Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-07-16
THREE MONTHS IN EUROPE.
OVER AN ENGLISH RAILWAY.


we walked down the gang-plank ant
stood once more upon dry land. Tht
custom-hOuse officers were there tt
meet Ills and as soon as our wheels and
baggage were handed up from the
hold of the ship we presented ourselves
for examination. They were kind and
gentlemanly in performing their duty
and were soon assured that we carried
no tobacco, liquor or jewelry. We
were then ready to move toward the
interior.
| But we must first arrange for the
journey, so We put our heads together
and as We were thus laying our plans
We were addressed by gentleman who
inquired if we were wheelmen from
America We told him We were and
gave him our names. He then intro.
duced himself and brother as Messrs
Thomas and Samuel Farr, of Tunstall
Imagine our surprise when we found
that they were of the relatives of one
OF lis, H. F., that we were planning tC
visit. They had received letters con
cerning our prospective tour and the
boat We were to sail upon, and had
been two days waiting for the arrival
of our vessel. We unreluctantly gave
ourselves into their charge and wero
escorted to what they called Public
House, took dinner, and then went
out to do some shopping before taking
the train.
We visited sewiss," a great mer-
chant of Liverpool, who has recently
rented the steamship Great Eastern
for eight thousand pounds for six
months and was using her as an adj
vertisement for his business. She was
lying short distance from the main
landing beautifully decorated and
filled with all manner OF attractions.
One shilling admitted n person upon q
small vessel which conveyed him to
the great ships side, to concert and
other entertainments upon board and
landed him. We admired his great
store but concluded we had no admir-
'stiun fos chip. We were soon escorted
to the railroad station where we found
our wheels and baggage. They told
us that the peculiar string of vehicles
we saw on the track was our train.
Being of an inquiring disposition, as
Yankees usually are, we asked them if
they called those cars? "No," they
replied, they are carriages"
There are now eight in our party,
for the wives of our friends had joined
us at the hotel. We approached one
Of these carriages and opened a door
which was at the side instead Of the
end. We counted out our crowd and
sized up the seating capacity, and was
fearful that We. would have to be di-
vided but found that the carriage
would accommodate us. Some Of the
boys inquired if We were all that could
he carried in our coach. With some
astonishmcnt they informed us that
there were two other departments SIM
liar to ours, second and third class,
that would hold eight or ten apiece.
Our wheels and baggage were lifted in
the van (baggage carr. We were now
ready to ride over an English railway.
Bump, bump goes the cars and we
stick our heads out of the window to
learn the trouble. Something they
call an engine has taken hold of us
and away We go like the wind through
tunnels, over rivers, winding through
the country, beautiful with the verdure
of spring. Yes, to us it was attrac-
tive, so odd, so strange. But what do
you do for fire in the winter time?
one of Ills inquired. We were informed
that water was heated in long pans at
various stations along the road, and
| pushed in at the door when needed,
used in the same manner as We use
slabs for feet warming. We, of course,
couldn't help but compare our beauti-
full coaches so comfortable and conven-
lent. But we were with Britishers and
were reminded that we must adopt
ourselves to their ways. Hence We
concluded that English cars ran just
as fast and probably faster on short
runs and that they rode as easy, but
could not persuade ourselves that they
would answer for our country, and
quite likely ours would not do for
them.
We arrive safely at Tunstall where
we stay week visiting friends and
places of interest. Among the most
important were the potteries of that
section of country. 1t is here, they
tell me, that most of the finest china.
ware in the world is manufactured
In the early part of last century it was
discovered that there was fire clay OF
indispensable quality and in great
abundance not far below the surface
Josiah Wedgewood, a gentleman Of nc
small ability, sought to utilize it and
experimental for thirty years, and t.
him is given the honor for discovering
many of the improved processes in the
manufacture of chinaware. At Bur
slem an institute has been reared t.
his memory, and We have seen his
marble figure in q number Of public
places throughout the potteries. The
most extensive factory that We visited