The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-15
fSeLAHD AND TuB UNI1ED STA TIES
OONTRASTRD.


hha other great olLleh OF lllt Gltltb chInOA
mt DO regarded MS an evil To one who at home
can drive a couple Of miles for thlrty-six cents.
the difference here Is unpleasantly marked. |
'Tbero are excellent tram car systems in the |
American cities. however. which 20 far to |
rnakc up for this. In Britain our cars run only |
nm the principal streets OF a city but here they
are found on every street of consequence. Our |
American cousins make much creator use Of
chose cars than we do always mnnifesting a
reluctance to walk II they can possibly ride.
Tho next point. naturally. that comes under
tho strangers notice Ia the hotel to which his
cab conducts him, and few men arriving In an
American hotel for the first time will fail TO DO
surprsod and pleased. There are a class OF
pig-heaied Britons who from their Unborn self
conccit and blind obstinacy can neversee. much
loss allow ANYTHING they come in contact with
abroad to be better than they have at home.
The bovine stupidity of such tourists makes
thom a laughing stock to all they meet; and too
often the idea arises. that such is the style Of
the British people as n whole. This idea is as
unjust us It is unfortunatc but for its preva-
lenco We have to thank this miserable class Of
our own countrymen. To come back to the
hotel however. The American hotel Is an es-
Enlistment OF another sphere altogether from
the British house II is elegant often to mag
nncencc spacious and extremely comfortable.
inc Hltlcm VI bOhTulik hilu phlluk ny lue uHJ
Is admirable. saving trouble TO the guest. and
putting It beyond the landlords power to
charge more than is just and fair. The item
OF washing. however. is, l may remark. un-
commonly heavy In some frst-class American
houses and the American laundress should be
athriving parsonage. The table in these hotels
Is good. 1t is somewhat French in style. from
tho large number OF entrees and little dishes;
but man wanting q good solid English meal
can have that right well. am glad to find.
however. that the best porterhouse steak does
not compare with the world-iamed beefsteak
OF old England. For America to pass us by in
this main point of Englands glory would in
deod BE- the most unkindcst cut Of ALL" 1t is
great convenience to be able 10 purchase rail-
way and theatre tickets in the hotel. and II Is
wonderful that this very simple and obvious
amendment should not yet have asserted itself
In Britain. But we are conservative nation!
The BARRIERS shop too. in connection with the
hotel is n great institution. quite unknown
10 the English establishment as Is also
tho American shaving chair. l am bound to
say. however, that these BARRIERS fleece one
most shamefully at times A dollar is decidedly
too much to pay for having the hair cut and
shampooed-an operation which at home costs
twenty-five cents. But the Americans soem az
rule to have plenty OF ready cash for such
minor Injuries. and pay without thought or
grudging what people would grumble greatly
about in England.
Before passing from the hotel. must not
omit to mention the elevator. Every American
house Of consequence runs tns they say an
elevator greatly to the convenience Of the
guests. Some only Of our English houses have
adopted this the sooner all do so the better
Our friends hero have sometimes fancy for
long and high-sounding names. In which I
shall not pretend to say whether they are right
or wrong. What we call a hoist or lift. they
term an elevator" the check-strap in q bus
a tho communication" and in Detroit. the
bell in my bedroom was labelled " hotel annun-
oiator." These names doubtless have a certain
dignity OF sound; nevertheless brevty 10 tho
soul OF wit"
30 much then for the American hotal. an in
stitution about which a volume might DO
written.
The travellers next step is TO pass from the
point OF arrival to some other city. and he ac-
cordinRly seeks the railway station or depot.
His experience in cab fares has by this time
auRht him to send his baggage down
by express. and ride TO tho station on a
tram car. He gets his baggage checked
right through 10 his des,ination-a most
praiseworthy and convenient system. which
England has not yet adopted-and then takes
his seat in the car Suddenly he is alarmed by
ulb changing Oh u uOhN uOltlul Dtll. anu llt
train moves slowly of. He afterwards finds
that this funereal arrangement takes the place
OF our own familiar sharp whistle 10 announce
the departure OF the train. Tho cars seem a
long while in gathering way and attaining de-
cent spe.d. which IL accounted LOT by the iaet
the streets without barrier or division OF any
kind from the street trailc Surely IN the
larger and Older cities this might be discon-
tinued The bell continues tolling until clear
OF the city. But even when running through
the open country afterwards the speed Is com
paratiyey slow. / speak Of the generality Of
American trains. for there are some few trains
IN the States-up0n various lines-that attain
the respectable rate Of forty miles an hour.
But the average train runs at from twenty Ave
70 thirty miles. and on branch lines often less.
There H. even "A line somewhere. l am told.
where progress is so slow that the COW catcher
IS shifted and put on behndl The reason OF
this want ~ pace does not. however, seem far to
seek. Tho United States railways cover a vast
eKtent Of territory, and such capital as the ma
tion can yet afford 10 devote TO their keeping up
and improyeinent Is inadequate TO the perfect
tracks Many OF the American railways, too.
are financially straitened al present The
want Of speed and frequent rouRhness Of
the roads. therefore. only require time to
cars. % and here fenr my vi Vows 50 will not
meet with aeceptaton. l do not like the Ameri-
can cars. and for several reasons. In the first
place tAgy are too public having no compart-
menis. This ,i"ature. am aware. the Amerl-
cans prefer. Next, they have no clnsses. unless
We count the Pullman rs a nrst-class and we
must consder that on many country trains
thefe rs no lullmhn NJ al. our american
brethren hold that Jack il Hs good as his mus
ter. and that there is no distinction Of class in
this gr"Ht republic. which may all be very
right and proper nevertheless thcre is m
aristO ,rucy in America, ms exclusive in many
ways ~ our own, and should not fancy that
they would be sorry 10 seq separate classes
placed NJ the railroad The poorer clnss
would lik wise be satisfied. az by travelling in
somewhat inferior cars they would save their
money. II viewer. this is n delicate point to
treat Of under the very wings OF tho eagle Of
liberty.
Let M io1l; for moment then. Mt the famous
Pullman car. In point Of upholstery and Mt
tings this car Is simply perfect. and inr beyond
our English iirst-class cArriage: but Is 1t so in
solid comfort hardly think SO. The Pull
man seems to bear the same relation to our
hrst-rlgsa carriage. that an elegant draw Ing
room does 10 n comfortable parlur or smoking
room. In tho drawing room you have tasteful
1ttingsnnd a variety OF knick -knacks with tides
on the rhairs. and such feminine Inventions in
the smoA ing room much Of this style may he
lacking hut you have. instead. great. roomy
chairs and place wherron 10 raise your feet.
In England we care less for style than for solid
comfort; and the fact that Pullman which
has been ulaced on tho English Midland line.
doee not meet with much acceptation in COM
parisOn with the od-iashiOned vehicles. shows
81 least how Englishmen regaid il.
There Is one crying nuisance on American
trains that cannot pass over, namely. the book
agent This individual Is cal lel n book agent