New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-29
THE LifIGT CAR A FAILURE.

From ., fib1nY Erening Journal.
n "There is no mistake about it, said buffet car
Conductor to AN Albany journal reporter " these
coaches are n failure sWhcn their introduction was
first announced everybody thought that they were
destined to revoutiOnizc frst-class travel The
drawing and sleeping cars, which were great I'm,
provements i'll their way, were respectively conceded
TO be wonderful aidsto comfort in long distance traye
ing and they were improved from time 10 tlme,
wealthy tourists looked on approyin6ly and were al
ways ready to patronze the best that was Afforded.
There one feature OF travel. however, that lor
years baed inventive genius and rendered the tourists
experiences not altogether happy Everybody Is com
PEELED eat, at stated periods, and on long Journey
by rail- matter how comfortable the cars might De,
the stops for refreshments presented congomer%ed
series of experiences that would weaken the strongest
heart and destroy the most healthy stomach Between
the porters howl of Ten minutes for refreshments!
and the desperate grasp for the railing on the rear
platform of the last of the recedng train was con
densed almost much suffering as Is contained in
long sentence TO solitary confinement IN prison L
need not dwell on the molten coffee tho lndlarubber
sandwich, the castron pie, the wrOughtbrass dough
nut the wOrm-eaten cracker, and the ext0rlOnate-
figured check which have caused the railroad restau-
rant be mmoralized by the newspaper Suffice 1t to
say that wien the buffet was introduced with It's
neat, cleniy and satisfactory culinary ana gasrOnomc
features us coy smoking apartments, its handsome
drawing loom, its ladies' bouloir, and almost every
thing that could be wished for i'll permanent b ONE
hen the luxury of it. ttngS was dWelt 0r--its per
glasses, tapestries, carpetings and anlrauth-wood
fimming---why all the wealthy people who delight in
irue comforts wherever they can be se'ure' were
id.y enthusiastic. The millennium In transit was
r:ht t. be at hand But" and here the conductor
top I'd g. liant his cigar, which ht gone out during
e. en- tanning discourse. But " AT = Veil, the
ROAD Restaurant will still -four H. and the buffet
III b. piled up in corner With other experiments
=. tls T. very short existence, ade more enemies
then 'road. and | will tell iod wy. Go into the
6ascmen. of wel-ordercd residence. You find there
tie cb"r % the house h"ld IL the rear, and sometimes
the diningro m in the font. But do You discover any
sleeping apartments No Of course not. The
pantry closets kitchen etc. are not only productive
of smells, but the water bugs, coc1oaches ants and
other insects and yen. the suppression of which costs
much powder and eternal vigilance. Well. to cut 1t
short The elegant buffet is the brecdng-pace for
all such things for the same reasons that the culinary
department Of a house Is. My lord and my lady who
travel in the buffet car may enjoy the privilege OF
eating without mixing with the rabbe Of the depot din
ing room they may take pleasure IN the other home
like features Of the coach but my lord, IN the Silly
night is liable he called ont of bed at any moment
by the shrieks of my lady, who will be found u be
sharing her sleeping apartment with colony OF cock
reaches or womans most dread foe, mouse. y rail
way ear, my dear sir is too narrow and confined to
transform into a residence with all home comforts and
all modern improvements. That is the whole explana-
ton in nutshell"