The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-05-29
MANKATo FREE Press.
FRIDAY. NAY 20. 1885.
THE FAMOUS PHNNsYLvANIA
"I,IMrTUD UXpRUSS.0

Col. p. DOMAIN, one of the most Distinguish
ed and intelligent and observing Of Anaef1-
can travellers and tDriters, has acritten Tie
folloqUing concerning the famous Limit
ed" tI.e same having been recently publish
ed IN the ISL. Louis Spectator"
"With the exception of few special
excursion trains, the finest train / have
ever seen is the famous Pennsylvania
Limited Express between New York
and Chicago. II il claimed by the Com
pany to be the finest regular train in the
world, and nobody seems disposed to
dispute the claim. The train on which
left Chicago consisted of three sleep.
ers, dining-car and smoking-car; all
uniform in color and appearance, and
looking as If they had just come out OF
the shops. The very wheels were pol
ished till they shone like mirrors.
Gall the cars, except the smoker,
were uniformly finished inside in ma
hogany, red cherry, carved brass and
heavy plate glass. They were all lux
urious and elegant in every appoint;
ment. The seats, sofas, lounges and
easy-chairs were all covered with clean,
fresh linen, in red and white stripes.
"The sleeping-cars were brilliantly
| lighted by six douhle-lamp chandeliers
| in the body of each car, and one in each
state-room and smoking-room, making
It easy and comfortable to read and
write: and the Company 10 now prepar-
| ing to light them all with electric light,
generated by the motion of the wheels.
| The carpets, curtains, mirrors, and other
furniture, wereall new, bright and hand
some.
''The dining-car was elegantly finish
ed in mahogany and red cherry, with
massive mirrors between the panels.
The car contained eight tables, each
seating four persons. The table service
of silver, china and glassware was fine,
the cloths and napkins snowy in their
Wilderness, and the dark red, leather.
covered seats roomy and comfortable
Tastefully engraved and printed menus
for every meal set forth an array Of sub.
stantials and delicacies that would moi
| be discreditable to the best hotels in the
country. The cookery was excellent
and everything. was served in charming
style, by attentive and skillful walters
S.The five O'Clock dinner served on the
train was an epicurean banquet in the
variety of its dishes and the elegance O.
its service. It is always rigidly full
dress affair, all the attendants being II
snowy collars, neckties, waistcoats ano
gloves.
"The smoking-car was finished in oak
and furnished most luxuriously will
great roomy sofas and easy-chairs; writ
ing desks amply supplied with paper
and envelopes, bearing the monogram
of the Pennsylvania Company, telegraph
blanks, pens, pencils, ink and all the
other essentials for correspondence Of
general literary work at forty or fit!
miles an hour. In one end was a book
case containing directories of all TIT
principal cities of the country, and il
drawers underneath were checkers
chess and backgammon boards and 9th
er devices for amusement. The for
ward end of the smoking car Ia partition
ed off with a solid wall Of carved oak TO
baggage and express compartment, II
| which also the limited mali is carried
Only money and jewelry are taken al
express matter.
1.-THE rate of speed is the fastest on
any American road, the time from Chi
cago to New York being but twenty-five
hours and and fifty-tive minutes; and
the Company is now considering the
feasibility Of putting in the automatic
crossing signals and apparatus, by
time will be gained between Chicago and
/ az oPCOhI 81 per
feet Is the solid stone-ballasted track
that the train moves as smoothly as if i
were skimming over ballroom floor
and one reads or writes as If he were in
a parlor or Office at home.
Conductors, porters, walters and
brakemen were all handsomely uniform.
ed, and their shirt-bosoms, collars and
| neckties were fresh from the laundry,
They frequently came around to inquire
as if they really felt an interest in it, il
the passengers were quite comfortable
or needed any attention.
at is superb train superbly manag-
ed. The only serious drawbacks to its
universal popularity, 80 far as can see,
are the rate of extra fare charged fol
travelling upon it, and the fact that nc
passes are good. Even Dakota Chris
tan, who is deadheaded everywhere
else, whose free patronage is striYen for
by all other lines and trains, has to ANTE
up full fare and a premium to ride on
this finest, most aristocratic, most inn
passable train in creation"