Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-15
An Engliahmaa and HIS Luerare.
From HArper's Magazine

Probably there IL nothing that 90 much I'm.
presses the American on the English railroads
as the apparently defective baggage systeuu
For all that there Ii another side 10 the Ques.
ton, and . brief experience Of English life and
habits serves TO show that the baggage check
system if established In England would be ca.
tablished for the benefit OF travelling Americans
alone. The English people do not want It The
cab When he arrives at his station he waits In
yariably TO take his luggage along with him To
his house or his hotel He will not be divorced
from II for moment No brass check will ever
be q legal tender for trunk In his eyes The
assurance that IL Is I'm the same train with him.
arrives IL srriVes sHd th. i there %hsa e ne
of his cab, or la the cab with him, In 10 him the
essential thing I'm all his Journeying. He has
Express companies are not a possible adjunct
of railway corporations in England. he has
his cab, his "four-wheeler," built especially 10
carry the heavy luggage on top Of it-a vehicle
that the American hackman would look
down on with lordly contempt but pow.
erful engine Of economy, industry and
public convenience. His luggage would
go thro ugh the roof OF New York hack
crush IL like paper bandbox. but on the roof OF
tub, are rallied in and secured, and are I'm his
apartments as soon as he Is there himself.
But" you say To the English railway manager,
"you have been In America and you have
studied the system there, and you cannot pus
be favorably impressed with it," Undoubtedly
L was" he replies 81 was struck with it, COM
pleteness and the extent OF its organization and
details. Your style OF vehicle enables you To
carry out such q system with perfect ease. IL
ro-rns a kind OF natural offshoot Of the railway
system in America, but IL appears 10 flourish
only in your country. 1t is not and would not
be appreciated here. You complain that at
the English terminus any one can claim
your luggage and disappear with il. No doubt,
il you are slow and they are sharp, such may
be the case and the company may have to pay
the penalty; but the English Traveller preferi
the freedom OF the present practice, and would.
I fancy, wish the check system al Q warmer
place than the United States when any delay
arose in dealing with his luggage at the stS.
lions owing to the adoption of the check sys-
tenn. The English travellers idea of luggage
checking is to have bis portmanteau safely
slowed away under his carriage seat, and
bis smaller articles placed in the rack over
his head. do not see any insuperable din
Guilty In adopting the check system IN this
country, but none OF the partial attempts that
have been made I'm that direction have
proved successful or popular" Americans
who spend q vacation IN Europe not uncom.
monty form the opinion that the compartment
carriages must eventually give place 10 cars Of
the American pattern. merely casual survey,
such as the travel Of the tourist affords, OF the
manners ana habits OF even . people a.
nearly allied to Americans as the English does
not convey any adequate idea OF the degree In
which the distinctions Of class govern matters
Of the kind. A railway carriage Is Q modinca-
ton OF the private carriage, the post-chaise, the
stage coach, and the carriers wagon. Those
traction and railway schedules, and The CON
Stephenson's time remain unchanged In their
COudfliOp-