The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-01
RAILROADS IN INDIA.

xuOy A6O NO6 000n ~ 90 V0lA G06tn IN
Amerloan's Enthusiasn.
Nearly all the railroads in India are
under the Government and many Of the
roads were built BY the Government,
guaranteeing i've per cent to the stock
holders on the condition that the profits
above ave per cont shall be equally di-
vided between tho Government and tho
stockholders. Over other OF the roads
the Government has sort Of 4 control.
and tho result 10 that the tenure OF
place on the railroad IL much the same
as that Of tho civil service OF England.
Men expect to stay lifetime when
they enter the railroad service, and
there il no danger Of their discharge
during good behavior. There are no
strikes in India, and . position on the
railroad ID considered very desirable by
the natives.
The laws are. on account Of the Gov.
eminent owning the roads, almost alto
gether in favor Of the road. and our
farmers would rise In indignation at
some Of them. II an American has q
COW killed on the track OF . road rum
ming through his farm tho railroad
company pays well for it. In India the
owner Of cattle found trespassing on
the railroad IL liable to . penalty oi
$3.50 for each animal. Any man who
drives any animal across an Indian
railway, except ut certain appointed
times and places. il liable to fine oil
I'll, and any man who enters car re.
served for females can be fined &35.
The man who tries to get on q train
here after 1t Is started will be fined "a.
and any one who attempts to defraud
the railroad company In any manner
IL liable to q fine Of SIC.
The postal cars are In the middle
Of the train here in India, and the pos.
tai clerks are natives It takes about
as many clerks to manage the mail a
with ", but the service Is much cheap
or. The head clerk gets about seventy
rupees . month. or less than $50. and
the others receive from so to go d
month. Letters are sorted on the
trains, and postage Is charged for the
posting Of letters at the trains just be
fore the cars start
One Of the worst things about these In
dian trans Is the impossibility Of pass
Ing from one car to another, and the diff
Guilty which one has to get at the guari
or 10 stop the train. You may DO lock
ed up In the same compartment with {
mad man or robber, and 1t u impos
sible for you to help yourself In thu
cars Of one Of the Western Indian roads
there IL little electric button, fences
around with q walnut frame. ovel
which Is pane Of thick glass JUS
around the button are the words:
ITO stop the train break the glass
and touch the button"
On one OF the trunk lines wal
closeted in first-class compartment IL
o train going at the rate Of thirty mile,
an hour. Looking upward I say tina
the glass globe containing the Lamp
was leaking and that . full pint Of OF
had rum out Of 1t and that this wa
shaking with each sway OF the car
There was nothing between it and tn,
blaze. and ] feared every moment tina
1t would catch. the glass would breal
and q pint OF burning oil would spreai
out upon the carpet Of the little box
like room below. in which was
looked for bell-rope. There wa.
none. l went all around the floor o
the car, looking over the walls and
sought everywhere some means of stop
ping the train. / could find mono, AMI
had to wait until We arrived ut tn,
next station, q half an hour later
Luckily no accident happened and
was able here to cali the guard ant
have the lamp removed. Had thor,
been an explosion my only salvatio,
would have been in putting out tn,
flame or in jumping through the ca
window while the train was going a
this lightning speed. G. Car
pentor. in COurier-JOurnal.