Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-25

increase OF one MILLION pOuuuS III uIOru-
class receipts as compared with the pre-
vious year, and third-class traffic is now
much more than double first and sec
ond-class together; the amounts being
1881 900 pounds, and first
and second-class, 100000 pounds. The
cost of the different grades is about as
follows: First-class, four cents a mile;
second, three cents; third, two, with a
slight allowance on each, according to
the distance travelled. The rate Of speed
made by railway trains is better here,
on the average, than in the United
States, though you have some trains
that will compare favorably with the
fastest in this country. The train known
as the Flying Dutchman," of the Great
Western Railroad, runs from London to
Bristol, distance of 1881 miles, IN two
hours and thirty-six minutes, or at the
rate of 45.3 miles per hour, including
two stops of eleven minutes. Excluding
those stops the speed is 40 miles per
hour. The distance from London to
Swindon, II Il miles, is made in one hour
and twenty-seven minutes, without stop
ping, or at the rate of 53.3 miles per
hour. Water is invariably taken up by
suction, while the train is going at full
speed, and the rate of progress is great
ly helped by the smooth, level-graded
and well-ballasted roadways.
THE INCONVENIENCE
Attendant upon railway travel in Great
Britain are very great. Excepting on
the few long distance trains that have
Pullman cars attached, there are no
places for retirement and no fires. In
the coolest weather iron foot rests, con-
tanning hot water, are supplied, but
they are scarcely ever available for all
the passengers, and are a poor Substi-
tute, at best, for red hot stoves or a
steam heating apparatus. No train is
without smoking carriages, but the
compartments are so small and the ten
dency of the English to smoke strong
smelling pipes IS SO great, that in
weather when it is not comfortable to
have the windows lowered the atmos-
phere Is slckening in the extreme. OF
course there is no such thing as walking
into another compartment when your
cigar is done, for the English railway
are like the Jews and Samar-
itans of old, who had no connections
with each other. But the greatest in
convenience is in regard to baggage.
The passenger must carry this on his
mind from the beginning to the end of
his journey. He must see that it is put
in the van at the place of starting, and
when his destination is reached, or a
change of trains has to be made, he
must jump from his carriage the mo-
ment it stops and rush frantically to the
same van to see that it is put off and
taken care of.
SUCH A SCRIMMAGE
As occurs around the luggage vans
when a crowded express train pulls into
a metropolitan station, is worth going a
long distance to see, if you are fond of
excitement. The wonder is that many
frauds do not occur. Anybody can claim
anything if he is earliest in the field.
and for threepenny bit a porter will
hustle it into cab, and off you 90, be-
fore any one has time to protest. As a
matter of fact, however, there is little
thievlng of this kind practiced, and very
little luggage is permanently lost. On
some lines the American system of
checking Is beng introduced, but it is
not much patronized as yet, owing to
the additional charge the accommodate
ton entails.
Parliaments and the Courts together
hold railway companies to pretty strict
accountability. They have innumer-
able bylaws for protection against the
public, but where these are found to
conflict with the common law, they are
swept aside like cobwebs, and Judge
and jury rise up in defense of passen-
gers. On every ticket is the announce
ment that the Company does not hold
itself accountable for any failure to keep
time, but the Queens Bench and other
Courts have held that this does not
legally absolve the directors. In one
instance, a passenger who
HAD TO WALK HOME
On wet night, in consequence of the
train being delayed, received a solatium.
The amount was not large, but the prin-
ciple was indicated. In another case, a
passenger booked from Brighton to
GuildfOrd, via Horesham. The train
arrived at the latter junction after the
GuildfOrd train had started. A claim of
the return fare and expenses was made.
and it had to be paid eventually. Under
certain exceptional circumstances the
Courts have held that belated passen-
ger was justified in ordering a special
train, and the Company was compelled
to refund him the money he had paid
for it. If Through ticket" is issued
there is generally a declaration printed
with it that the Company issuing it are
not liable for defaults off their own
line; but the Courts have held that when
people take money for a certain service,
a contract Is implied. Practically the
through ticket system makes the two
lines one, and that one is represented
by the clerk who takes the money.
Companies usually state, moreover, that
they refuse to be liable for luggage I'M
less passengers see it labeled, but this
also has been upset. for thew
are held to be common carriers" and
are answerable, therefore, for everything
given into their custody. 1t has fur
thermore been established that mislead-
ing information by an official makes his
Company liable for any loss caused
thereby. A few days ago, in the CITY
of London Court, the Southeastern
Company was sued for a guinea for
damage done to a hat, from It's coming
in contact with one of the Company's
lamps. The solicitor for the Company
said the plaintiff should have exercised
more care, and could not recover for his
own negligence. His Honor: Are Won
bound by statute to carry lamps? The
Solicitor: Yes; | think we are. His
Honor: Then you must make your car
riages higher, [ find for the plaintiff.
with costs.
The small and close compartments
in which the railway carriages are diyi-
ded have their advantages and their dis
In promoting sociabilitv
they are a great success, for the passen-
gers, sitting close together, and in oppo-
site rows, cannot for shame ignore one
presence, and it often happens
on long journeys that former strangers
=, Ill