Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-08-25
ENGLISH RAILWAYS.
A Comparison Between the British System
And the American -The;Sritish Better.

each compartment being entered on the
side, and separated by closed partition
from the compartments adjoining. These
partitions render impossible that long char
acteristic halls of the American train, and
only by means of a small platform extend-
ing on the outside can one section be en-
tered from another. This platform is also
utilized by the guard in collecting the tick
cts of the passengers, and the same are
passed to him through the compartment
windows.
The cars being ent red on the side, one
half the passengers must ride backward,
and if the train be full, the four persons
who enjoy the window seats are the only
ones who ride with comfort, and who catch
even imperfect glimpses of the scenery
through which the train passes. The first
class compartments are the most expensive
of all. The floor is generally covered with
rug, which is clean and new, The win
do Ms glisten, and are -tastefully curtained.-
The seats are iuxuriously cushioned. The
Second-class compartments, as rule, are
not much less comfortable than the first.
The floor is often bare, but clean, the seats
are less elegantly upholstered. A good Sec
ond-class car in England or Germany is Of
| ten more richly furnished than the average
fist class car of Italy or France; but in
sither country cushions, curtains. and com
fort arc generally wanting in third-elass
compartments. In the English the foor is
bare and often covered with dirt; the win
dows are dusty and the boards for seats are
hard. On account of the low rates Of fare
the mass of the people prefer this class, and
the cars are generally crowded. Between
Liverpool and London by the Northwestern
company's train for first-class carriage the
charge is about 1926 in American cur
rency; for second class, SIS. rs; and for a
third class only $4. The third class COM
partment, too, may BE- on the same car with
the first; or, if not, attached, at least to the
same train. First-class passengers are al.
lowed more more baggage than the third,
though in either case articles which can be
crowded under the seats can go free. All
luggage is weighed, but is never checked,
and for any excess ticket is required.
The locomotive is a cute little machine,
which reminds one of a good sized toy,
but with immense power. 1t ratified along
the track with pace seldom equalled IN
other parts of the world, and seldom does
break or accident occur. The whistle is
low, sharp, and shrill. A great railway
corporation is said to have no soul, and
this may account for the fact that the en-
gineer ''stoker" of an English locomotive
have apparently no protection from tine e1-
tremes of the weather, but are exposed the
year round to driving rain, scofching heat,
piercing fog, and freezing cold. A very
slight sum, iudiciously expended, would
afford these employees the necessary shelter
and protection; and why such comfort
should be denied is one of those railroad
problems which but few mortals are able to
tathom and explain. But if the English
cars are inferior to those of America, the
management of the line is vastly superior.
The track is straight and smooth and beau
tlful. 1t is guarded by law from vandal
feet with as much care as the garden spots
of the country lords, and for any one to
walk along the line or in other ways trespass
upon the property of railway corporation
would be a gross transgression of private
rights. Passengers are respectfully re-
quested' or earnestly solicitated" to cross
the track by the bridge, or pass under it
by means of a tunnel, and if the request or
solicitation be unheeded, fine of 40 shil-
lings is demanded. ALI city streets and
paths cross the track, either above or be-
low the common level, and to attain this
end the most ingenious shifts are often
employed. To keep the line straight and
level, it is carried through hill rather than
around it, and the tunnels are constructed
in the most elaborate and expensive way.
The stone and iron work of the drains, via
ducts, and bridges also show the most Eber-
al outlay. This large expenditure is es-
pecially true in London itself. From
Charing Cross one can take train every
few minutes from the level of the street, or
he can ascend o stairway and take another
above many Of the house tops, or he can
descend into the earth and take still an
other below the surface.
The metropolitan or underground system
of railways in the great city provides most
admirably for rapid transit between stations
in the city and stations IN the suburbs.
This system consists mainly of series of
tunnels with almost as many branches as
the catacombs of Rome, and with openings
here and there to the surface for the ascent
and descent of passengers. There is an al
most complete circuit of the city, 80 that a
passenger may start from some central
point, as Moorgate street, near the bank
and after travelling for an hour find him
self back at Moorgate street again. Not
withstanding the enormous cost of such a
line, its advantages are readily seen. Ex-
cept for aged and feeble persons, the ascent
and descent of the stairways are easy, the
danger from collision and accident is avoid
ed, and the space above is left to be utilized
for other purposes. -
But if the English railway lines in gen.
eral are constructed with little care for the
curtailing of expenses, the elimination of
taste seems to center in many of the sta
tons. This is true more especially of the
stations in smaller towns than in the larger
cities, but in all England rickety or tum-
ble-down structure can scarcely be found.
In the larger cities, as London, Liverpool
and Birmingham, the stations are elegant
structures of wood and glass, and are sup
piled with every convenience the traveller
can demand. In each may be found three
classes of refreshment rooms, correspond
ing to the three classes of cars; news stands
which might more rightly be called book
stores, since the stock is not much inferior
to that of the dealers in Booksellers row;
parcel rooms where luggage is cared for at
commodations, aad the other appendages
necessary to the enjoyment of travel. But
while the smaller English cities can boast
of stations rivalling in elegance those
of Chicago or New York, the small
er stations are often the fea-
ture of their respective towns, and, besides
being substantially built; are decorated in
the most finished and artistic nanneE
Each station consists Of two parts, one on
each side of the track, and each section has
often its own booking office, refreshment.
luggage, and other rooms. Round about
are seen beds containing roses, ,honeysuckle,
sweetbrier, and other flowers. There are
no crumbling fences; piles of loose dirt, or
other lndiscriminate rubbish scattered
| around, but the walks are scrupulously
clean and regular and the ground is. tasteful
ly sodded. In these stations are posted maps
and notices ad intintum, and the most
trivial changes are everywhere provided for
1t has been affirmed that it is q more diff
cult process for foreigner to make his 100
miles in England than 500 miles in Ameri-
ca. Passengers are not ticketed frsnn one
station to another, but booked" end if the
journey be of any considerable extent, the
latter term is certainly the most applicable
since the trayeleris supplied with a mini
ature volume, in whichis seemingly check
fol-, every considerable town through which
the train passes. Even the "oldest inhab-
itants" are puzzled often to distinguished
between the changes, and are forced to
question the guard like the everieststranger
1t has been said that it takes more than q