Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-02
TRAVELS In EUROPE.
DIFFERENCES OF METHODS. Gus.
TOMS AND PEOPLES.
Railroads and Railroading in Spain,
Algeria, Italy, South of France
and in Austria
Special Correspondent of the RECORD UNION. ]

trla are arranged into compartments 70
from six to eight persons for first-class pas
sengers, and from ten to twelve persons 0
second-class. The cars are lighted by
means of a small oil lamp overhead, anc
heating is by means of metal water-boxes
which are filled from time to time with
hot water. There is just light enough
given by the solitary lamp to dispel the
gloom of darkness, and that is all
The foot-war1ners are a delusion and a
snare, for if the weather be cold the foot
warmers are of no avail, and if it be warm
they are only in the way. On the depart
ure of the train the conductor, or guard as
he IS called here, closes and fastens the
door. There is no water or toilet-room on
the cars, and even if there were they would
be Of no avail as long as the compartment
system is in vogue.
The railroad tracks are generally well
laid and well b; LASTED. A notable feature
Is the workmanlike, thorough and sub
stantial manner in which the bridges are
constructed, as also the tunnels. culyerts
and slopes of the roads. These are nearly
all Of dressed stones and laid in cement.
In this kind Of work there is an air of per-
menancy and solidity that may perhaps be
proftably copied at home. Stones of
washable material are graded to a proper
pitch and angle, and are covered carefully
with surfaced and squared stone.
Railroad engineering in Spain and
Italy, and to some extent in the south of
France, seems to be a simple task. 1t
would appear that a straight line is
drawn from point to point and the survey
ing Is done. DISTINCTIONS when found are
removed, or tunnelling is resorted to.
" The maneuvering' of the surveyors
and engineers in the construction of the
Sierra Nevada pass for the Central Pacific
or the Royal Gorge" pass of the Denver
and Rio Grande, would receive no COM
plimentary or commendatory recognition
in Spain or Italy. The rule here appears
to be = go straight ahead" and if you can't
go ahead anyway. The roads in these
countries are therefore very costly, and
TO my mind hardly as safe as those where
maneuvering" is done, for tunnels at
best are hardly as safe as open ground.
The road between the Austrian frontier
town " Puntafel" and Vienna is, how
ever, constructed more on the plans and
models in vogue in the United States.
Extraordinary care and caution is used
to prevent mishaps or accidents. Guards
and watchmen are present almost every
where, and at the depot they do not
rely on locomotive bells to warn pc
destrians. They use no bells, but depend
on watchmen and guards.
Baggage and luggage checking, tickets
and ticket buying, is the rock upon which
IS wrecked the happiness of the tourist in
Spain and Italy. No one is admitted on
the platform without a ticket. Therefore
the guide or hotel runner is obliged to re-
main behind, and the finding of COM
partment, checking the baggage, etc.
must be done unaided, and constitutes
delectable pastime You arrive at the
station at, say half an hour before train
time. The moment you arrive you begin
10 be IN a hurry. There is no special
deiniteness to the "hurry," only that you
hurry because you do. There is vague
sense of dread and fear at the task before
YOU at a European railroad station. You
try to whistle it off, but the whistle
freezes on your lips. You try philosophy
and poetry, and begin with 'why should
the spirit of mortal be proud" when the
fun Immediately begins, and you plunge at
once into the cold slough of despondency.
We are charged six francs for riding
down to the depot in a bus, yet here they
come: The driver first " tipping his cap"
then the hotel runner. His face looks ia
mliiar; was he not given a fee when leav-
ing the hotel? Can't remember; well, pay
hIn again. Two porters then make a
grab for your luggage. The runner also
urges You to ego in the line for your
tickets You look for the line, but see
several! you rush around for the porter,
aud fortunately find him Where in
thunder is the liner
" There" saws he.
Why didn't you tell me SO before >"
" You didn't ask me before"
Well, we fell into line; priest comes
along, aud out Of respect for &" the cloth "
! make way for him. He does not trouble
himself to thank me, but begins to count
his money. l next gave way to a woman,
and another priest comes up and stands in
front of me, and | let him go ahead
come at last to the ticket window.
"Quanto par premiera classe del Sc
ville?' ! ask. He mumbles something in
Spanish which l do not understand, but
learning the fare from my guide book | get
it ready to hand to him. Just then
dirty hand makes its appearance and is
thrust into the ticket box | look around
and find fellow trying to avoid the line"
and get his ticket ahead of me. l " cuss
at him in English, and he talks back in
Spanish. We have a row, and the fellow
behind ne passes in his money and l lose
my turn. | rally, however, and stick to
the front and finally get my ticket.
now rush around to find the hotel
runner with my trunk. | find him at last
and he hands me a slip of tissue paper
which he says is my receipt for my trunk
l ask him if the trunk is properly labeled
and he says it is.
Where is il? ' ! ask.
"Oh, it is on the cars by this time" he
replies.
l spy it standing in an obscure corner.
l jump over the counter and find that it is
neither numbered nor labeled. | call the
runners attention to it and he begins jab-
bering with the railroad porters. l point
to a spot on the trunk and say perempto-
rily, Trenty-nuevo, senior" The "senor"
doesn't make stir, but is earnestly en-
gagged III the jawing- match with the hotel
runner. | then hand him 4 few francs and
he leisurely proceeds to label my trunk.
The hotel runner again touches his cap
and ! give him couple of francs more
the third chit " at me-
Now look for the family and find them
anxiously awaiting me on the platform.
Several railroad porters have our hand
luggage in charge, and l urge them
to find me compartment, they rush
around wildly, and say there is none to be
found. | make several attempts but fail :;
At last, seeing the guard, hand him
lew francs and he assists us into a COM
partment all by ourselves. Strange we
did not see it when we were looking for it.
The railroad Porters now touch their caps
and look reyerently solemn. l toss them
each a franc, and take my seat. Ny wife
remarks that | look somewhat depressed
OF excited, she does not know which.
tell her that feel quite COO, and collected.
and rs the train moves on have ample
time to relapse into a normal condition. |
begin to count the cost of the exit from the
leaving the hotel until seated in the cars,
and 1t is about as follows: Chambermaid >
francs. some other woman waiter franc,
hootolacll francs, hotel porter ) francs,
assistant porters nj hotel, three at ] franc