Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-18
The Railroad Company and Passenger.
Prom l'srpers Magazine.

Prom Harpcrs Magazine.
Into the question so abundantly dif-
cussed Of late in the public prints and
periodicals, and now even in political
caucuscs and conventions, concerning
the mutual rights and obligations Of
the railroad companies and the public,
we shall not enter. Yet it may con
tribute something 10 a better under
standing, and so indirectly to solution
Of the problem, to have clear idea
Of what d railroad corporation is, what
are the hazards, what the tolls, what the
duties, difficulties, and dangers, of those
who are connected with, and who have
done most 10 create, develop, and carry
on, these great highways Of the present
century, the arteries which supply the
whole body polite with its vital circu-
lation-trade and commerce.
The traveller going West steps to the
ticket Office Of the Pennsylvania, the
Erie, or the New York Central Rail
road. He purchases his ticket for San
Francisco. He gives his trunk TO
baggage-master, gets for it little piece
Of metal, and sees and cares for it 10
more. A porter shows him his place
in the Pullman car. He takes his
seat, pulls off his boots, puts on his
slippers, opens his bag, takes out his
book or magazine, and his travelling
cares are at an end For six days and
nights he is rolled swiftly across the
continent. Engineers and conductors
change. He is passed along from one
railroad corporation to another, At
night his seat becomes a bed, and he
sleeps as quietly, or nearly so, as if in
his own bed at home. lie traverscs
broad plains, passes over immense
viaducts, whirls swiftly over mountain
torrents Oh iron bridges, climbs or
pierces mountains; but he never leaves
his parlor if need be, his meals are
brought TO him where he sits and at
length, after a week of luxurious though
weary travelling, in which be has been
in the keeping of half dozen differ
ent companies, and has traversed over
three thousand miles Of country, part
of it uninhabited and desolate, he is
set down in the sta,ion-roOm at San
Francisco. lie looks at the clock in the
station room, compares it with the
timetable in his hand, and finds that
his journey has been accomplished
with all the regularity and punctuality
of the sun. His little piece Of brass
T. on IN "a n
man, and when he reaches his hotel,
the trunk which he surrendered in
New York is in the great hall await
ing him. 1t seems a very simple busi-
ness and if perchance through all
this journey he finds the dinner at one
waiting place cold, or the conductor
on one part Of his trip discourteous, or
the train stopped at any point in the
long ride beyond his expectations, or
his arrival at his destination DELAYED
beyond tie appointed hour, he is very
apt TO grumble, inwa-dly if not vo-
cally. How much money has been
put into this long line of rail how
much has been sunk in unsuccessful
experiments; how many rich men
have been ruined before the work was
done; how many sleepless nights sur
veyors and contractors have spent in
providing this marvellous highway
bow intricate and involved is the svs-
TEN of copartnership that Is necessary
to such a continuous transportation
without change of cars :" what a gi-
gantic undertaking it is to administer
this system, with its thousands of en-
ployes how wide-awake the engineers
have been that the traveller NAV sleep:
what danger they have had TO face
that he may ride in safety--of all this
he is unconscious, if not absolutely
ignorant.
The Erie Railway, one of the long
est lines of railroad in the world. en-
ploys fifteen thousand persons in va
rious occupations. 1t is estimated
that there is scarcely an hour of the
day or night when there are not one
hundred trains in actual running along
its line. The administration of such
a force of men, the management of
such system of railroad trains, with.
out clashing or collision, requires en-
ecative ability of the highest order.
If, sir, you think it easy, count up the
difficulties you have with your own
Irish gardener in the administration of
your country place, with its horse and
COW then multiply those difficulties
by fifteen thousand, and you have the
problem of an American railroad
president.