Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-02
Special correspondence of state Journal.


lidity, strength and symmetry Of the rail-
ways Nearly all the cuts and embark
ment: are beautifully terrsced, and the
grass on the gentle slopes above aud be-
low the track is kept closely shaven like
lawn The tracks are generally double,
thoroughly ballasied, and on msuy roads
the tics are supported by iron sub-sills.
The system of signals from station to sta
ton seams perfect. At every highway
crossing, however small, q barrier on
either side prevents interference with ap
preaching trains, and the fagman, as the
train passes, stands erect like soldier
with his staff at the shoulder aud flag
wound around il. Mountains and hills
seem no hindrapce, and whenever you see
one you may be sure OF tunnel In about
five minutes. Tunnels are IS abundant as
in the molasses cellar of q grocery. The
depots, Also, are decidedly handsome,
substantial and commodious. But the
companies seem to have exhausted their
money upon their tracks and depots. The
cars and equipments are cheap and ln-
ferior, snd the comfort OF passengers is
verv little regarded. The locomotives
look black, dingy and awkward and have
not al ornament or bright spot on them,
The engineer and fireman seldom have
any cover or protection, but are required
to face the weather, whatever 1t may be.
The cars, also, are puny things, painted
black, and running on four high spoked
wheels like wagon. The whole train,
when in motion, looks more like
A MAdNIFIED PROCESSION OF ANTS
than like the luxurious and beautiful
nger train of an American railway.
Each car has three or four compartments,
to aaat six or eight passengers; there Is
no communication between the
compartments. The entrance is on
either side like carriage. The
conductor goes from car to car along
q narrow platform outside, and has
t. hang on to rail to keep from blowing
off. There are no necessary conveniences
for passengers, nor any way whereby a
passenger could in any event give warn
ing or danger to the conductor or engi-
neer. On one road, however, we noticed
device, probably patented, designed to
obvlate this difficulty. TWAS so novel that
| must not omit it. In the partition OF each
compartment, a foot or so above the heads
OF the passengers, was seen little TIL.
angular glass window, the sides about five
inches long, and inside little ring hang.
ing down. Above this, in three languages,
was
THE FOLLOWING NOTICE:
"SrGNAL BELL.-Should any extra
ordinary case require the presence OF the
guard, passengers are requested 70 break
the glass with their elbows, draw down
the ring and agitste their arms through
the right hand window according to the
direction of train.
"Any passenger having called without
reasonable cause, Will be pr0secuted TO Me
full ertent of the lao."
Could anything be more ridiculous
Fancy passenger jumping upon the
seat, jabbing his elbow through the glass,
Jerking down the ring, and then rushing
TO the right hand window and agitatlng
his arm through it, The train might turn
/. dozen double somersaults before such a
complicated contriyence would get
through an excited passengers head. The
idea of simple bell-cord running through
the whole train 10 the engine seems never
to have occurred to these obtuse foreign.
ers. The Swiss, too, have had brilliant
idea strike them. On all their roads they
advertise to run American cars, with all
the modern conveniences. The cars are
in campartmeuts ike the othera. Pas
sengers enter, however, upon platform
at the end, and can pass from one com
p.rtment to the other of the same csr.
But they cannot 60 from one car to an
other for there is no outside door handle,
nothing but key hole, If passenger
goes out, as he is likely to, he will find
himself on the platform, with no way OF
getting back into the Ger al all until II
stops, and he can find somebody with
KEY to open the door AS to the icon
veniences," there is plscard In each
compartment, indicating, in three Ian
quages, that these are to be found IN the
baggage car forward. But this implies
passing through a dozen or twenty cars,
no one OF which can be entered without
key, and the passenger, about the time