The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-07-30
THE BouFFET CAR A FAILURE.


ulent Invade My I4udy's Boud0irs
There is no mistake about it," said
Bo'IBtt car conductor to reporter at the
station, " these coaches are failure. When
their introduction was first announced,
everybody thought that they were destined
TO revolutionize frst-class travel. The
drawing-room and sleeping cars, which were
great improvements in their way, were re-
speetively conceded to be wonderful aids to
comfort in long distance travelling, and as
they were improved from time to time,
wealthy tourists looked ON approvingly and
were always ready to patronize the best that
was offered. There was one feature of
travel, however, that for years baffled I'M
yentiye genius and rendered the tourists
experiences not altogether happy. Every
body is compelled to eat, at stated periods,
and ON a long journey by rail, no matter
how comfortable the cars might be, tho
stops for refreshments presented conglom-
crate series of experiences that would weak
en- the strongest heart and destroy the most
healthy stomach. Between the porters
howl of 4" Ton minutes for refreshments ~
and the desperate grasp for tho railing ON
the rear platform of the last car of the re-
ceding trnin was condensed almost as much
suffering rs is contained in a long sentence
to solitary confinement in prison. need
not dwell ON the molten coffee, the india
rubber sandwich. the cast-iron pie, the
wrought-brass doughnut the worm-eaten
cracker and the northumberland check
which have caused the railroad restaurant
to be immortalized by the newspaper. Suf-
fee it to say that when the 6oufet car was
introduced with its neat, eleanly and salts
factory culinary and gastronomic features,
its cozy smoking apartments, its handsome
drawing-room, its ladies' boatdoir, and NJ
most everything that could be wished for in
q permanent home-when the luxury of its
| fittings was dwelt on-its pier lasses, tap
estries, carpetings, and amaranth-wood
| trimmings oil the wealthy people who
delight in homo comforts whenever they
can ho secured were wildly enthusiastic
The millennium in transit was thought to be
at hand. But" and hero the conductor
stopped to light his cigar, which had gone
out during his entertaining discourse. But
what" Well, the railroad restaurant
will still flourish, and the 6ouB6t car will be
piled up in q corner with other experiments
It has, in its very short existence, made
more enemies than friends, and l will tell
you why. Go into the basement of we'll
ordered residence. You find there the
kitchen of the household in the rear, and
sometimes the dining-ro in the front.
But do you discover any sleeping apart
monIs? No. OF course not. The pantry,
closets, kitchen, ETC., arc not only produc-
tive of smells, but of water bugs, cock.
ros.oits, saaessv, serInfn
the suppression of which costs much powder
and eternal vigilance. Well, to cut it short
the elegant bou6at car is the breeding place
for all such things for the same reasons
that the culinary department of house is
My lord and my lady who travel in the
boa6et ear may enjoy Che privilege OF eating
without mixing with the rabble at the depot
dining room; they may take pleasure in the
other home-lil1e features of the coach but
my lord, in the Silly night, is liable to be
called out of bed at any moment by the
shrielss of my lady, who will be found to be
sharing her sleeping apartment Nth acolony
of coclroaches or woman's most dread foe,
mouse. railway car, my dear sir, is too
narrow and confined to transform into n
residence with all home comforts and oil
modern improvements. That is the whole
explanation in q nutshell. "-Abany Jour
nal.