Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-05-03

The Difference.

The Difference.
We have been frequently asked: " What il
the difference between railroad dining car
and Pullman Hotel car 50 That there is a
vast difference is well known by those who
have had occasion to use either; but the I'M
Travelled public are not fully advised as to
the points of difference. The old-fashioned
raliroad eating-house is, alasi too well
known: It's peculiar, hastily-eaten meals have
oeen partaken of by too many thousands to
be forgotten. The dining car, then, is this
wen-known eating house placed on wheels,
attached to the train at the usual meal hours,
ana hauled along for thirty, forty or sixty
miles, until the meal has been served, when
1t Is set of on a side-track, and is by the
next train hauled back to lis starting point,
and so 1t runs few miles for each meal To
get meals in this car the passenger has to
work his way through the train 1ekile IL Is IN
der .TtsA naotioR-pass from car TO car, run
ming the risks of falling between the plat
forms-and finally finding the car at the rear
OF the train. Then comes the meal, which
must be hurried through with to give chance
Tor other hungry passengers to take your
place, and you must force YOUR way back to
your seat, and again run the risks of your
platform passage while the train is at full
speed. In such cars you pay seventy-fiye
cents for each meal, even if you take or need
only cup of coffee and cracker. Bear in
mind in no case do these dining-cars accom-
pany the train from starting point to destina-
ton. They are always "cut off" and taken
on as we have described. With the Pullman
Hotel car the case is different in every re-
spect. These cars are sixty to siXty-six feet
long, have sixteen wheels under each, are
built strong, so as to insure steady, quiet
running, without the usual unpleasant side
motion. Each Hotel car contains, in the or
der named, the following compartments:
LIST. a cosy, neat and clean little kitchen,
fitted up with a range, an ice and meat box,
rows of shelves covered with bright silver
and brighter glassware, and all the applis
ances needed for preparing sumptuous
meal.
I'd. A compact China and glass closet, in
which is kept the table ware and table linen,
cutlery, etc.
Sd. a passage way, cutting effth kitchen
and China closet from the rest Of the car,
and forming an air-chamber to prevent the
smell of the cooking yictuals from reaching
the saloon portion of the car.
4th. The grand saloon. This is fitted up
with twelve, fourteen or sixteen sections,
with space for tables between each, and in
these the meals are served. You, while on
this car, own the space you occupy as much
as you do your room at home, and no one
can hurry you while at meals, nor are YOU
forced to give it up to allow any other person
to occupy it. At night, as if by magic, this
saloon is changed into a boudoir, and here
your couch is prepared, and here you rest
yourself isolated, and as separated from
your fellow travellers as you would be In your
own bed-chamber.
5th. An elegant drawing-room, with room
for six or eight persons. This is found alone
in these magnificent cars. In it you and your
family or party of friends may be as secluded
as you please, or you can slide open the end
and have the company OF those in the grand
saloon.
&
partltloned OFT, and arranged In two distinct
compartments for the separate use of ladies
and gentlemen. These lavatories are sup
piled with pure water, clean towels, combs
brushes, and, in fact, everything the most
dainty may desire for the perfect performance
of an elaborate toilet.
18th. Then follow conductors and porters
rooms, linen closets, ETC., etc.
1t will thus be seen that this car is, as it:
| name implies, perfect modern hotel, will
all of its appliances and comforts complete
| This car is taken on at the commencement o
| the journey, and is part of the train to it
| destination. In it you get your sleepias
compartments and your meal accOmmOda
| tions, while neither encroach upon the other
| Envious dIning-car employees, who are paiC
| to decry this form of Hotel car, cannot, will
| anything like truth on their side, give an
| valid or conclusive reason for preferring tn
| dining to the Hotel car, and they only chat
ter in favor of their dining car because the
are paid to do so. These hotel cars have rul
from New York to San Francisco and bacl
with the Emperor Dom Pedro-with Jarret
81 Palmer's party, that Travelled at almos
| lightning speed--with many party of Cali
! fornia bonanza kings; and all join in pedg
| ing their honor that the cars are incompara
| bic.
Two lines of these celebrated cars run be
tween New York and Chicago, and one line
| only between Chicago and Omaha. 1t may
be needless to say that this last-named line
runs over the steel track of the CHICAGO q
| NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY. That these cars
are attracting large share of the California
travel, both ways, might easily be conjec,
| tured. Any road deserves to be patronized
| that is enterprisiag enough to give the trav
| cling public such facilities as are freely ten
dcred by the CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN
RAILWAY, on its California line.
We have neglected to say that, in these
Hotel cars, the meals are a Ia carte-you pay
for what you get, and nothing more; and
this at very reasonable rates.-Ihe Tribune
Aprij It'll, ~.