The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-03-15
AMERICAN & BRITISH RAILWAYS.
A Striking Contrast Presented by the
Experience of Scotch Traveller.
From the Scotsman, Edinburgh, Jan. II

SIR-Circumstances of friendship
called me suddenly in October last to the
Northwest of America. The summons
came by telegram on Thursday. On
Friday | secured, by the same means,
berth in the celebrated steamer Alaska,
which left Liverpool next forenoon; and
in seven days and one hour from Queens
town landed at New York. 1t was fine
Sunday morning, and having, like ali
the rest Of the passengers, checked"
my baggage to the hotel intended to 60
to, friend and myself walked up town.
After booking our names and reading
some letters and having look at the
papers, we proceeded to our apartment,
where we found the baggage awaiting
us. The cost of "checkiDg-which in
my case amounted to fifty cents Cor 2s.)
for three pieces-was afterwards in
cluded IN the hotel bill.
Two days later l left for the West by
the limited express of the Pennsylvania
Central Railroad. My ticket, which |
had secured the day before at one of the
railway Offices in Broadway, not far from
the hotel, cost $50 to Chicago. with $40
extra for the use of sleeping and dining
cars; and my baggage, it need scarcely
be said, was checked from hotel in New
York to Chicago, and charged for in the
bill, as usual. The distance by this road
is little under 1000 miles, which was
done in twenty-five hours and twenty
minutes, and the cost was less than for
corresponding distance at homo. But in
the manner of travelling the difference is
overwhelmingly in favor of America.
The car by which journeyed was built
Of mahogany, inlaid with graceful floral
decorations, and furnished in the most
sumptnous manner. Heated by con-
cealed steam pipes, comfortable tenn
perature was maintained night and day,
and, although snow streaked the ALE
ghanies, and smaller streams were COW
cred with ice. nobody among the passen-
gers seemed to think rugs, &C., a neces-
sary portion of their travelling impcdi.
ments. Our hideous lead foet-warmers
were conspicuous by their absence. At
either end of the car were capacious lava
tories and relative conveniencss-ons for
ladies, the other for gentlemen, equipped
with soap, clean towels, brushes, combs,
&c, and filter with fresh drinking
water. From the time of leaving New
York till arrival at Chicago, no passsn-
ger need leave the cars. Attached to
the sleeping car is a dining car, equally
sumrtlously fitted, and also smoking
car, both of which are specially reserved
for those who pay the extra $40, and
| which, therefore, in reality constitute
| first-c!ass accommodation. In the din
ing car, at 81 each, ono can have three
meals daily, from bill of fare that erred
only IN its proruse abundance and variety
| of well cooked food The use Of stimu-
lants seems to be falling into discredit
among the better class of Americans. for
neither on this occasion nor afterwards
did any wine, beer, or spirits appear on
the tables, nor did | ever hear them
asked for. Afterwards, those who felt
disposed that way retired to the smoking
car; but the sleeping car contained n
small, neatly-fitted up cabinet, where
such as sought private conversation over
cigar might resort.
In short, the new first-class American
cars exceed by far in elegance, convent
ence. and comfort the rare Pullmans
seen on this line, and venture to say ne
European molarch travels by rails SO
sumptuously as our republican cousins.
| At dawn saw from my comfortable
bed, in which everything was scrupu-
leusly fresh and clean, that we wers
gliding, with scarce aLy vibration, over
the prairies of Illinois; aud on nearing
Chicago | checked my baggage to the
Grand Pacific, whittier I was carried by
one Of tho hotel omnibuscs, and whore !
found it shortly afterwards. Subse-
quently, in travelling through the States
of illinois, Iowa and Minnesota for con.
siderable distance by team, l had fire.
quent occasions to '..chsck" my heavy
baggage by rail to various points in ad =.
vance on my route, and never in single
instance did l experience any difficulty
in procuring delivery of it on the produc.
ton of my Cheeks
On my return at the end of Novem Der,
and having no use for rugs, ~. and in
the comfortable ears, checked all my
baggage, save dressing bag, from a
station not far from the Manitoba fron-
tier straight through to New York. On
my arrival there three days afterwards,
instead OF checking" my baggage to
the hotel where intended to put up,
checked" it to the dock Of the stsamsr
by waich | was to sail tho following
morning; and there, on driving from the
hotel. found it awaiting me at the
shore end of the gangway as was about
to embark-never having once seen or
troubled myself about it since l left
Litchfeld, 1000 miles away, and having
changed cars and lines of road twice-at
St. Paul and Chicago.
Now, mark the contrast. l arrive at
Liverpool, give up my baggage to the
Northwest Railway Company, without
any voucher or check being interchanged
and proceed to Lime street by suburba n
railway from the dock gates in evil smell.
ing carriages which my American fellow
travellers scornfully stigmatised a,
"bunks.' and into which we we've locked
like criminals. 1t was a wet, gloomy
day, and after my pleasant American ex.
periences felt like one who had "oome
down in the world" On afterwards ap
plying for my baggage at Lime street
station, was not only obliged to pro-
duce my card as evidence of identity
but | had to go down into a deep, darl
, cellar to point out the packages; an6
after all this unnecessary bother hat
to pay more than at New York, where
baggage was carried double the distance
But the charge is a mere secondary con
sheraton. 1t is the restless anxiety ant
worry our system-or rather entire wan
of system--needlessly impose on Vol
from starting till arriving at your desti
nation that is SO provoking.
; And it may not be Inappropriate her,
to remark en- the gratuitous farce pre-
scented at the examination of passengers