . nrn mcn for the hanpr
9. wG Ihey tufsn ~ o"c i1Tg' ~ this rnn,
aa.'ons 70 .e pae .un isr .s Hos ar,too ~ tr,'nE
tr WerG We saTr i9a laoy 9a,l.ogn olg 'n"n
Wc,galnE from utra ~ TO ~ onoa7 on nct pa'''a'
tEKet EtMons ~ easLa s"h,eS. .ons,dora ooro.
tmnk the WF.cr ~ I.g aJ9 co,,s,as. ,ao
Iaiy INC suo1eet atpn ~ncs ~ .s,is MIe ~
anu gGes 1P e Ein ~ ss a .s AMI IN rases ta
sss expseted III to @ b. carried ri Saggags
o. mllcs Wltnoa1 naa, aaa ttamS tanns ~ H. ~, @
Iew nohts Me VII ogSois M satlsSa @ inv ~ n onooe 0M
I ILL., talo t tns nse a,S ,s"t ~ b"oGnWa ~