The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-07-05
The Origin of the Sleeping Car.

Mr.. W. Barnet Le Van, NJ. D., Of
Philadelphia, says.
From all accounts, no doubt, Napo-
leon !. used in 1915, the first sleeping,
dining room and parlor car" that was
ever built. This car, Or chafiot, wns
Presented to the Prince Regent of En-
gland, by whom it was afterwards sold
to Mr.. Bullock for S12, 500 1t event
nally found its way to Madame Tussaud's
Wax-work Exhibition, London, #hefe IL
may still bo seen. This very curious
and convenient chariot Of the First
Emperor was built by Symons, of Brus-
sells, for the Russian campaign, and is
adapted for the various purposes Of o
pantry and n kitchen, for it had places
for holding and preparing refreshments,
which, by the aid Of lamp, could be
heated in the carriage. 1t served also
for bedsoom, O dressing room, an
office, etc. The seat is divided into two
by partition about six inches high.
The exterior OF this ingenious vehicle is
Of tho form and dimensions of our large
coaches, except that it has o projection
in front Of about two feet, the right
hand half of which is open to the inside
to receive the feet, THUS forming q
bed, while the left hand half contained
a store of various useful things. Beyond
the projection In front and nearer to the
horses, was the seat for tho coachman,
ingeuionsly contrived 80 US to prevent
the driver from viewing the interior OF
the carriage, aud yet so placed as to
afford those within n clear sight of the
horses mud Of tho surrounding country.
Beneath this seat is u receptacle for
box, about two and one-half feet in
length and four inches deep, containing
bedsiead of polished steel, which could
he fitted up in couple of minutes.
| Over the front windows is roller blind
of strong painted canvas, which. when
pulled out, excluded RAIN, while 1t ad-
mittcd air. (This might be an advanta-
geous appendaSo TO our present car
windows rs well as carriageS.) On the
ceiling Of the carriage is a network for
carrying small travelling requisites. In
n recess there was secretaire, ten by
eighteen inches, which contained nearly
n hundred articles presented to Napoleon
L by Maria Louise. under whose care it
was fitted up with every luxury and
convenience that could be imagined. II
contained beside the usual requisites for
n dressing box, most of which were of
solid gold, a magnificent breakfast SER
vice, with plates, cand!e-sticks, knives,
spoons, q spirit lamp for making break
fast in the carriage, gold case for Ma
poleon's gold wash-hand basin, number
of essence bottles, perfumes and an
infinite variety Of minute articles, down
to pins, needles, thread and silk. Each
Of these articles were fitted into recesses
most ingeniously contrived and made il
the solid wood, in which they were
packed close together, and many one
within tho other, in such a narrow space
that, on seeing them arranged, it APP
peared impossible for them ever to bt
put into so small o compass. At tht
bottom of his toilet box, in divided ro
cesses, we're found 1000 gold Napolcon'
($7, ,700); on the top of it were writing
materials, looking. glass, combs, etc
a liquor case, which had two bottles
one OF Malaga wine, the other of rum (;
silver sandwich box, containing plate
knives, spoons, pepper and salt boxes
mustard pot, decantcr, glasses, etc; {
wardrobe, writing desk, maps, telescopes
arms, ETC.; large silver chronometer
by which the watches Of the army wer
regulated; two mcrino mattresses,
green velvet travelling cap, also q dia
mond head dress, (tiara), hat, sword
uniform and an imperial mantle, etc.
Iron Age,