Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-30
SLEEPERS WAY OFF.
Pittsburgers Who Want Pullmans
Generally Left in the Lurch.
TAIL NDOF ALL THROUGH TRAINS
A Lower Berth Is One of Those Things
Hardly 0btainable.
OFFICIALS SURPRISED At THE KICKS

Complaints are constantly being made by
travellers of the scarcity of sleeping car &C
commodations in Pittsburg It applies to
all the roads, but more especially on the
Pennsylvania to Philadelphia and New
York. The bulk of the travel out of Pitts
burg is to these Eastern points. An effort
was made yesterday to find out who is re-
sponsible. the railroads or the Pullman
monopoly. Since Pullman succeeded in
freezing out all competition his company
has occupied very independent position,
and the poor public must humbly bend the
knee to the moguls. Indeed, the railroads
haven't much to say, and the query is, how
long will the present state Of affairs con-
tinue?
The claim is freely made that Pittsburg
is being Disseminated against. The kicks
from travellers are strong and plentiful,
but without avail. Commercial men have
some hard experiences, and if one stands
around the hotel counters at any time dur
ing the day numerous complaints about
berths can be heard. In other cities some
attention is paid to telephone messages for
the reservation of bertha Here they are
ignored. and busy people must send to the
offices and show their tickets before they
are accommodated.
The lamest kind of excuses are given to
explain the conduct of the Pullman agents.
The most "pat" is that people can't be de-
pended upon to take berths after thy
order them, and it would be depriving
others who want the accommodations to
hold them. Occasionally it happens that
passenger fails to take the berth, but the
instances are not frequent
A Lower Berth Not ObtainabIe.
1t is impossible to get lower berth to
New York unless it is ordered day or two
ahead, and nobody wants an upper. The
upper berth, by the way, is the foot of the
evil The Pullman agents have been try
ing for years to convince travellers that an
upper is as good as lower, but it is notice.
able that they never get into top one
themselves, unless they can't help it. They.
are hard to reach, the air is foul and hot in
winter, and during warm weather they are
particularly stuffy and disagreeable. The
same rates are charged for both. The vic
tim in an upper looks down on the fellow
In lower and sees him enjoying privileges
that he is denied. Naturally he is mad,
and feels that he has been robbed.
There is no reason why difference in
price should not be made. An upper
berth is not worth as much as lower. and
this is conceded by everybody. A Penn
sylvania passenger man suggested yesterday
that at least 80 cents per night or more
should be knocked off the sleeping car
rates on upper berths. If this were done,
the company would have no trouble to fiji
them, and this constant jangling about
lower berths would cease. In some West
ern States the company is compelled by
law to close the upper berths when not in
use. They are left down to force passen-
gers to buy a section. An effort will proba-
bly, be made to have such law passed by
the next Legislature in Pennsylvania. II
will be hailed with delight by those who
spend many Of their nights on sleeping cars.
Anything Good Enough for Pittsburgers.
But in Pittsburg people are glad enough
to get anything, uppers or lowers. Drum
mers state that frequently they can't get
berths on the 7:15 and $40 trains East on
the Pennsylvania road. They are COM
PEELED often to leave at 4:30 in the after
noon, sit up in the coaches, or take chances
on the Keystone express at1:20 in the morn
ing, which, as rule, is always crowded.
Recently Max Moorhead was going to
Washington, and looking at the sleeper he
was in, said: "Poor Pittsburg, we are al
ways getting the worst of it. The poorest
Pullman cars on the road are run out of
this town, while the new ones are sent to
other places" The truth is that some of
them look as if they had been in use before
the deluge. They are old-fashioned and
badly worn, but full rates are charged any
how.
Around the railroad offices some informa-
tion about sleeping cars was obtained. Pas
senger men say that every now and then the
railroads jump on the Pullman Company
with the force of pile drivers, and for |
time afterward things are better. The Bal |
timore and Ohio runs one sleeper to Chicago |
and Cincinnati every night and two to |
Washington. This number is all that is |
needed, and is sufficient to accommodate |
its travellers, except when baseball |
club or theatrical company |
gobbles all the lower berths, and |
leaves the uppers for the drummers. Then
the air is blue, but there is no remedy. The |
greatest trouble is experienced in getting
ordered in plenty OF time, they are duly
promised, and then at the last moment they |
arrive with two or three short. This shows
that either the company hasn't enough cars
to supply the demand. or they go to other
places. The latter opinion is usually the
one held by the disappointed passenger
agents.
Very Much Surprised Official.
Mr.. SAMSON has charge of the sleeping
,ar arrangements for the Pennsylvania road.
He was surprised that any kicks of scar
,ity had been made recently. He admitted
hat up until June IL, complaints had been
made of shortage on the night trains to
New York, but an extra car had been put on
the Eastern express and the fast line, and
'ince then everything has been serene. In
addition he said car is held in the yards
ready to put on at a moments notice to
provide for an overflow. Mr.. SAMSON
hen went over the sleeping car accommo-
lations offered nightly by the Pennsylvania
'oad First two sleepers. one to Philadel-
ohia and New York each, are run on the
l:30 train in the afternoon. ALI the space
s for sale here. This express is q very un-
desirable train. and if the cars were held
Until evening the public would be much
better pleased. The Eastern express carries
,ne car to New York and one to PhiIadel-
,hia that are put on here. The other three
leepers come from the West, and every
lfternoon a report of the space for sale in
hese cars is received here at 4:30. The
hos x,va ,Iao n: Il. |