St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-05-02
A WIDE OPEN LETTER TO MIR. PULL
MAN.

cuse this easy, familiar style of ad-
dress from a comparative stranger,
on account of the solid information
that a stranger desires to unload on
you, and which it will be worth your
while to ponder on. You are proba-
bly, pretty well informed on most
things, George, but there is one sub
iect about which l am sure you are
totally ignorant, and that is the sub
ject of sleeping cars. The reason that
L know so much about them and
that you know so little is because
travel on those so-called modern inn
provements and you travel in your
private car. Because | travel on the
sleeping cars, and because you own
them is also the reason that | am
comparatively poor and you are a
millionaire. Therefore listen with
patience and imbibe solid wisdom
You probably do not know the old
tween two places about three hun
dred miles apart. l will not particu-
larize any further, for l do not want
to get the porter into trouble. We
will say that the car leaves at half
past II O'Clock at night, and that it
stands in the station all ready for
the tired traveller. The other night
| came there shortly before 10 o'clock.
The door was locked, but saw the
porter within. l raped and kicked
at the door, but the porter speedily
hid himself and pretended not to
hear. | went to the other end of the
car and through the locked door saw
him about to lock himself in the
smoking compartment. He was very
anxious not to see me, but he was
caught.
See here" 1 shouted through the
glass, | want to put these things in
the car. | have lower g."
Il can't take Them" he answered.
1--WE are not allowed to open the
doors till 10 o'clock. I'd like to, but
daren't. It's against the rules
open the door moment. 1 can't
hear what you say"
There you see, George, you made
me tell a whopper.
He opened the door and 1 chucked
my handbag into the car and said:
I'm going to have some supper.
You can throw the things out on the
track if you like"
AS you will be anxious to know, l
may say that l found the things all
right when l came back.
On another sleeper that starts at
half past 9 | came on board at 9
o'clock. | was tired and dusty. |
wanted a wash. l said to the por-
ter:
where's the soap and towels ?"
Every sorry, SIR" he replied. eve
are not allowed to put them out till
the car STARTS"
Nonsense. The car will start in
half an hour. l have lower 13. l
paid for the privileges of this car, and
you bet your boots I'm going to have
them. Trot out the washing requi-
Sites
81 daren't do it l would lose my
place if l did. They're very strict
with u.s.
Look here" said, lit will just
make difference of 25 cents to you
in the morning"
The unfortunate porter was be-
tween the devil and the deep sea-
you in this case, George, representing
the devil. You don't pay your por
tiers sufficient wages, consequently
they have to bleed us travellers who
have already paid you too much for
the accommodation they get.
The porter approached and said in
a whisper: THE soap and towels
are in a locker at this end of the car.
| daren' t give them to you but | will
be at the other end till the train
starts. If you take them, | can't
help it, for the locker is unlocked"
took them, George, and the por-
ter got his quarter. The rule is one
of the most idiotic of many idiotic
restrictions on the sleepers. Just
make a note of that fact, George, and
realize that the traveller is going to
get what he feels he is entitled to,
whether you rule against it or not.
We are neither knaveS nor children,
George.
now come to what l think is the
climax of neanness on the Pullman
cars That is a device that have
not yet found the means to overcome,
but which l expect to get ION to- by
and by. This device is for fastening
down the upper berth so the person
in the mausoleum below cannot pos
sibly bulge it. You say to us,
George, "You won't pay me four dol
lars for a section, so l will try my
best to smother you even if there is
no one in the upper BERTH In the
Wagner cars the upper berth is mere
1y closed down, but person can put
his back to it and shove it up again.
Now, personally, don't care wheth
er the upper berth is down or up.
That is, during the night. But in
the morning when | am on Wag-
ner car gently shove up the berth
and dress with comparative comfort.
On your cars this can't be done. AS
| said, | expect to get at the combl-
nation some time, but atpresent that
is one of the reasons l always travel
on a Wagner car if can havea choice
of routes. Not but what the Wag
ners are bad enough, but that they
don't seem quite as Objectionable as
some of yours. The Canadian Pa
cifc is the only road in America, that
know of, that runs really luxurious
sleepers, and where the command
seems to be, make the passengers as
comfortable as possible. When a
person has once travelled on a Cana
dian Pacific sleeping-coach, he hates
the petty restrictions and miseries of
your wagons.
This reminds me of a funny thing
that happened one night while 1 was
on my way to New York: 1 was in
I
to bed l put my overcoat and other
dnnnage in the upper berth, which
was empty. In the morning l bump
ed my back against the upper berth
and gently hoisted it to the ceiling