Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-12
WHO PAYS THE BILLS,
The Presidents Junket win Cost
$4,000.
NEW Yorlr eur

94o, 900.
New York SUM-
Inc Hon. Benjamin Harrison started
soon after midnight yesterday morn;no
on a journey Of 9O50 miles. thronoS
twenty-iour states and territories of the
union. For one month and three davs
the president and his party will be on
l 1ne swing OF the great political circle.
me manner in which he travels has
been described. Five specially deco
rated and furnished Pullman palace
cars have been provided for General
harrison,s use. The exteriors are or
namented in gold, and legend in
great gilt letters, "The Presidential
IRAN, Will inform the populace along
the route what fortunes and what hopes
the gorgeous caravan conveys, First
comes the car Atzalan, containing the
library and the smoking room, uphol-
stered In seal brown plush; and this
vehlcie also contains the presidential
barber shop. Then comes the dining
room car Coronado, elegantly furnished
In silver and green. Behind the Coro-
hado is the sleeping car New Zealand,
upholstered In steel colored fabric.
and tnen the drawing room car Ideal,
winch the skill of the artisans has
made miracle of white and gold en-
amei aud exquisite upholstery. At the
rear OF the train is the Vacuna, contain
ing SIX small drawing rooms, each deco
rated in different style and furnished
IN silk of a different color; and also an
observation room with fine French plate
glass windows and platform inclosed by
richly wroughtand highly polished rail
ing of brass, whence General Harrison. as
he is whirled across the twenty states
and four territories in his itinerary, can
inspect his fellow citizens and prognosti-
cate the political future. The train is
lighted by electricity and cooled by elec-
trio fans.
No president of the United States ever
before travelled in such style as this.
Probably no one of the earth's princes
or potentates since the world began ever
commanded or enjoyed the use of a con-
veyance so magniticentiy and expensive
ly luxurious as that which compre-
hends the Atzalan, the Coronado, the
New Zealand, the Ideal and the observa-
tion car Vacuna.
it is not difficult and perhaps not i'm
pertinent to estimate roughly the costof
the expedition which General Harrison.
comparatively poor man, has under
taken in the interest of his own renomi-
nation. The ordinary railroad fares for.
let us say, fifteen people, over the whole
distance to be travelled would amount to
not less than $4,000. The daily rental of
an ordinary Pullman car is $25; for the
Atzalan, the Coronado, the New Zea-
land, the Ideal and the Vacuna. omitting
from consideration the cost Of special
fittings and furnishings, one days bill |
from the Pullman company would be not |
less than $125, or, for the whole trip of |
thirty-five days, $4250. Travelling by |
special train requires the use of a loco
motive. furnished at the rate of So a |
mile by the several roads over which |
the special train is hauled. General |
Harrison's bill for traction should
amount to SIS, 100. An estimate of $3.50 |
day for the commissary department,
service and incidental expenses of the
party OF fifteen will certainly seem
moderate to any of our readers who
have ever travelled in a style approach
ing that which General Harrison has
assumed for the occasion; and this
would add $500 to the other items of
expense. Passing over all other possi-
Bile channels of expenditure, it appears,
therefore, that the total cost of the |
journey that began yesterday will be, in /
round numbers, $32, 200. We have no |
doubt that the figures will be nearer
$4,000.
The alternative supposition. namely,
that the president, not content with |
obtaining for himself the lowest |
rates to be had without asking E
personal or official favors, has |
embarked on career OF wholesale |
deadheadism, we reject unhesitating-
ly. 1t is costly journey that the Hon.
Benjamin Harrison has undertaken, if |
he travels, as he ought to travel, on an
independent and self-respecting basis;
but it would be still costlier for man
in his station to accept expensive favors
from corporations which manage to
secure, sooner or later, and in one shape
or another, valuable considerations for
"courtesies" extended to distinguished
travellers. We assume that the presi-
dent is paying his way, and we nope he
will get his moneys worth.
II