The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-30
ABOUT BAGGAGE.
Why Engii,hmea Prefer Their Own
Methods OF Handling "Luggsg

Those who make short trips TO
Europe are won't on their return, to
express their surprise that English
railroad companies hare not adopted
our system Of baggage checks. as 1t Is
assumed that such method would be
far preferable to the one To- use there
II is well known that In making q
journey on an English railway what
ever luggage the passenger does not
carry with him in his compartment
and this with an ordinary Englisbman
represents quite an array OF miscella-
ueous small traps-is placed In the
luggage van, so-called. which may be
car set apart distinctly for the pur-
pose. or. as is more frequently the
case. may be a compartment OF one OF
the passenger Of which the train
is made-up. No check is given to the
traveller A little paper is pasted on
the trunk indicating its destination,
and when the train arrives at that
point 1t is expected that the passen-
ger will claim his own trunks as these
are taken from the van.
Judged OF by our own standards
says the Boston Herald. this seems to
be very loose and defective means
OF carrying on business.
On tho other hand the managing
director ana some OF his associates OF
the Londoa Il Northwestern Railway
company-a corporation which en-
deavors to keep abreast OF Intelligent
progress in all matters OF railroad
business-Msited the United States
several years ago for this purpose Of
studying the American system OF bag
gage checking with the intention OF
introducing it upon the English lines
II 1t was found to be n satisfactory
method. After a careful study OF the
application Of the system upon some
OF our best managed roads the North
western officials concluded that 1t
would not pay to mako the change.
More than that we are informed that
II Is the opinion OF several experienced
American railroad men who have
visited England and studied the meth
DDS of transportation there that the
system OF handling baggage in use by
the railroads of that country, is. when
the needs pecullarities and conditions
OF English travel are taken into ac-
count better system for them than
the American method would be.
In the first place. express transfers
are uncalled for. as the price charged
for carriage hire Is very small, and a
passenger can be carried with his
tr,nl, a., N ,>r;yofa cor,;ora ~ oho,,t
the same outlay required to have a
trunk taken and delivered in this
country. One does not like to take a
carriage and carry his luggage upon
it in the United States on account OF
the delay caused while the driver is
getting possession OF the trunk. which
not infrequently with trains between
great cities. such as New York and
Boston. amounts to fifteen or twenty
minutes But In the English cities
delays OF this kind are not expert
enced. The public carriages ordinar-
lily stand alongside the platform and
within a dozen Or fifteen feet of the
point at which The train comes to a
stop.
The porters-and there is one for
almost every compartment door-re-
lieve the passengers OF their hand
luggage, secure for them carriage
and. II they have one or more trunks
open the luggage-van. take these out
place them on the top OF the hackney
coach. the whole transfer proceeding
at SO rapid rate that frequently q
traveller. with all OF his belongings
will be driven from the station in less
than a minute from the time of the ar
rival OF the train. A degree of expe-
dition is in this way obtained that is
entirely without is parallel on this
side OF the Atlantic. and under exist
ing conditions, it is quite impossible
OF reproduction here AS to the ques-
ton Of private ownership. all that
may be said is that the false claiming
OF luggage is an offense which appar-
emily does not occur in England. It
cannot be said that the people are any
more honest than our own. but their
dishonesty seemingly runs in different
channels
An Englishman will 90 into hotel.
will put down his coat and umbrella
upon the table In the front entrance
and may leave them there for two or
three days before calling for them,
feeling confident that when he does
wish them he will be sure TO find
them while with US the contrary ex-
perience would be almost inevitable.
Possibly the reason for this is to be
found in the severity and certainty
with which theft OF this kind Is pun
ished when it Is detected There is
no qualification or escuse and the
chances OF detection are so numerous
that 1t Is thought best by evil disposed
persons to try other means than CHS
of earninga dishonest livelihood. Thus
taking everything into occount, the
method pursued In England OF carry
ing baggage upon the railroads is one
that is not likely soon to give place to
the American system.
An Example worthy OF Emulation.
In Heidelberg all university students
have been excluded from the theaters.
This action was taken in concert by