Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-01
Special correspondence of State journal.


ways. Nearly all the cuts and embank-
ments are beautifully terraced, and the
grass on the gentle slopes above aud be-
low the track is kept closely shaven like q
lawn. The tracks are generally double,
thoroughly bsllasted, and on many roads
the tics are supported by iron sub-sills.
The system of signals from station to STA
ton seems perfect. At every highway
crossing, however small, a barrier on
either side prevents interference with ap.
preaching trains, and the fagman, as the
train passes, stands erect like a soldier
with his staff at the shoulder aud flag
wound around it. Mountains and hills
seem no hindraDce, and whenever you see
one you may be sure Of tunnel in about
five minutes. Tunnels are as abundant as
in the molasses cellar of 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 in
ferior, and the comfort of passengers is
very little regarded. The locomotives
look black, dingy and awkward and have
not an ornament or bright spot on them.
The engineer and fireman seldom have
any cover or protection, but are required
to face the weather, whatever it 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 MAGNIFIED PROCESSION OF ANTS
than like the luxurious and beautiful
passenger train of an American railway.
Each Car has three or four compartments,
to seat 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
a narrow platform outside, and has
to 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 OF danger to the conductor or engi.
neer. Ga one road, however, we noticed
device, probably patented, designed to
obviate this difficulty. It was 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 tri-
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:
"SIGNAL BELL-Should any extra
ordinary case require the presence of the
guard, passengers are requested to break
the glass with their elbows, draw down
the ring and agitate their arms through
the right hand window according to the
direction of train.
"Any passenger having called without
reasonable cause, will be prosecuted to the
full erte0t of the Eaw."
Could anything be more ridiculous
Fancy a passenger jumping upon the
seat, jabbing his elbow through the glass,
jerking down the ring, and then rushing
to the right hand window and agitating
his arm through it The train might turn
dozen double somerssults before such a
complicated contrivence would get
through an excited passen gers head. The
idea ola simple bell-cord running through
the whole train to 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 compartments like the others. Pas
sengers enter, however, upon platform
at the end, and can pass from one com
partment to the other Of the same car.
But they cannot go from one car to an
other for there is no outside door handle,
nothing but a key hole. If a passenger
goes out, as he is likely to, he will find
himself on the platform, with no way of
getting back into the Car at all until it
stops, and he can find somebody with a
key to open the door. As to the "con
veniences," there is a placard in each
compartment, indicating, in three lam
guages, that these are to be found in the
baggage car forward. But this implies
passing through dozen or twenty cars,
no one of which can be entered without
key, and the passenger, about the time
he wants 20 maze the trip, is generally
one key short; or else he must wait unit |
the conductor happens through, which
is seldom, and get him to organize pro-
cession and lead the way, unlocking the
doors as he goes along, and the same on
the return. This, again, implies that the
passenger speaks the conductors tongue.
If he cannot, as is usually the case with
Americans, it is awkward trying to
make known to the conductor, by ges
lures, on short notice, just what the mat
ter is. Aud it is thus that the Swiss rail.
Dc