Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-03-12
American and British Railways.
A STRIKING CONTRAST PRESENTED
BY THE EXPERIENCE oE A SCOTCH
TRAVELLER.

From the Scotsman Edinburgh, Jan. Z.
SIR:-Circumstauces of friendship
called me suddenly 10 October last to
the Northwes. of America. The SUM
mons came By telegram on Thursday.
On Friday | secured By the came
means, q berth il the celebrated steam
er Alaska, which left Liverpool next
forenoon; sudIn seven days and one hour
from Queenstown | landed at New
York. 1t was a fine Sunday morning,
and having, like all the rest of tho pas
sengers, checked ny baggage to the
hotel | intended to 60 70, friend and
myself walked up town. After book
ing our names and reading some letters
and having a look at the papers, we
proceeded to our apartments, where We
found the baggage awaiting us. The
cost OF "cbecking"-which la my case
amounted 20 fifty cents Tor 2s.) for
three pIeces-was afterwards included
II the hotsl bill.
Two days later left for the West
by the limited express of toe peDnsyl-
vania central Railroad. Ny ticket,
which | had secured the day before at
one of the railway Offices in Broadway,
not far from the hotel, cost $50 to Chi
csgo, with $40 extra for the use Of
sleeping and dining cars and ny bag
gage. 1t need scarcely be said, was
checked from hotel in New York TO Chi
cago, and charged for in the bill as us
usl. The distance By this road is lit
tie under 1000 miles, which was done
in twenty hours and 80 minutes,
and the cost Was less than for a CORES
ponaIng distance at home. But in the
manner of travelling the difference is
overwhelmingly 10 favor of America
The car by which | journeyed was built
of mahogany, inlsid with graceful floral
decorations, and furnished in the most
sumptuous manner. Heated by con
cealed stesm-pipes, comfortable tenn
psratuTe was maintained night and dag,
and, although snow streaked the Alls
ghenies, and smaller streams were COW
cred With ice, nobody among the pas
ssDgsrs seemed to think rugs, &c, a
necessary portion of their travelling
impediments. Our bideous lead foot
warmers we're conspicuous by their alb
sence At either end of the car were
capaeious lavstories and relative con.
veniences-one for ladies, the other for
gentlemen, equipped with soap, clean
towels, brushes, combs, &c, and fill
tor with fresh drinking water. From
the time of leaving New York till arri-
val at Chicago, no passenger need leave
the cars. Attached TO the sleeping car
is dining car, equally sumptuously
fitted, ard also smoking car, both of
which ere specially reserved for those
who pay the extra $40, and which,
therefore, in reality constitute first
class accommodation. Ia the dining
car, at 81 each, one can have three
meals daily, from bill OF fare that er-
red only in its profuse a5undanc, and
variety of we'll cooked food. The use
/ of stimulsnts seems to be falling into
discredit among the better class of
Americans, for neither 90 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 retir-
ed to the smoking car; but the sleep
ing car contained small, neatly fitted
up cabinet, where aucb as sought pri-
vats conversation over a cigar might
resort.
In short, the new 6rst-class Ameri-
can cars exceed by far in elegance,
convenience. and comfort the rare Pull
mans seen on this l'ue, and l venture
10 say no European monarch travels ty
rail 50 sumptuously as our republican
cousins:
At dawn | saw from my comfortable
bed, in which everything was scrupu-
/ lou.ly fresh and clean, that We we're
gliding. with scarce any vibration, over
the prsiries of Illinois; and on nearing
Chicago | checked my baggage to the
Grand Pacific, whittier l was carried
By one Of the hotel omnibusses, and
where | found it shortly Afterwards
Subsequently, in travelling through the
St1te Of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota,