The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-10-13
Owning his own Palace Car.

From the Albany Times.
A palace car, nearly completed in West
Albany, promises to excel any piece Of rail
road architecture in this or any other
country. 1t is built to satisfy the whim
of private gentleman, who, having done
much travelling in his life, is a connoisseur
in those things which go to make up the
comfort and convenience of travelling. He
has used his bank account freely sparing
no expense to secure the object of his am
bition, the finest private car in the world
The framework of the car is constructed
on an entirely new principle The body of
the car is much like raft, being series
of steel cylinders, lying transversely, and
perfectly air tight. They are tested to
stand pressure of 300 pounds to the inch,
and it is calculated that train of cars
coming against this car at speed would
merely act as bat against a ball. The
exterior of the car is finished in Honduras
mahogany, and the entrance is upon the
side, English style, though near the end.
A spacious staircase opens from the vesti-
bule, and the stained glass windows at the
landing add to the illusion that one is en-
tering spacious mansion. At the turn,
however, instead of proceeding upward, the
visitor is ushered into little observation
and smoking room, oyerhanging the plat
form and brakeman station. At theright
of the vestibule, one enters, through
doors of California redwood that slide on
rubber rollers, the general parlor. Alter
nate panels of Mexican onyx and plate
glass mirrors of luxurious depth give a
peculiar charm to the apartment, which is
to be furnished in peculiar manner, no
two chairs being alike in form or uphol-
stery. At one side of the car is an organ
of unique construction. The wind is fur
nished by the motion of the car, and it may
be made to play set tunes automatically, or
may be played by the performer in the ordi-
nary manner The reed organ is said to pos
sess many advantages over the piano for
palace-car use, the latter, in fact, being en-
tirely ruined as musical instrument by the
jar of travel This central apartment has
length of thirty-three feet. In two min
utes sleeping room, with Eastlake bed
stead and furniture, is made in the centre
of the saloon, shut off from the rest by
rolling wall of bamboo work. Extra berths
may be let down from the sides if needed
Beyond this stateroom, and included in the
grand saloon when the whole is thrown
open, is the dining saloon, a miniature
model of luxury and convenience, copied
mainly from the saloons on the Hamburg
steamers. The lavatories are two, one be-
ing porcelain bath, and the other toilet
room. The water is supplied, not from a
tank above, but from one of the cylinders
under the car, which contains water instead
of air, and which, by an ingenious arrange
ment, is kept under an equal pressure. A
hose attachment offers ready means of
extinguishing fires.
The kitchen is an apartment four feet
by eight, furnished with gas range, hot
and cold water, and closets for supplies.
On the opposite side of the hall, in mar
row compartment, is a Siemens dynamo
machine of great power, while distributed
in various parts of the car, so artfully con-
cealed that their presence would never be
detected, will be fifty Faure-Sellon batter
les. 1t may be lighted with gas or elec-
tricity, as may be preferred.
The owner of the car has taken out some
twenty-five patents already for various inn
provements and inventions that he has in
troduced in the car, and says that so far
from its being matter of extravaganza,
the car will probably bring him large ad-
dition to his fortune, or if at any time he
should desire to sell the car, he can do so
at large profit to some opera star or rail-
road company, and still retain his patents.
The car is expected to be completed accord
ing to the present plans, by the 1st of De-
cember.