The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-28
STATE RAILWAYS.
Their Operation by Government Works to the
Disadvantage of the Traveller.

Berlin Letter in New York Tribune.
One fact will before long begin to be ap-
parent to the arriving American: or two
facts. He Will. if he takes note of the ar
rangemcnts on the railways by which he
travels. become aware that they are not
constructed primarily for his convenience.
nor even primarily for the convenience of
the German public. They are state rail-
ways, and the state thinks first of itself; or.
might say fret last and all the time
They are constructed for moving troops
with the greatest facility; con-
structed so that when the fateful
''mobep' goes forth from the center of the
great spiders web. where sits the king
spider. known as chief of staff. every rail-
way track. and platform. and station shall
be instantly available for the dispatch and
receipt Of troops. w hat would the Ameri-
can railway superintendent say to @ state
of things which compelled him to keep that
contingency foremost In his thoughts and
planet What would an Englishmanf
The Englishman, accustomed to the elab.
crate convenienees of his own railway sys-
tenn. looks with wonder on what seems to
him the primitive and imperfect oontrIv-
ances of the German. They are. / think.
neither primitive nor imperfect. Their
aim Is different. The Englishman expects
his train to draw mp to . platform
nearly on level with the footboard OF his
carriage; the platform to he covered; por-
tiers to be at hand at every station, not
merely at great stations; the station itself
to be adjacent to the covered platform.
which. indeed, forms part of IL. All this
and much moro he not only expects, but
gets. He comes to Germany, travels from
Bremen to Berlin. very important line.
and stops at the two chief stations by the
way, UelZen and Stendal. His train comes
to a stop midway between two others, or
between two tracks, If not more than
two, and at distance of perhaps
twenty yards from the nearest platform.
He has TO climb down from his carriage as
best be may no porter to help him or 10
take his luggage. should he happen to be
stopping In these desOlute parts. He must
cross two or three tracks on The level be-
fore he gains the shelter OF q platform. and
the platform Is open. III it rains, he is
shelterless till he has scuttled into the sta
ton. Trains are moving on both sides of
him; he must keep out of their way as best
he can. The station itself Is comfortless, ex-
cept that there is always beer, presumably.
In this country. the greatest comfort OF
all. and the one which makes 1t easy to
dispense with all Others. He will find
the conductors and other officials civil and.
if they once understand hat he wants hei ID,
helpful to the best of their ability, but
slightly astonished that he should want
Qclp. lDe AmtItcAn may tDlnk oil tD1o
more in the true nature of things, having
learned In his own country. under the be-
nehcent but uDrelentinR despotism OF the
railroad king. TO look out for himself; q
lesson the Englishman has never had occa-
sion TO learn In his capacity as railway
traveller. The Englishman is bewildered
and his language in these circumstances
apt TO be peculiar: and he rashiy
makes remarks In his native tongue for
getting that the number of Germans who
speak and understand English-not always
the same thing-ie To the number of
Enclishmen W no speak German in the pro-
portion of something like twenty to one.
Hence occasional collisions; confined. how
ever. to the exchange of hard words. In
teliiRible or not on both sides. The blow
ID unknown.
0ur English friend would not be in the
least appeased by the explanation /
baZarded above. that all these incon-
veniences to the public are so many con-
veniencas for military purposes. But they
are. Troops want space. and plenty
of II: room TO enfrain and to detrain in due
order; room for horses. and guns and equi D.
ments. Half q dozen parallel platforms,
three feet above the ROAD bed, and oil the
compact. snug comfort of an English sta
ton would but emberrsss the movements
of battalions. and still more of batteries
and or cavalry. such Is my conjecture as
20 the present construction of the German
station. Cheapness would be its other
accommodation. 1t - . frugal state.