The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-04
THE WORLDS RAILWAYS.
WORK OF THE RECENT INTER
NATIONAL CONGRESS.

Every Point of Cost, Construction,
Maintenance and Accommodation
Included in the Discussions - The
Congress Divided Into Five Sections
Tho Banquet and Some of the
Toasts
PARIS, Oct. 19.-By direction of Mr.. II. b.
Plant had the honor to represent the Plant
system at the recent international railway
congress held mere. IL was a most brilliant
and distinguished gathering of the repre-
sentatives of all the great European railway
systems, aud has been generally regarded
by the press as the most interesting and i'm.
portant Of all the congresses evoked or sug-
gested by the Paris exhibition.
The list of subjects for discussion ranged
over every point of cost, construction,
maintenance and accommodation. The
congress divided itself into five sections, the
trst dealing with such questions as steel
rails and accessories; means of connecting
rails with each other and with the ties: the
road-bed; the working Of signals; building
OF railway cars, and the ventilation of tun-
nels. Section two discussed rolling stock;
variation in gauge; compound locomotives
NASSeA
dealt with the working Of railways; the
dead weight Of trains; the manage
ment OF freight trains; station man
agement, and large passenger sta
tions. Section four considered general
questions, such as railways land navipable
waterways; international railway relations
bonuses TO employees; provident associa-
tlons, and composition of passenger trains
Lastly, section devoted itself to the con-
atdAFQftnn of lar gl.... 4
trains on secondary lines; hauling trains on
secondary lines; shifting freight; the work.
ing OF secondary railways and steam tram
ways.
THE INAUGURAL MEETING.
Nj. Yves-Guyot, minister of public works,
presided at the inaugural meeting, which
was held in the palace of industry. The
minister complimented the companies on
their methodical working and their readi-
ness to ensure the comfort of third-class
passengers, who, according to statistics,
were becoming very numerous in France,
| most people preferring cheap means of To-
comotion. My own observations are quite
at variance with the complimentary re-
marks OF the minister. As a matter of
fact, the French monopolies work well for
none but the shareholders. The democracy.
| as represented by the third-class passenger.
Is perhaps worse cared for on the
French lines than on any other
in the world. He sits on hard
bench, and in dim and irrelgious light.
He endures his surroundings because of his
inability TO pay for better. In Germany,
with certain exceptions. the train service Is
prompt and comfortable. Certainly there
is nothing disgraceful in the excellent third
| class accommodations through bout the
mpire-accommodation 30 good and suffi-
cient that, according to the German saying,
the only patrons Of first-class cars are
"Englishnlen and fools"
A grand banquet was given to the mem
bers of the congress and invited guests by
the directors of the six great French rail-
| way companies. The entertainment took
place at the Palace Of Industry and over a
thousand guests sat down TO the tables. A
unique feature was given TO this banquet
by the companies furnishing the wines of
their various districts. The Eastern COM
pany sent the foaming grape OF champagne;
Bordeaux was supplied by the Orleans COM
pany, and Burgundy by the Paris, Lyons,
and Mediterranean line.
Baron Alphonse dc Rothschild presided,
supported by M. Yves Guyot, Minister OF
Public Works, and NJ Alfred Picard, Presi-
dent of the Council of State, and associate
of Mr.. Plant when here on the jury Of
railway appliances. At the same table
were the presidents of the French and for
eign railway boards. The president of the
republic was represented by Commandant
Cordier. Among the distinguished officials
present we're the project Of the Seine, tho
prefect OF police, the president Of the Paris
municipal council, the president Of the
council general, and the general manager
Of the exposition.
SOME OF THE ToAsTs.
The chairman, Baron Rothscbild, pro-
80 4 ~ 49, q -.
public, and the toast was long and loudly
applauded. He referred to the progress
made by railway enterprise, and in 90
doing proposed the healthS of tho eminent
foreign representatives present, whom he
thanked for having conferred on him the
honor of presiding over the congress.
M. Picard, general manager Of the Paris,
Lyons and Mediterranean railway, proposed
toast to the "Great Railway Family" in
cluding the eminent engineers and illustri-
Gus organizers Of the banquet. Such meet
ings, he said, could not but contribute to
the success Of their work.
Commandant Brioschi, delegate from the
Italian ministry of public works, spoke OF
the vitality of France, and added that
science, industry and commerce we're neoes-
sary to all nations, but the first necessity
was peace. He had been too long an OBJ
server of political events TO entertain any
llluSfOnS on bDaJ BuDJScbs AAeVeTUuei6SS, ne
still had faith in the future, and in any case
he felt assured that they were all laboring
together with ardor to attain that all
important result.
After the feasting and fraternity the
delegates proceeded to serious business ana
discussed some of the technical subjects be-
fore the congress They agreed that hard
steel rails were the best and safest for all
traffic purposes.
Two days afterward the members Of the
congress attended grand gala performance
at the Opera, to which they had been in
vited by the directors Of the great French
railway companies. Tho programme iu-
cluded the second act Of Verdi's 'tAidan
the first act OF Meyerbeer's ''Afri-
cane" and Delibes' ballet in
two acts entitled Cappelia During
the day the principal questions discussed
had reference to the most efficient mode of
connecting rails with each other and with
the sleepers, and to the management of
freight trains.
CANALS HELP RAILWAYS.
The following morning the members Of
the fourth section discussed tho very inter
esting question OF waterways and railways 8,
and the tares and incidental charges levied
on freight carried by those means Of trans
portation. It was conceded that the develop
Inent Of canals would be advantageous to
railways, and even the competition thus
arising between the two would also have
its merits, and it would lead TO the estab-
lisbment Of fixed tariffs Of transport where