Daily Republican., 1884-03-10
AMERICAN AND BRITISH RAIL-
WAYS
A Striking Contrast Presented by
the Experience Of n scotch Trave.

A Striking Contrast Presented bl
the Experience Of Scotch Trave
Ter.
From the Scotsman. Edinburgh, Jan.
SIRE ircums ances Of friendship
called me suddenly in October last to Thu
Northwest of America. The summons
came by telegram on u Thursday. On
Friday | secured, by the same means, ;
berth in the celebrated steamer Alaska
which left Liverpool next forenoon ;anC
in seven days one hour from Queenstown
| | landed Il, New NcIk. 1t Was FINE
Sunday morning, and having, like al
the res: of the p, ssengers, checked
my baggage to the hotel intended tt
20 TO, a friend and myself walked VI
town. After booking our names and
reauing some letters and having look
| at the papers, We preceded 10 our ap
partments, where we found the baggage
awaiting us. The cost OF checking
which in my case amounted to fifty
cents Tor 81. for three pieces
afterwards included in the hotel bill.
Two days later 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
SO 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 l,0OOmiles,
which was done in twenty-five hours
and 80 minutes, an ] the cost was less
than for corresponding distance at
home But in the manner of travelling
the difference is overwhelming in
favor of America. The car by which
journeyed was built of mahogany, in
laid with graceful floral decorations, and
furnished in the most suHptuous man
ner.
Heated by concealed steam-pipes, a
comfortable temperature was maintain
ed night and day, and, although snow
streaked the Alleghenies, and smaller
streams wele covered with ice, nobody
among the passengers seemed to think
rugs, etc, a necessary portion Of their
travelling impediments. Our hideous
lead foot-wariners were conspicuous by
their absence. At either end Of the car
were Capacious layatories and relative
venienCes-onet for ladies, the other
for gentlemen, equipped with soap,
clean towels, brushes, combs, etc. and
a filter with fresh drinking water.
From the time of leaving New York till
arrival at Chicago, no passenger need
leave the cars.
Attached 10 the sleeping car is a di
ming car equally sumptu"nsly fitted, and
alsoi a smoking car, both of which are
specially reserved tor those who pay
the extra so, and which, therefore, in
reality constitute iirst-class acCommOda-
tion. In the dining car, at 81 each, one
can have three meals daily, from bill
of fare that erred only in its profuse
abundance and variety of weli.cooked
food. The Use OF stimulants seems to-
b, falling into di,credit among the bet
ter class Of Americans, tor neither on
this occasion nor afterwards did any
wine, beer or spirits appear on the ia
bes nor did ever he ar them asked for.
Afterwards, those who felt disposed that
way retired to the smoking car but
the sleeping car cOntaine | small neat
ly-htteu up cabinet, where such as
sought private Onversation over Il ci.
gar might resort.
In short, the ne " first class American
cars exceed by far in elegance, convent
enCe and comfort the rare pullmans
seen on this llne and | venture nsay
no European monarch travels by rails
nj ,,nt an V.st.t !. 10 a ~
cousins.
At dawn l raw from my comfortable
bed, in which everything was scrupu-
lousy fresh and clean, that we were
gliding, with scarce any vibration, over
the prairics of Illinois and on nearing
Chicago checked my baggage 10 the
Grand Pacific, whittier | was carried
by one of the hotel Omnibuses, and
where found it shortly afterwards
Subsequently, in travelling 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 a
single instance did experience any
difficulty in procuring delivery of it on
the production of my "checks.'
Onmy return at the end of November,
and having no use for rugs, etc and in
the comfortable cars, checked all my
baggage, save a dressing bag, from a
station not far from the Manitoba
frontier, straight through to New York.
On my arrival there three days after
instead Of checking" my bag.
gage TO the hotel where Intended lol
put up, "checked' it to the dock of
the steamer by which was to sail the
following morning; and there, on
driving from the hotel, found Hawaii
ing me at the shore end of the gangway
AN ! was about to elnbark-Aever having
once seen or troubled myself about it
since | left Litchfeld, 1000 miles away,
and having changed cars and lines OF
road twice--at St. Paul and Chicago.
Now, mark the contrast. | arrive at
Liverpool, give up my baggage to the
Northwest Railroad Company, with
out any voucher or check being inter.
changed, aud proceed to Lime street
by suburban railway from the dock
gates in evil-smelling carriages, which
my American fellow travellers scorn-
fully stigmatised as "bunks," and into
which we were locked like criminals.
1t was wet, gloomy day, and after my
pleasant American experiences felt
like one who had "come down in the
world" On afterwards applying for
my baggage at Lime street station,
was not only obliged to produce myl
card as evidence of identity, but had
to 90 down into Il 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. Butt
the charge is a mere secondary con-
sideration. 1t is the restless anxiety
and worry our system-or rather eLtire
want of system-needlessly impose on
you from starting till arriving at your
destination that is 80 provoking.
And 1t may not be inappropriate here
to remark on the gratu,ous farce pre-
scented at the examination of passen-
gers baggage by the Custom House
officers. Seeing that cigars are dearer
and infinitely worse in America than