The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-05
OUR RAILWAY SYSTEM.
An Englishman's idea of it as COMPARED
with That Of His Country.

A foreigner who recently travelled in this
country related his experience in letter to
the Edinburg Scotsman, in which he draws
strong contrast between the railway sys-
tenn Of the United States and that of Eng
land. After speaking of his arrival in
New York he says: Two days later L left
for the West by the limited express of the
Pennsylvania Central railroad. NV ticket,
which l 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 din
ing 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
a little over one thousand miles, which was
done in twenty-five hours and thirty min
utes, and the cost was less than for cor
responding distance at home But in the
manner of travelling the difference is over
whelmingly in favor of America. The car
by which | journeyed was built of mahog-
any, inlaid with graceful floral decorations
and furnished in the most sumptuous man
ner. Heated by concealed steam pipes a
comfortable temperature was maintained
night and day, and although snow streaked
the Alleghanies and the smaller streams
were covered with ice, nobody among the
passengers seemed to think rugs, &C., a
necessary portion of his travelling impedi-
ments. Our hideous lead foot-warmers
were conspicuous by their absence
In oh hn Il A
cars exceed by far in elegance, convenience
and comfort the rare Pullmans seen in this
county, and ventue to say no European
monarch travels by rails so sumptuously as
our Republican cousins. On nearing Chi
cago 1 checked my baggage to the Grand
Pacific, whittier l was carried by one of
the hotel omnibuses, and where found it
shortly afterward. Subsequently, in trav-
cling through the States of Illinois, Iowa
and Minnesota, for considerable distance
by team, | had frequent occasions to ''check''
my heavy baggage by rail to various points
in advance on my route, and never in
single instance did l experience any diff
Guilty in procuring delivery of it on the
production of my "checks.' "
On my return at the end of November,
and having no use for rugs, &c, and in the
comfortable cars, checked all my baggage,
save dressing bag, from a station not far
from the Manitoba frontier, straight through
to New York. On my arrival there, three
days afterward, instead of ''checking" my
baggage to the hotel where l intended to
put up, checked" it to the dock of the
steamer by which was to sail the follow
ing morning; and there, on driving from
the hotel, found it awaiting me at the
shore eud of the gangway as | was about
to embark-never having once seen or
troubled myself about it since l left Litch-
field 1000 miles away, and having changed
cars and lines of road twice-at st. Paul
and Chicago.
Now, mark the contrast. arrive at
Liverpool, giveup my baggage to the North
western Railway, without any voucher or
check being interchanged, and proceed to
Lime street by suburban railway from the
dock gates in evil-smelling carriages which
my American fellow travellers scornfully
stignatized as 'bunks," and into which we
were locked like criminals. 1t was a wet,
gloomy day, and after my pleasant Ameri-
can experiences | felt like one who had
''come down in the world" On afterward
applying for my baggage at Lime-street sta
ton, was not only obliged to produce my
card as evidence of identity, but l had to go
down into a deep dark cellar to point out
the packages, and after all this unnecessary
bother had to pay more than at New
York, where baggage was carried double
the distance. But the charge is mere
secondary consideration. 1t is the restless
anxiety and worry our system-or rather
entire want of system -needlessly imposes
on you from starting till arriving at your
destination that is so provoking,
1t is quite unnecessary to describe the
American check system, with which all the
travelling world is now familiar. first be-
came acquainted with it as boy thirty-fve
years ago, since when l have been three
times in the country, aud have had on each
occasion the more to admire this simple and
admirable system, which saves one from
the worst worries of travelling here Amer
icaps cannot understand how we quietly
submit to travel in carriages in which we
are half frozen in winter, which are very,
very stuffy in summer, and in which muir
der and other outrages may be committed
with impunity, while our baggage system
they regard as simply barbaric. 1t is be-
cause | agree with my American friends
that | have noted down these reflections,
in the hope that they may contribute, in
however small degree, to rouse our railway
directors to recognition of the disgrace
fully uncomfortable and inconvenient ac-
commodations afforded by them to the trav-
cling public.