The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-01

water tight compartments kept her from
going to the bottom instantly, and al |
though badly damaged they were able to |
reach port, but a trip had to be omitted, |
and many people, including ourselves,
were forced at the last moment to find |
passage in other steamers at the crowded |
season, after having had rooms engaged |
for months.
The City of Rome is SO large it took
very heavy sea to move her much, but
the weather was clear and the wind light |
most of the time; crossing the dreaded |
Banks of Newfoundland, where fog is al |
ways expected, we had the best day of |
the trip without the least fog, and passed |
so close to Newfoundland that we could |
plainly see the buildings on shore, a |
sight accorded to very few ocean voyag-
ers.
The third night out a great tidal wave
suddenly struck the ship about 2 a. m.,
washing over the bow and very nearly
drowned the three look-outs, who only
just escaped. The crash of the water on
deck reused and frightened those
who slept under it, some dressed and re-
mained up the balance of the night, but
we being well aft knew nothing of it.
Next morning we were treated to the
sight of two icebergs, one worn down to
pinnacles, the other large solid mass of
ice, looking very silvery in the sunlight.
Sable Island, the worst spot in the world
for shipwreck, was near our route, but
it lies so low in the water we could not
see it.
The last day, looking out of the port
hole before going on deck, my eyes were
gladdened by the sight of the tower on
Coney Island, and soon we were at an
chor in the narrOws, waiting for permis-
| sion to pass quarantine, and here the
customs officers, dreaded by so many on
board, made their appearance. The pilot
boat small schooner met us more than
400 miles out, her little boat brought us
pilot who was a great contrast to the
one who guided us out; this one looked
| like a prosperous farmer. Pools were
sold every day in the smoking room, not
only was the gambling not frowned on
by the captain, but the man in charge of
the bar in that room was the one sent to
| gether in the betters: another pool had
been made on the number of the pilot
boat.
We had on board all told AL souls.
293 were employed in running the ship.
One man was making his sixty-fourth
trip across the Atlantic, his fourth round
trip of the season; he took his vacation
that way: l prefer to be excused from
taking mine in that fashion, solid ground
is good enough for me. Making another
\ trip would like to find steamer that
would cross in "a hours, while was not
sick either way, the sameness is terribly
mOnOtonous.
The railways of Europe are far behind
ours in every way except in the sOlidity
of the tracks, heavier rails, better aver
age stations, and the signal systems. All
Europe has followed England in the
style of rolling stock and very poor
style it is. The locomotives are totally
unlike ours, built always square in front.
no cowcatcher no headlight, no bell,
for the track is well guarded and one is
sure TO be arrested if he sets foot on the
track any where; the signals are invaria-
bly, given on the whistles, which are
frightfully shrill. Most of the engines
have no truck wheels as ours do, the
whole weight being on the drivers. Such
a variety of kinds of locomotives as there
are too, especially in England, where
some of them had a single driver ON each
side more than eight feet high, Others
with two little smaller, and so on
through the many kinds.
Some of the old style engines were
queer enough, many of them had -four
connecting rods where our locomotives
have one, all moving at the same time
and in different directions, making a
comical effect. 1t was curious to see
what clumsy ways they had of doing
what our engine builders do so simply
| Tho man on tho anUinaS ara nnxr nan aral
ly protected by cab, although many OF
the houses are nothing more than a
shield in front, the roof only projecting
foot: formerly the brutal fashion was
to give them no shelter whatever, on the
plea that this lack would tend to keeI
the men vigilent, as if an engineer need
ed any more stimulus than the knOwl.
edge of all the human lives in his care
The cars are half the length of ours, and
in England about five compartments to 9
! car, all open at the sides; on the cont
nent we found few cars opening at the
ends, mostly in Holland and Italy, but they
also had compartments, the pens il
, which so many acts of violence have beer
| committed, The entire lack of man!
, comforts and cOnveniences to which
Americans are accustomed, makes trav
elling very hard, and it is extremely
, unpleasant to sit face to face with a row
, of strangers, as all must do in this kinC
of car. Mounted on four wheels, the,
| are mott nearly so smooth riding as ou
cars, and if run at any speed, have side
, way jerking motion that is very unplea
, SAINT The windows drop down lik,
, those of carriages, and at stations it i
! a frightful nuisance if the train is at al
= crowded tOfinda compartment of the clas
A in which you wish to travel. The thre
classes are all jumbled up so IN tn
{ tram, so that you rush up and down il
/ quest of place, possibly half a dozel
| times, and then may be have to take NJ
( with smoking compartment. On tn
0 continent however you are almost certain
4 to be smoked out anywhere, their habit
/ that way nre simply brutal, the smoking
a compartment there is often the only on
5 free from smoking. In many cars ar
compartments for all classes, so that al
/ the difference is in the uphOlstering
I The various classes of cars of cours,
' necessitate as many different waiting
4 rooms, and as all the stations are double
the expense and size are much increased
The cars are lighted when necessary, b,
[ oil lamps in the ceiling OF each com
! partment, a slightly rounded white glas
: covering il as protection; 1t has to b.
q lighted and filled from the top of tn
/ car, The men tramping along on tn
roofs of the cars for that purpose.
, few are lit by gas in the same way. tn
, gas is conveyed to the various station
1 In tank cars, little smaller than thos
! used here for carrying oil. The light ]
! usually quite dim, but il sleep is required
: a covering of cloth attached to wire
can be drawn over IL.
r An ordinary tapping curtain is all tn
Q protection against the sun on summe
a day, our car blinds are unknown.
n one happens TO get into compartment
y with people who want everything close
5 tightly, he win be in misery, as we wer
I on one occasion. A small bribe in Tn
S itching palm Of the guard will general
K keep a whole compartment for on
T OF two people, to the discomfort OF man
n perhaps.
9 The stations we saw will acreage IA