St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-12
no, FOR The PACIFIC!
Scenes in the Union Depot at
the Hour Of De-
parture
OF the Afternoon Train ON
the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
Obliging Officials Trying to
Add to the Comfort Of
Emigrants.
Scenes on the Platform and
Character Sketches on
the Cars.

Passengers on the Northern Pacific
for Fargo, Bismarck, Helena. Portland,
Tacoma, Seattle and all points on the
Pacific coast!"
Such is the cry which rings with
sOnOrons sound through the corridors of
the union depot between and o'clock
every afternoon. Then there is tu-
multi. Men, women, children and bag
gage all rushing in a heterogeneous
mass towards the platform. Mingling
with the crowd, it takes time to pass the
wickets where the patient individuals
stand inspecting tickets and showing
passengers which is their train. Ar
rived on the platform, the two sections
of the o'clock train are seen on
either side. On the left is
the frst-class section, composed of
from nine to twelve cars.
OF these about half are vestibuled
Pullman's. and the slick cOlored men
with their blue coats. brass buttons
and gold laced caps, stand at the steps
making themselves generally useful.
On the right is the emigrant section.
composed of about the same number of
emigrant sleepers.
Parading up and down the platform
are usually two or three agents of the
railway company, looking after the
comfort Of first and second class pas
sengers alike. j. c. Pond is frequent
Agent Fee, but always G. E. Stone,
around with bundle of N. P. folders
and other entertaining reading matter.
Everybody rushes to Mr.. Stone for in
formation and he seems to
he sort of perambuIating encyclo-
pedia, for he answers every question
without the least hesitation. The plat
form is crowded with passengers of
every sort. There IS a Dakota pOliti-
clan. just appointed railroad commits
sioner, with his pockets stuffed full of
annual passes on every line in the
Northwest. As he enters the Pullman,
lie exhibits an annual pass, signed by
old Pullman himself, which causes the
colored gentleman's eyes to exhibit
more white than usual, as he conducts
the naughty magnate to his section; for
it is only railroad commissioners, presi-
dents OF lines, and such bowling swells.
who can get annual Pullman passes.
Common, ordinary United States SEN
atorS and newspaper men have got
to pay on Pullman, even though
they have passes everywhere else.
Here comes a travelling man. Watch
him; you can get pointers from him on
to yourself. He walks in business
like way to the steps, shows his ticket,
takes his seat, opens book or paper
and is at home till he has reached his
destination.
But the frSt-claSs part of the train
has few points of interest compared
with the second-clasS or emigrant sec
ton. Passing through this one sees a
series of cars, with upper and lower
berths, just as in Pullman, except
that view from one berth to the other
is distinctly obtainable, there being no
partitions. At one end Of the car is
cooking stove, on which the emigrants
can boil their coffee and do light (yery
light cooking. The inhabitants of
a car prove a very interesting
study, as they skirmish around after
seats. There seems to be no limit to
the number of passengers which the
cars will hold. A section is frequently
tenanted by man and wife, their
daughter and sOn-in-law, with brood
of grandchildren, ranging in size and
age. They have to sleep huddled to-
gether like sheep. but are perfectly
as rule. The other day
came up to Mr.. Stone on the platform,
and, with tears i'll her eyes, asked where
she was going to sleep. He told her
she had better buy mattress for 81 and
sleep ON that. ''But whereof she asked.
II can't sleep in that crowd of men,
women and Children" Mr.. Stone re-
assured her with that particularly en-
gaging smile of his, saying that there
were plenty Of other women doing just |
the same thing. She then wanted to |
sit in all ordinary day coach. but Mr.. |
Stone advised her not to- as it was rather |
hard work sitting still for three or four
days. At last she took his advice, bought |
a mattress and pillow, and ensconced |
herself in corner of the sleeper, find
ing it not so very terrible after all.
There in that front car is band of |
Italians. 1t is an opera company going |
out to amuse the miners in Montana |
with Rossini's and Verdi's master
pieces. They fill half the car, and find |
no Inconvenience. Big bas-
kets of maccaroni, cheese, sau-
sages, ETC., are. piled up in the |
struments of every sort. They are |
apparently happy crowd. AS soon
they reach the car they start singing |
and praying, while the dusky prima |
donna talks in a dolcissilnO adagiO tone
Of voice to the handsome tenor, who re-
plies in an allegretto con alnore tone,
illustrating his remarks with smiles and
Hashes from his eyes.
Here comes family. A tall. strap
ping young fellow with a well put.up
young wife, holding in her arms the in
evitable blending of babies and bun
lies. To her skirts hang numerous
children, one holding a bird cage, an
other a basket, another puppy. Fol-
owing in @heir wake are an old man
and woman. The old man volunteers
he remark with decided Irish brogue,
This is my daughter and her man:
hey nave lived out on the coast for four
rears, and returned to Wisconsin to
bring us out too"
Here comes another family. A broad
ODking man follows with brood of
and enough baggage to load
IN ordinary train. This woman sold
,ut her farm in Ireland and brought the
whole family over to farm she has
bought out in Washington territory.
She has over $1,000 in a bag in her
,reast and bosses the family with a
SIZE is like a general, and
hey all obey her orders, from her meek
husband down to the smallest child, to
whom she administers a slap with each
Instruction.
Here comes gang of lumbermen
rom Wisconsin. They are the stuff
hat the Oregonians and Washington
ans want sent out in any number.
There is work for them all at good
wages, and they form the largest class of
on these emigrant trains.
Many of them are Scandinavians and
many Irish, but they all make good,
old men for a new country. The train
" this time is apparently full, but still
hey come, faster and faster as the time
,or Il q narf1lrr draxNg near |